My Bible Study group is discussing evangelism. Over the last two weeks we have talked about ways to share our faith in Christ, who we should share Christ with and why we MUST share Christ. Back To The Street, the title track from Petra’s album Back To The Street (1986), is a song I’ve heard this week, and because evangelism is on my mind, the content of the song focuses my mind on proclaiming the Gospel.

It’s so easy to lose the burden, take our eyes off the fields,
Settle into apathy and forget what the harvest yields,
It’s so easy to think we’re finished with our labour for awhile,
Kick back and let somebody else go the extra mile.

Before our discussion started I felt a bit like this. I was wrapped up in my own issues, I excused myself because I’m not in a ministry job, I told myself others could do it. How wrong I was!

Jesus said go! (Go!) Into all the world make disciples of all men,
We gotta go! (Go!) To the highways compel them to come in,
As long as there’s a tearful eye that cries alone at night,
As long as there’s a weary soul ready to end the fight,
As long as there’s an aching heart that still has strength to beat,
We gotta take this message back to the street,
We gotta take this message back to the street.

As believers in Jesus Christ we are all called into ministry. We must all love our neighbour, which means telling them the truth in love because we have the amazing gift of a relationship with God through Christ. Our neighbours are all around us, across the street, in your sports team, across the desk at work. They’re crying out for the Gospel, waiting for truth and longing for new life.

This song was released 32 years ago, and it still rings true today, just as it did back then. The streets are different today, but the message is still the same and the commission hasn’t changed.

Back To The Street – Petra