A British evangelist is challenging Christians in the United States and around the world to return to the teachings of Christ when it comes to mission work.
In his new book, Hope Unleashed: Serving God through Words and Actions, Andy Hawthorne recounts years of ministry work in Manchester, England. More than 20 years ago, Hawthorne and a few Christian friends began reaching out to troubled youth in the area. A few years later, he formed The Message Trust and has been in full-time ministry work ever since. Hawthorne believes Christians are called to be missionaries wherever they live. Unfortunately, he says, many believers are not heeding the call of Christ. "Jesus said, 'You're the light of the world. Put your lamp on a stand; do not hide it under a bowl.' My sense is that so much of the way we've lived our Christian faith is by doing exactly the opposite, putting the light under a bowl, the bowl of our Christian meetings, the bowl of the way we do church -- it's just a great big cover over the light," he contends. He has a challenge for Christians. "Let's lift the bowl, stick the light on a stand in the darkest places, because this gospel will transform even the darkest community, even the darkest life," Hawthorne says. "It works; it's lost none of its power. We as God's people just need to get it out there." Hawthorne says the gospel must be proclaimed in both word and deed.
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