As many of you know, I’m a pastor in some norwegian rural churches. At the time being I’m home with my son, but come September I’m back at work. I guess you also has seen that there is less church and Christ related stuff here now, since I’m not in the middle of everything like I’m used to. But I can assure you; Christ do still have place in my life…and in my son’s life too. He goes to sleep a little bit safer now that he knows and trust that Jesus will watch over him and scare all the monsters and dangers, only a 3 yr old can imagine, far away!

Today this was the text the pastor based his sermon on:

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

And even though I had two boys keeping me busy so I couldn’t focus fully on the sermon itself. The text has been playing in my mind ever since I first read it earlier this week.

To me this is a been-there-know-how-it-works – kind of biblical text. I can almost tell it in my sleep. We use it a lot, both for mission related and baptism related issues. Still it’s challenging in a way few other text’s are; I mean challenging for us human beings(!!) How can we do as Jesus says? How can we go out and share his word, his life, his death, his ressurection in a way that make people understand and feel that this is important and true?!?! I hope most of us won’t smack the bible in the head of our neighbors, but how do we reach out to them in a way that will help them find and believe in Christ as well?!

No, I don’t have the answers…

I’m mostly wondering and trying to figure out how to bring more of my friends and neighbors close to Jesus. And I’m sure there is no easy way and also sure there will be more than one way of doing this. My gut’s telling me to be myself, use whatever gift God has given me (now the search for those gifts is another blog post waiting to happen, I guess…). Believing that a fake me will make the message sound kind of fake as well!!

But mostly “spreading the world” is about being close to God. Living in his word, so to say. Far to often I forget to read my Bible. Even though I want to read the book every day, I usually do settle for reading the verse or verses I recieve in my email. I have a plan in the making to try and turn this around, though…. (a Hairy Goal, so to speak!)

I’m going to leave you with a single verse from the Bible. My verse. Since I was a teenager this has had a special place in my faith.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

God bless!!

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