Session 4

It Starts With One

From Prepare the Way

South Carolina is home to over five million people, and with many of its cities growing rapidly, that number will continue to climb.

God has placed NewSpring Church right here, in the midst of those five million people. That means five million people are within our sphere of influence, and five million people could have an everyday relationship with Jesus. But let’s make that number personal. 

Who in your family doesn’t know Jesus yet? Your brother? Aunt? Dad? 
Which coworker practices another religion? 
What family friend is precious to you but hasn’t come to faith yet?

Reaching five million people begins with reaching one. And reaching one person begins with each of us thinking like Jesus did.

In the Parable of the Lost Sheep, Jesus teaches, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:4-7). 

How far are we willing to go to find the lost sheep? What kind of sacrifices are we willing to make to prepare the way for the people in our lives to encounter Jesus Christ? Each one matters to God more than we know, and each one needs to hear about His love.

In Acts 17, Paul teaches that God determined when and where people from every time and place would live, “that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him” (Acts 17:27). God chose that five million South Carolinians would live right here, right now so they could have a relationship with Him. 

What if you and I have a role to play in that?

None of us could ever know five million people on our own. But by working together, our kingdom impact can spread far and wide! 

This is the ultimate goal of Vision 2030: that everyone everywhere would experience an everyday relationship with Jesus. As we find permanent homes for each of NewSpring’s 13 campuses across South Carolina, we’ll create facilities that are welcoming places to encounter God. And as we plant 10 churches, we’ll see the gospel carried to hearts who need it in every corner of the world.

God has given each one of us a sphere of influence, and when we are intentional in sharing the gospel in those relationships, we join together as one church family across the state to accomplish far more than any of us could do on our own.

REFLECT: 

• Who do you know and love who does not have a relationship with Jesus yet?
  

• What is one way you can begin to share the gospel with them?
  

• Ask God if there’s anyone in your life that He wants you to invite to NewSpring with you this Sunday.