Roman's 15

Roman's 15:20

When Paul is talking about his ministry in the mid eastern areas, he makes it clear what his aim is when he says, "And thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation."

Paul has made a great and clear goal with this verse to us. This verse also speaks to us in the sense of preaching the Gospel. Firstly he says that "I make it my ambition to preach the gospel." That should be everyone's ambition. Whether we are pastors or garbage truck drivers, it is our goal to be preaching the Gospel to everyone that we meet or come in contact with! Then he says, "not where Christ has already been named, lest i build one someone else's foundation." This is a big one. He is saying here that he does not want to go to different cities and countries that already know Christ and have heard the Gospel. That would be a waste of time, no? Why spend your time trying to preach the Gospel to a zone that already knows it and is living by it's standards? Paul makes the metaphor that he would be "building on someone else's foundation." Why build a water fountain at a park that already has seven? Go to a new park that has none and build one there! Same thing, why build and raise up a church in an area that already loves Jesus, when there are hundreds of countries that are filled with people who have never even heard of the name Jesus!

So what is this calling us to exactly? Well, Paul is telling us to not waste the time we have here on Earth and make the most of it by spreading the Gospel. Why would a pastor go to school and get a major in Christian Ministries and then go to a church that is fully functional and already succeeding? That's a waste of time! Instead, he should go out to poverty stricken cities in the U.S. or countries in Africa or Asia where there is poverty everywhere and Jesus no where. We need to check our priorities here and understand that there is still work to be done everywhere else on EARTH, not just in our neighborhood! So let's go out and start planting the seeds of Christ in people's lives who have never thought of having a relationship with Christ.