One is a big number! One word can stir strong feelings and move us to action. Think about your emotional and physical response to these simple one-word cries from someone near you: “Fire!” “Snake!” “Run!” “Help!” When faced with frightening circumstances, one word is enough. We do not need a dissertation. Just one simple, valuable word-that’s all we need to hear.
One is a big number when it is in front of a lot of zeros and preceded by a dollar sign. It is a big number in the score of a ballgame. Winning by one point is better than losing by one point.
The number one is huge in God’s economy as well. Luke 15 speaks of one lost sheep, one lost coin and one lost son. The two most powerful words in these stories are “one” and “lost.” In each case, the focus is on the value of just one. In God’s economy, the Father would have sent his Son into the world if there had been only one lost person.
The number one is very powerful when coupled with the word “lost.” This is especially true when the words refer to someone we love. In fact, I would suggest that we would question the efficiency of leaving 99 to seek for the one unless it was someone important to us. Think of the power of one when it is used to refer to your mom, dad, son, daughter, best friend, husband or wife who is lost. Then it all makes sense. Leave the 99. Just go find my lost one.
The Oklahoma State Missions Offering is about one lost sheep! While our efforts are to reach the masses, we understand clearly that salvation comes to one person at a time. Your gifts will join you with thousands of others in the effort to reach lost sheep one at a time.
This year we have the privilege of strengthening the most significant evangelistic arm of the church-Sunday School. PowerUP Sunday School is about energizing, training and engaging the Sunday School to reach lost sheep with the Gospel.
One of the greatest mission fields in America is the college campus. College students today are tied to their electronic tools and toys. MajorThing.com provides a way for Christian students to tell the story of their faith to friends through use of the Internet.
In March, Oklahoma Baptists took the Gospel to our state one home at a time. We left an invitation to church and a Gospel presentation on the door of 650,000 homes. At the same time, commercials tied to the materials were appearing on television. We sowed seeds one at a time across Oklahoma. We want to continue this effort in 2008 to see a harvest.
Missions is in the DNA of Oklahoma Baptists, and we want to pass our mission passion to our children. Beginning in 2008 we will have one children’s mission camp located at Camp Hudgens. It will be a unique, mission-focused camp like no other in America. It will be one of a kind.
The Oklahoma State Missions Offering is about one-one lost sheep reached for Jesus. Join Polla and me in giving generously to find the one outside of the fold.
