Zambia Hunt

On the way from my home to the university, I passed a home where the yard worker was slowly slashing grass; in fact, he was barely moving his arm. He certainly lacked ambition and motivation.

As children belonging to God, we have been drafted into God’s workforce and sent out to labor for His interests among men. Yet, too often, we are like my neighbor’s yard worker. Our exposure to success-driven men and ministries may cause us to feel that there is something spiritual about lacking ambition in ministry work. In Africa, spiritual ambition is often viewed negatively. I fear the result is a plague infecting our local churches, a plague of ambition-less harvest workers.

The ambition to preach the gospel, where it had not yet been proclaimed, consumed Paul’s life (Ro 15:20). This ambition gave him a laser focus, structured his priorities, and defined a core value for decision-making.

Consider these principles from Paul’s life:

▪ A God-given, life-consuming ambition must be shaped by a clear vision of the mission – the proclamation of the gospel that all must be justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone. (Ro.15:6-7,17)

▪ A God-given, life-consuming ambition is a response to a clear call of God upon our lives. (Rom. 15:8)

▪ A God-given, life-consuming ambition is not optional if we are to bring glory to God. (Ro.15:9)

▪ A God-given, life-consuming ambition requires that we exercise faith in God for His work of grace in the lives of others. (Ro.15:14)

▪ A God-given, life-consuming ambition is given by God and pursues Him as His highest end (Ro.15:15-16)

▪ A God-given, life-consuming ambition requires a power greater than ourselves but nothing less than our all. Consider the little boy’s lunch; he gave Jesus his all even though his all was nothing compared to the needs of the multitudes. (Ro.15:19)

▪ A God-given, life-consuming ambition consumes everything – your time, energies, assets, and priorities. (Ro.15:22-24)

In a lecture given in 1875 to the students at his Pastor’s College, CH Spurgeon said, “We must be done with daydreams and get to work. I believe in eggs, but we must get chickens out of them. I do not mind how big your egg is; it may be an ostrich egg if you like, but if there is nothing in it, pray clear away the shells. …… We want facts – deeds done, souls saved. It is all very well to write essays, but what souls have you saved from going down to hell? Your excellent management of your school interests me, but how many children have been brought into the church by it? Are sinners converted? To swing to and fro on a five-barred gate is not progress, yet some seem to think so…

“Brethren, do something; do something; do something. While committees waste their time over resolutions, do something. While Societies and Unions are making constitutions, let us win souls. Too often, we discuss and discuss and discuss, and Satan laughs in his sleeve. It is time we had done planning and sought something to plan. I pray, be men of action, all of you, get to work and quit yourselves like men.“ Spurgeon, CH. Lectures to My Students, p.55

In the New Testament, teaching and learning Scripture are always in the context of “equipped.” The purpose of learning Scripture is to equip us for harvest work. We are to teach others to obey all things that Christ commanded. Theology is not a hat you wear on your head; it’s the boots you strap to your feet! It is time to strap on those boots and embrace a God-given, life-consuming ambition that results in Great Commission living.