Nearly forty years ago, I enlisted in the Marines and spent over a decade in service to our country. Every Marine must learn to be proficient in marksmanship, regardless of the specific job. Whether Special Ops, infantry, or even a cook, every Marine is expected to be a rifleman. This is accomplished through hours of instruction and training followed by constant practical application (practice).
We learned about good bone support, breathing, and trigger control, how temperature and wind affected a shot, and many other important things. Then came the test or qualification on a firing range. Every Marine went through this training and testing every year. We shot from 200 meters, 300 meters, and even 500 meters using iron sights and no optics.
The mission was simple…hit the target! (Though even the size and shape of the targets changed). Each stage of qualification required shooting from different positions, such as off hand (standing), kneeling, sitting, and (at 500 meters) from the prone (lying) position. Some rounds were rapid fire and others slow. Each marine shot a total of 50 rounds to qualify and could not move on until passing the test.
This military example illustrates our walk with Christ in multiple ways. Every Christian (regardless of our role) is to be proficient in witnessing for Jesus. Our mission is to hit the target (share the good news with the lost). This is a simple truth we all know. But do we spend time training for this mission? Have we really dug into the fundamentals of what it takes to accomplish the mission?
Have we considered that the context of our mission changes situationally? Or are we trying to hit the target at 500 meters the same as we did at 200?
One more related observation. When shooting, we would use a small notebook to track our shots, and the target handler would lower or raise the target to mark where the shot actually hit. This valuable information and feedback allowed us to make a D.O.P.E. change (Data On Previous Engagement). It provided accountability for our effectiveness while allowing us to make necessary adjustments.
We live in an ever-changing culture, but we serve a never-changing God who has given us a life-giving message in the gospel. We must never ignore or diminish the biblical mandate to share these truths! However, we must equip, train, and adjust based on accurate data to become more effective in hitting our target.
I pray we are willing to make the investment in being effective witnesses for Jesus and refuse to move on until we master it.
About the Writer: Travis Alexander is the mission director for Arkansas Free Will Baptists: www.arfwb.org/missions/.
