The gospel is a risky business. The problem, today, is the western church is no longer willing to risk herself for the sake of Christ.

There is a long list of men and women who have risked life and limb to take Christ to a heart in need.

Today in the west we want to simply save ourselves rather than save others.

Jackie Pullinger was a 19-year-old single woman who boarded a ship having no idea where she was going. The Holy Spirit told her to get off in Hong Kong. With little money, no church backing or mission board nods of approval, and without any knowledge of the language she began to serve and work that field.

She was led to what is known the walled city. No running water, open sewers, prostitution and brothels, child trafficking, and the place was run by drug lords and gangs. Few police entered the walled city.

The area was a rat infested place. She was constantly vandalized and threatened. She stood her course with confidence in Christ and His call. He would be her protector.

Under the Lord’s direction she began to move in men and women into her very small space and tell them about Jesus. I want you to ponder that a minute with all of our restrictions today on people who are called to follow Christ. We, in essence, have been the hindrance.

She placed people around the clock praying in tongues over those going through withdrawals from drug addictions until they were set free. Sometimes it lasted for days. We pray for a minute for someone’s freedom and ensure we are back home for dinner.

I’m ashamed. Convicted. Called to a fork in the road. Do you think it mattered to those that she was a woman?

She was never harmed, never raped, never touched. What Jesus knew was that this culture wouldn’t touch her kind of woman. She simply obeyed Him.

She gave them a home, and they became her family. She never feared for her safety nor backed down from ministering to anyone. This included women, and men. Both with terrible addictions, 80-year-old prostitutes, street kids with no family but gangs.

Her love for Jesus loved them too much to shrink back from her call. She never called it ministry, she simply called it life.

Over time the people began to trust her, and she is responsible for leading many drug lords, prostitutes, and other outcasts to Christ Jesus.

You can learn more about her online.

I leave you with this final remark:

Don’t you think it’s time to move on from our trivial debates?