At our Deer Creek Evangelism Rally we were challenged to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in every dwelling place in Franklin Parish. I've been to lots of these meetings before, and usually leave feeling challenged and inspired. That excitement is a little like a mild case of poison ivy -- In a few days or weeks, if you don't scratch that itchy rash too much, if you go on with life as usual, it goes away. Sadly, for many of us whatever enthusiasm we feel for sharing Jesus Christ will go away soon.

After I got home last night, a strange thought began to roll around in my head. What would happen if we really did share Jesus Christ with every person in Franklin Parish? What would happen if every person in our community asked Jesus into their lives as Savior and Lord? What would happen to our churches? What would happen to our institutions? What would happen in the way we do business? What would happen in our legal system? What would happen in our families? What would happen in our schools?

I've never seen that happen. I don't know what might happen if everyone suddenly began to follow Jesus. But I've got some ideas, don't you?

First, I bet our churches would be transformed. Not just because of the influx of new people, even though our buildings wouldn't hold them all, but because lots of church members would be changed as well. Churches would focus on ministry to other people rather than micro-management of pet programs. Love would not only be something we sing about and talk about and preach about; love would be the dominant reality of your life and mine.

Relationships would be transformed. Husbands and wives would put their partners before themselves. Parents would relate to children as treasures from God. Nursing homes wouldn't be quite so lonely. Friends would move beyond the superficial. Neighbors would go the second mile.

Business would be transformed. Profit might not be nearly so important to us. Success would be redefined. Ethics, more than a topic for another board meeting, would be a reality.

Wouldn't our schools be changed? Racial tension and hostility would give way to acceptance. Teachers might actually be able to focus on educating as well as keeping order. If all the children and teenagers in our schools were "sold out to Jesus," and all the teachers and administrators were too, our woes with the Justice Department might actually begin to be solved.

I could go on and on thinking about what might happen, but your imagination is as fertile as mine. Is this all just wishful thinking, a flight of fancy? The Bible tells us, with God, nothing is impossible.

How in the world can every person come to know Jesus? Well, it will not happen through some mass evangelism campaign. It will not happen through some government program. It will probably not happen because of our Worship Service being broadcast on the radio. If it happens, one person will tell another person. And that person will tell another, and so on. Evangelism begins with "one hungry beggar telling another where to find bread."