If you're bothered by the title of this blog post, I wouldn't blame you a bit. But hang in there, because I promise there's a point.

Today, I was adding to my research on the best, most effective ways to manage robust growth as a church literally doubles in one year. In the middle of reseaching, I remembered a conversation I had with ambitious Ghanian church planter, Emmanuel “Muss” Mustapha.

I was honored to serve with him twice in Northern Ghana—once in 2019 and then again just before the world shut down in February of 2020.

As travel restrictions lifted, Muss came to the states, and I was grateful to spend a little time with him.

As we talked, he mentioned how the pandemic had led him to a gospel-related revelation:

"So, Liz. How did the COVID virus spread?"

“Person-to-person.”

"Yes, and in a matter of months, we watched as it traveled around the world to every continent and every nation—one person at a time."

7.8 billion people.

COVID demonstrated the extraordinary speed and distance something can travel when it's transmitted through people exponentially in this highly connected world: literally to the ends of the earth.

Of course, it's much better when the thing that's traveling is good news and life-giving—like Christ, for example.

Best,

Liz B. Baker

P.S. Contrast the speeds of transmission today to the spread of the gospel over the past 2,000 years to a much less connected world: The Spread of the Gospel (1:21).

September 13, 2022

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