The Shy Evangelist

Kendra had no idea that a visit to a dentist’s office would change her life. While her young daughter was seeing the dentist, Kendra noticed a small display in the waiting room that offered free Bible studies.

She took the free lesson and mailed in a request for Bible studies. Before long, Tom and Sharon knocked on her door, Bible studies began, and a friendship developed. Kendra began attending church. She enjoyed growing in her understanding of the Bible and seeing God become a bigger part of her life.

Kendra surrendered her life to Jesus and was baptized, and she became a part of the church family. A few weeks later, she heard her pastor announce that an It Is Written mission team would be heading to the Philippines and was inviting people to join the mission trip and preach a series of evangelistic meetings.

Kendra was naturally shy and had no experience with public speaking, but she sensed God urging her to find out more about the mission trip.

Without the needed funding, she couldn’t understand how it could all work out. Nevertheless, before long, Kendra was in Manila, standing before a group of interested listeners, confidently teaching the three angels’ messages. As Kendra made appeals, people responded by filling out decision cards or coming to the front on altar calls. Quiet Kendra had become Kendra the soul winner.

The dentist that her daughter saw that day could not have known a future evangelist was about to enter his practice. But that silent invitation printed on the back of an It Is Written Bible study was used by the Holy Spirit to draw Kendra into becoming a disciple of Jesus and then a disciple maker. To those who followed Him, Jesus said, “I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).

In The Desire of Ages, we read, “No sooner is one converted than there is born within him a desire to make known to others what a precious friend he has found in Jesus.”* Kendra returned from the mission trip and began studying the Bible with a friend, who was then baptized. God calls us to Himself so that He can use us to call others to follow Him.