Step Outside the Walls

"And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.'" – Mark 16:15
 
Sometimes we assume that ministry only happens inside the walls of a church. That people have to come to us, at the time we’ve decided, on the terms we’ve set, in the building we’ve labeled sacred. But God has never been confined to buildings. He moves where people are, and He calls us to do the same.
 
Peter had to leave the comfort of Joppa and walk into Cornelius’ home. It wasn’t just a change of scenery; it was a shift of mindset. Peter didn’t wait for Cornelius to come to him. He obeyed God and stepped into someone else’s space. That one decision opened the door for an entire household to encounter God. But it never would have happened if Peter had stayed where it was familiar.
 
We have to ask ourselves a hard question. Are we only comfortable ministering to people who come to us? Do we only love those who look, act, or believe like us? Are we more committed to church services than to serving people? Because if that’s the case, we’re missing the point.
 
To truly follow Jesus, you have to go where He goes. And more often than not, He’s out among the hurting, the overlooked, the messy, and the broken. That means leaving your comfort zone. It means showing up in places that stretch you, talking to people who challenge you, and loving people who are different from you. It means having conversations before conversions, listening before correcting, and seeing people as image-bearers before seeing them as projects.
 
Jesus is not impressed with how well we can host a service. He is looking for people who will carry His heart into the world. And the world is not waiting inside a church building. It’s at your job, in your neighborhood, in the coffee shop, on social media, and in every place you go.
 
Peter could have missed that moment. So can we. But if we’re willing to go where God leads and love the people He puts in front of us, He will do what only He can do. The question is, are you willing to leave your comfort zone? Because that’s where the real ministry begins.