“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain…”_ John 15:16 In today’s text, Jesus reminds us that our relationship with Him is not based on our own initiative, but on His sovereign choice. He has chosen us to be His disciples, and with that choice comes a purpose: to bear fruit that lasts. By implication, we are chosen by God to serve Him, and ordained to produce spiritual fruit that brings glory to Him. Our fruitfulness is not just about our own spiritual growth, but also about leading others to Christ.Evangelism is more than sharing the Gospel with sinners. It also involves investing in the lives of new believers, helping them to grow and remain fruitful for God’s glory. This is called follow-up, a way to establish new converts. Hence, the Lord emphasizes the importance of conserving the fruit of evangelism. He has chosen us to go and bring forth fruit, but also to ensure that our fruit remains. This means that our evangelistic efforts should not only focus on leading people to Christ but also on discipling them to maturity.Conserving the fruit of evangelism involves nurturing new believers in their faith: teaching them to obey God’s Word and encouraging them to grow in their relationship with God. It requires getting close to the new converts to know them, answer their questions and help them through their difficult times. The basis of engaging the new converts is the Word of God – the Bible. We are to teach them the rudiments, that is, the ABC of God’s word. New believers are likened to babies; thus, they really need the sincere milk of the Word so as to nurture their faith and help them grow in the knowledge of God (1 Peter 2:2). The overall goal of discipleship is to empower the new converts to lead an overcoming, Christlike life. *SEARCHLIGHT:* Evangelism is more than sharing the Gospel with sinners. It also involves investing in the lives of new believers, helping them to grow and remain fruitful for God’s glory.*PRAYER:* Dear Lord, help me to conserve the fruit of evangelism by not only leading people to Christ but also discipling them to maturity. May the fruit of my labour remain for Your glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
BIBLE READING: Job 31-33 & 2 Corinthians 8. PST. OMOLE MICHAEL
