Have you heard of the “Fellowship of the Unashamed”? Do you know any members?
I’ve heard of a few Compassion volunteers who are doing some amazing stuff in this regard.
As for me, even though I sometimes act like I’m “all that and a bag of chips” compared to this author I’m just the bag … sans chips. 🙂
“I’m a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His and I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.
My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m done and finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, or first, or tops, or recognized, or praised, or rewarded. I live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by Holy Spirit power.
My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road may be narrow, my way rough, my companions few, but my guide is reliable and my mission is clear.
I will not be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice or hesitate in the presence of the adversary. I will not negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won’t give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus. I must give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He does come for His own, He’ll have no problems recognizing me. My colors will be clear!”
– Contributed by Dr. Nina Gunter who got it from veteran missionary Louise Robinson Chapman.
Today this commitment statement circulates among Christians as author unknown.
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I have been trying to find the origins of this and it keeps going back to anonymous/An African Pastor who shortly after writing was martyred for his faith. Our Pastor read this on Sunday. Here is a link to a powerful rendition of this on Utube, if that is allowed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-qDSB1xsN8
Thanks for the reminder Chris, I had a friend print that out and give it to me!!!
For the safety of the children we serve and the staff we work with, I have deleted Taran’s comment.
The comment was irrelevant to the subject of the post.
I have also updated the ground rules for leaving comments on the blog.
Taran,
Thank you for sharing your concern with us. I have brought your comment to the attention of our International Program Group. They will decide how to proceed on this and may contact you for additional information.
Everyone,
Please keep our ground rules in mind when submitting comments. I approved Taran’s comment because the blog is a forum of transparency and honesty, but I believe concerns like this are better addressed in other ways, like contacting us via e-mail, so we can talk specifics.
Most of what I googled attributes it to Bob Moorehead, formerly of Overlake Christian Church in Seattle. (And if you know anything about him, it would be “controversial” in today’s world to cite something so eloquent to someone so fallen). But another person I read said that we read quite a few messages from David, and he was quite a fallen fellow too … as were many, many others in the Bible … which reminds me of a passage …
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NIV) “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
I could be wrong, but I thought this had been attributed to Jim Elliott.
WOW!!!!! I love that. I’m going to print this out and read it every morning after my devotions. Chris, thank you so much for posting this.
I first saw this several years ago and have it on my computer. I wish I could say that every part is solidly true of me, but I can’t. By His grace, I hope that it will be, before my time on this earth is over, but all I can say now is that I *am being transformed* as opposed to “am transformed” or “have been….”
The name Louise Robinson Chapman is very familiar to me, out of my youth; Dr. Nina Gunter…maybe. I’ll have to check with my mom.
Anyway, thanks for posting this piece. It is a challenge!
Thanks for posting this!