Toward the end of 2010 our church decided to participate in something called “The One-Focus Initiative” for 2011.

One-Focus encourages believers to make a commitment to God to reach one person for Christ this year.

In one sense this is a small request – that every church member seek out one unchurched person and show them the love of Christ. Surely, everyone can commit to “Sharing God’s Light and Love” with another person who needs Christ.

However, this becomes a God-sized goal when you look at the statistics in the average church. Less than 12% of church members share Christ each year. It takes 53 church members to reach one person for Christ.And only 2% of church members are committed to building the Kingdom of God.

You may be wondering, “Do you really think reaching ONE will make a difference?”

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up. As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean. He came closer still and called out, “Good morning! May I ask what you’re doing?” The young man paused, looked up, and replied, “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”

“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man. To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, “I made a difference to that one.”

How do we reach the world for Christ? You reach the world by reaching ONE!

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. [God] made [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).

Jessie J. Charpentier Sr. is pastor of Jenkins Memorial Baptist Church in St. Martinville.