Over the course of my life, I have developed tastes for all sort of musical styles. What I have found is that no matter the phase or time in my life, I always end up coming back to what is termed “roots” music – this simply encompasses music that is played primarily on acoustic instruments (such as the acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, etc). There is a simplicity and beauty to this type of music that never grows stale or predictable for my ears. To me, there is something very alluring about music that can be played on a stage or on a front porch … that is just as entertaining in front of 5,000 people or just 5! To me, that is the beauty of this kind of music – it is meant to be shared with many, and is also meant to be intimate, shared with just a few friends. It is flexible and crosses so many boundaries … you can hear these influences in all sorts of different styles of music.

Christian faith is much the same way – it is an acoustic faith. Scripture gives us different examples of how this works out. In Acts 2, Peter is preaching to a large crowd, composed of many different nationalities and customs. He stands in front of this large crowd, and preaches to them … exposing their sin and pointing them to salvation in Jesus Christ. We are told that at the end of the sermon, about 3000 came to faith. To me, that is mind-boggling – preaching a sermon and having 3000 come to faith and be baptized! Yet, this is how God worked in that situation, and I think we are to take the idea that these people of different nationalities and customs went back to their homes, and shared the Gospel with their friends and families. 3000 came to faith, and they spread out, like ripples on a pond, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ! Talk about a large effect!

Later on in Acts, in chapter 8, we read about Philip, walking along in the desert. As he is walking, he overhears an Ethiopian eunuch reading from the book of Isaiah. As they talk, Philip is able to tell him the good news about Jesus Christ. God works in the heart of the eunuch, and his heart is opened to this news, and he responds in faith and is baptized right there in the desert! To me, that is mind-boggling – walking along road, hearing someone read Scripture, and having the opportunity to share Christ with them, and they respond to faith. Just one man, but I think we are to take the idea that the eunuch went back to Ethiopia, and shared the good news of Jesus Christ with his family and friends.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ reaches across boundaries, nationalities and customs, and it sounds just as good for one man as it did for 3000 people. It is an acoustic faith – meant to be shared in front of large crowds, and on front porches. It has an organic nature to it, because the Gospel is about our primary needs – a relationship with the Triune God. The thing we need to realize is this – people can only hear music when it is played … they can only enjoy the beauty of musical gifts when they are shared. The same is true with the Gospel – people can only hear the Gospel when we share it with them. It is meant to be an acoustic faith – shared with all who care to hear. We can do it from the pulpit, or over a cup of coffee. We can do it with someone who we just met, or with someone who we have known for years. We can do it “in season and out of season” – we can, and need to, do it at all times.

What you and I have to contend with is this simple question – are we sharing our faith? Are we practicing acoustic faith? Paul tells us in Romans 10.14, “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?” A simple, rhetorical question. They can’t, unless we tell them. They won’t hear if we won’t tell them. Our faith is meant to be heard in front of 5, and in front of 5000 … it is time that our acoustic faith is heard.