As Jesus was getting into the boat, the demon-delivered man begged to go along, but he wouldn’t let him. Jesus said, “Go home to your own people. Tell them your story—what the Master did, how he had mercy on you.” The man went back and began to preach in the Ten Towns area about what Jesus had done for him. He was the talk of the town. (Mark 5:18-20)

It was one of the most dramatic transformations recorded in the entire Bible. Here is how Mark describes the man’s life before his encounter with Jesus:
“This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.”

His life was at the mercy of the Legion of demons. Once Jesus had driven them all out, the people of the town found him “sitting there, dressed and in his right mind.”

If ever Jesus needed a testimony to open up his meetings and prepare his audience to expect more miracles…there it was! More precisely, there he was…begging for the privilege to travel with Jesus.

But Jesus tells him to be a Home-Based Missionary instead.

Can I be honest with you? The first time someone prophesied over me that I had a call to the nations, I was SOOOOOOO excited!

Now, as the Lord uses Sulojana and me to deliver a similar word to someone, often we sense that excitement in those to whom we minister as well!

Yes, it is indeed exhilarating to realize that God would deem us worthy of being sent to the nations.

It did not sound like a very glamorous prophetic word: “Go home to your own people. Tell them your story—what the Master did, how he had mercy on you.”

Yet, when he acted in obedience, everyone was amazed at what the Lord had done!

After all, they knew him before Jesus came on the scene. His testimony had the greatest impact on those who lived closest to home.

Those who knew us well before we met Jesus can tell the difference He has made in our lives better than anyone else, amen?

I still recall the change that our hometown witnessed when Mr. Singh, the town drunk, met Jesus and had his life turned right side up.

There was no better talking testimony to the transforming power of Jesus than this man who once used to stagger along the streets, now walking uprightly with the Lord.

Even his physical appearance changed completely as he gained weight. The sight of him walking to church with a Bible in his hand and his family in tow every Sunday spoke volumes to his non-Christian neighbours as well as lukewarm church members.

He was indeed “the talk of the town.”

How about you? You may not be called to travel to the nations of the world either. Most of us are not.

Let that not be a discouraging word, though. Instead, take heart!

You too can be an amazing home-based missionary!