Jacob had two wives, Rachel and Leah. Rachel was the wife that he really loved, but she was barren, unable to conceive. She was fearfully frustrated and pleaded with Jacob, “Give me children or else I die!” (Gen. 30:1). Later, Rachel did conceive and bore Jacob two sons.
What impresses me is the intensity of her desire to have children. God has created all of life with the instinct to propagate life. He said, “Be fruitful and multiply.” But in this modern world with its contraception, many choose not to have children. A young woman was asked if she intended to have children. She replied, “Nope! I am not a breeder!” The population of Europe is declining because so many elect not to have a family. People wish to live their selfish lives, unencumbered with children and the expenses associated with them.
The church, too, was told to have children—to go into all the world and make disciples, spiritual children (Mt. 28:18-20). It is literally true that unless we have “breeders” in our assemblies, we will ultimately die out. I visited one assembly where the youngest member was sixty-five. That assembly has since ceased to exist.
Teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42) are vital. But we need to remember that Christianity consists of more than just the church meeting; evangelism was also a driving concern of the early believers. If we lack this concern, we are not New Testament Christians.
Personal evangelism is exceptionally effective. Many will not go to a church building but can be reached personally. Give out tracts, share your testimony, pray. An older woman came up to me after a meeting and tearfully said, “I have never led anyone to the Lord!” I told her that it was not too late. You can have spiritual children in old age.
Let us pray for spiritual children. Let us have the intense desire of Rachel as she cried, “Give me children or else I die!”