THE JESUS AGENDA: Becoming An Agent of Redemption

"The Jesus Agenda is the vision for Christ’s ministry on earth as He outlined it in His first sermon recorded in the Gospel of Luke. Simply put, Jesus came to redeem the lost—not just for eternity in Heaven but from lives of darkness here on earth. This is the Jesus agenda - preaching good news to the poor, proclaiming freedom for the prisoners, recovering sight for the blind, releasing the oppressed, and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor. I believe every redeemed person—that is, every Christian—is called to become an agent of redemption. The Jesus agenda is not for the few. It is the responsibility and privilege of every believer."          Dr. Albert Reyes     Finding Your Place in God’s Movement   Dr. Albert Reyes serves as the CEO of Buckner International, a global Christian ministry focused on serving vulnerable children, orphans, seniors, and their families.  In his new book, The Jesus Agenda, Reyes explores the blueprint for ministry laid out in Jesus’ first sermon recorded in the Gospel of Luke. The directions are clear. To be like Jesus, we must become, first and foremost, agents of redemption.  Jesus came to redeem the lost—not just secure their eternity in Heaven but deliver them from darkness here on earth.

“I used to think serving vulnerable children, orphans and seniors was not my job or within my scope of ministry. I guess I had not read my Bible very well,” Reyes recalls. “In my mindset, social ministry and evangelism were mutually exclusive. As I have grown as a follower of Jesus, I’ve come to realize that the practical impact of the gospel and the gospel message of salvation cannot be separated. It is two sides of the same coin. Personal faith in Jesus as your redeemer goes far beyond solving the spiritual problem we have with sin. This is the Jesus agenda - preaching good news to the poor, proclaiming freedom for the prisoners, recovering sight for the blind, releasing the oppressed, and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor. It is the ministry to which every Christian is called.”

The Jesus Agenda confronts western Christians living in relative prosperity and comfort with detailed accounts of the desperate circumstances plaguing “the least of these” around the world. What is God’s heart for the fatherless in the global village? What should our response be to the 60,000 unaccompanied and undocumented minors that came to our border in 2014 seeking a better life? How does an agent of redemption reconcile the reality of life in the West with life in the developing world when it comes to matters of faith and action?   “I want readers to prayerfully consider this question: How would your profession or vocational skills benefit the poor, those in prison, the physically challenged, and those who are oppressed in your community? “Reyes says. “You have been placed where you are for a reason. You have a role to play in someone’s redemption story.”   **********     A Brief Q & A with Dr. Albert Reyes     Q: What inspired you to write The Jesus Agenda?   A: Looking back over my own ministry roles, from pastoring in economically depressed areas, to expanding educational opportunities to Hispanics, to heading a global relief ministry, the Lord sent me to places where I would have ample opportunity to preach good news to the poor, to help set captives free, to help people find healing, to reverse situations of oppression, and to introduce the hope of the Lord’s favor for their lives. I chose to write this book because I wanted to tell my story of redemption and encourage followers of Jesus to accept their commission as agents of redemption.    I first delivered this challenge in 2005 as I addressed the Baptist General Convention of Texas, comprised of 5,500 churches and 23 institutions (universities, hospital systems, human welfare agencies, and other affiliated ministries). My year as President of Texas Baptists came to a close, but the message of the Jesus Agenda continued to stir my spirit.  Does the church that Jesus died for reflect the vision of His first sermon?   Today, I serve as President and CEO of Buckner International based in Dallas, Texas, a global multi-service ministry focused on making life better for vulnerable children, orphans, seniors and their families through redemptive transformation. Every day, I hear stories of redemption. I live with the conviction that I was blessed to bless others, saved to share with others, and redeemed for a purpose in God’s story of redemption.   Q: Describe the qualities of an “agent of redemption.”   A: An agent of redemption is a person of courage, compassion, and conviction on mission with Jesus to turn what was intended for harm into good. An agent of redemption has a personal calling to actively engage with people in his or her circle of influence to demonstrate a transformed life and to work, pray, and focus on the redemptive potential in everyone around him.  They look at their family, neighborhood, community, state, nation, and world to ask, “How could this place look more like the Kingdom of God - right here, right now?” Then they take action. This person lives life in view of eternity.   **********     Dr. Reyes is available for interviews. Please contact Diane Morrow Diane@BarnabasAgency.com             The Jesus Agenda  by Dr. Albert Reyes Believers Press/ May 2015 www.jesusagenda.org           For more than 136 years, Buckner International has been transforming lives through hands-on ministry, serving the most vulnerable from the beginning to the ending of life. Buckner is one of the oldest and most unique faith-based social service organizations of its kind, serving people each year in the United States and worldwide.