Decorating a Christmas tree with lights used to be a real hassle. Nowadays, if one bulb goes out in a strand of Christmas lights, it’s no big deal — the other lights keep working because they’re wired on a parallel circuit. But when I was little, Christmas tree lights were on a series circuit, so if one bulb went out, the whole strand went out. The only way to identify the burned-out bulb was to painstakingly unscrew each bulb and try a working bulb in every socket until you found the burned-out one. Only after identifying and replacing the dud would the whole string of lights turn on.
The Christian disciplines interact and reinforce each other like a series circuit. Perhaps you have been faithful in Bible study or prayer, yet you still long for revival in your heart. You want to experience supernatural vibrancy in your walk with Christ. You may sense that you’re missing something — a burned-out bulb — and that a breakthrough is waiting if only you could figure out what’s tripping the circuit.
Many Christians have one burned-out bulb in particular that dims their spiritual life: lack of evangelism.
