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Now it springs up;
do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43: 19 (NIV)
God is doing a new work in my ministry and, more importantly, in my heart. I’m not sure I can adequately put into words what is taking place, but over the next few posts I’m going to give it a whirl. Not sure how many posts it will be or even the frequency of them, however, I pray that I can articulate the stirring in my heart and spirit.
This change began a few weeks ago when God gave me the idea of reaching deeper into the lives of the ladies in my Sunday school class and Bible study. I’ve done Bible study with some of these ladies for years, yet I don’t feel like I really know some of them. Same with my Sunday school class. There are ladies in the Sunday school class I teach who are new to the class. They are on fire for the Word and for getting other ladies into the Word. I would like to get to know them better. So, I began inviting one or two ladies each week out to lunch or for a walk in the park. My goal is to simply listen and love. No preaching. No teaching. Just listen and love. Not the easiest thing for a Type A, choleric speaker. Just saying…………
Coincident to my new ‘listen, love and lunch’ effort, I met a beautiful 20-something who is walking out a personal struggle not unlike one that I have known. We had an almost instant Jesus-bond because of our struggles. My heart aches for her and I’m crazy about her. She is funny and honest and deeply in love with Jesus. The Lord said to me, ‘just listen, love her and speak when I say to speak.’ I’m trying to obey orders. Now my ‘listen, love and lunch’ endeavor has expanded beyond the borders of my hometown.
About the same time, I began reading a book entitled unChristian by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. I did a Tuesday quote post from this book a couple of weeks ago. Go here to read the quote. The subtitle to this book is “what a new generation really thinks about Christianity….and why it matters.” Can I just say, this is one of those ‘rock your world books’…kinda like Crazy Love by Francis Chan. The premise of this book is that young people (age 16-29 years) outside of the church (called ‘outsiders’ by the book’s authors) “think Christians no longer represent what Jesus had in mind”. (p. 15) Well, now, that’s enough to get the hackles of a good Southern Baptist all riled up, isn’t it?
According to multiple studies performed by the Barna Group, these outsiders perceive Christianity and Christians as (p.28):
· Antihomosexual
· Judgmental
· Hypocritical
· Too involved in politics
· Out of touch with reality
· Old-fashioned
· Insensitive to others
· Boring
· Not accepting of other faiths
· Confusing
My immediate reaction when I read the list was along the lines of ‘you’re darned right we are some of those things and that’s not a bad thing’.
I am five chapters into the book and God is doing a work in my heart. It is a ‘listen and love’ like Jesus would work. It is a ‘have the mind of Christ’ work. It is a good work. I’ll share more about it with you in my next post.
