Summer 2009- Part 2 - Evangelism

7-15-09

I had a chance to evangelize to a coworker recently.

My boss is 50, lives in a trailer park, has never even been on a single date with anyone, and expressed her despair today. She typically accepts the mundane and normality of her life with little complaining. Not that she enjoys her life tremendously, but she also doesn’t hate it. She is apathetic to it.

Recent drama and juvenile behavior has swept quietly through work. Causing even my self to want to quit. What she expressed today was a call for help. She has no idea of the spiritual battle going on for her soul right now. In short, she said she is not suicidal, however really wishes life would stop. Her only hope for not dealing with all the sin and corruption is death.

I had the perfect opportunity to tell her that there was a savior that died, one that loves her, one apart from ''religion''. She describes herself a ''backsliding luthren with pagan tendencies''. We’ve talked alot about her past (more missed opportunities). Although I’m still unsure how to tell her that who Christ is has nothing to do with the people that have lacked love and only judged her. Christ isn’t who she thinks he is. She thinks all the religions of the world are attempting to approach the same God and that one religion isn’t elevated over another. She's partially right. There is God shaped hole that he put in every soul.

Evangelizing sounds so cut and dry on paper. It seems nerve wrackingly simple and easy to me to approach a complete stranger and share the gospel.
However I’m realizing its challenging to your walk to be confronted with the need to evangelize to someone who sees you daily. Someone who sees the best and worst in you.
Even if God successfully used me as a tool to evangelize to her, how do I explain to a new convert that there is no guarantee that 'Christians' will accept her? How do I explain why some of the greatest acts of love (aside from my parents) have come from unbelievers? How do I explain that the same corruption and juvenile drama that she is experiencing in the world is in the church amongst so called “believers”. How do I explain the lack of godliness and embitterment amongst believers?

These questions were nagging me, as her past experience with Christians gave her the impression that many were judgmental and unloving. So have mine.

I have no idea what the answers are.

Summer 2009- Part 1- The IV

The sub title of the blog is very applicable to this and several of the preceding posts. This summer has been one of many random thoughts and experiences. I first wrote them down so I would remember them and remember what the summer was like, but Ive now decided to share these few and simple thoughts with the rest of cyberspace..

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When We Get back to the 'Ville...

I sometimes find it is so much easier to encourage others in their walk than to take care of my own. This thought solidified itself in my mind when a mere acquaintance tried to hold me accountable in my spiritual life.

I sometimes tend to turn what is a good thing into a mere checklist. The love I claim to have for the Lord is suppressed -or substituted- for this checklist. It is used to ease my mind, as the conscience and the holy spirit scream for me to draw back into communion with God, I find myself content sending texts and emails reaching out to others.
Although the action isn't wrong, the motivation turns what would otherwise be seen as fruit into a vomitable substance that God disavows.

In hindsight there have been times when I ignored my spiritual health to help others. Not out of service, but out of a pathetic guilt that drove me to check that item off the list. Oh, I didn't go to church this week.. Better write a blog about an epiphany I had at chapel. Although those aren’t my exact thoughts, I find it a humorous coincidence that my being compelled to share with others often comes at times where I was in a spiritual slump.

This summer has making me realize how easy it is to be a Christian at Cedarville. It is simple to continue the trends you have had your whole life. Be moral, go to church, minister to others Etc.
Is it out of habit? Am I reaching out to further the kingdom or is it a response to a compartmentalized problem?

Chapel many times turns into a crutch, perhaps even a spiritual IV. We naturally live our lives not realizing the sacrifice of Christ. Chapel seems to be a time that guides and re-focuses us, yet it is sad that it is needed. It is sad that without chapel, without Cedarville, without all the fellow believers; when all is stripped away and it is just us and God; that we very seldom choose him.


I know this because of how bad the summer has went. I told myself to start off strong. And yet I didn't. While away from a strong Christian environment you truly see who you are. In the end who you are away from the spotlight, when it is you and God in the wilderness, is the person God sees. That is the person I am the most afraid of.

I am realizing more and more the truth of Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”. Anyone who believes in Christian Liberties obviously doesn't believe this. You MUST be proactive in battling sin. Go so far away from that fine line between sin and righteousness that people think you're insane. One small seemingly insignificant sin will take over your life. Satan is content to hold a small part of you for awhile if he knows he can work his way in and take the rest.

The Bottom Line

When we go back to school please remember this summer. Remember who you are while you are away. Remember who God sees. While we are at Cedarville please don't merely float through the year. Aggressively attack your spiritual life while you have the strength of your Christian Family behind you. Ask the tough questions. Answer them honestly when asked.