The pic to the side is of one of our groups from Week 2 and the othe YW staff.
Just a couple quick updates before I share something on my heart. This is July 4th week. Happy 4th. That also means it is POW WOW week on the Rez. We will be going to some pow wows this week, so I will try to update you on how amazing they are. I have begun putting in resumes at a couple of places for after the summer. I was humbled when a church from a previous community I have served in called me hoping I might be available for their student minsitry position. They shared some great thoughts with me that many of my dear friends had shared with them. Much love to my friends in Harrison, AR...if you would pray with me through this process for discernment. My allergies are KILLING ME! in all seriousness friends, would you pray with me. They have been miserable over the past two weeks. I miss my friends and I am craving my mom's potato salad. Now, onto more pressing thoughts. :)
Over the past several weeks, I have had the privilege of casting vision for the different work projects we have been doing on the reservation. What this consists of is explaining to students why they are doing what they are doing and how it effects the kingdom of God. There is one thing that I share over and over again and I would like to share it with you while reminding myself.
In modern Christianity, we often have what I believe is a bit of a skewed outlook on evangelism. Somehow many of us have come to believe that we have this great Jesus in our pocket and everytime we encounter a non-Christian or go into a different belief system we get excited about pulling our little Jesus out of our pocket and sharing him with those around us. There is a problem with this method. Number one...Jesus is not something we carry. Jesus is not a trinket or a toy that we share with our friends or neighbors. Jesus is the one that reconciles us to the author of our very lives (the Cheyenne call Him Maheo). Jesus is the man that we believe died for our sins so that we might have life eternal. Jesus is not meant to be placed in a box or a pocket and just brought out when we think someone needs to know about Him. Paul's letter to the Romans tells us that our entire being should be a living sacrifice to Jesus. Everything we are and do should be to Him and for Him. Problem number 2...to go on a mission trip or even in everyday life and believe that it is time to bring Jesus out and share Him with others assumes that Jesus has not already been where you are or where you are going. Friends, God is the Creator and the Author of all things. These very mountains I live in, the very people we serve were all created by one God. The God! You do not have to believe in God or Jesus Christ to have been formed by Him. I know what you are thinking, i think.
I am not saying to stop telling people about Christ and His overwhelming and redeeming love for ALL of human kind. I am not saying put Jesus on the backburner. In fact I am saying the exact opposite. I am saying, lets begin commtting to make Jesus the focus of EVERYTHING we do. If we build a house, build it as unto Jesus. If we paint a house, let's paint it as unto Jesus. If we run a non-profit clinic, let's run it as unto Jesus. Let's stop making friends to lead them to Christ and just start making friends because it is what Christ would do. Then my friends, people will begin to see something in us. The scriptures tell us how people will know we are followers of Jesus Christ. They will know us by our love. I wonder do people know I am Christian by the love I show or is it because I have to tell them?
Lord, please continue to guide my friends and I into a place where we are no longer central. Guide us to a place where people realize our love for you by our overwhelming love for others. Lord we thank you for being the Everything, the Beginning and the End, the Yesterday and Tomorrow, the Who Done It, the Who Said It, the Who Is It, the Big G God that loves us so much. Your love still amazes me. Amen.
Much Love friends,
Lance
Well, t's really about being incarnational, isn't it? We are God in the flesh to those who might only see and hear about Jesus through us... and, how did Jesus start a conversation with someone? Did He walk up to them and say, "Hey! It's your lucky day! Here I am, the big G himself... get ready to worship me!" Nope. He served and loved and touched and healed, and when pressed for a reason why he'd let them know. Or, more often than not, he let them draw their own conclusions. Even up until his death and resurrection. Amazing. If Jesus were our model for evangelism, we'd let down a lot of the church growth experts... somewhere in the backgound they'd be saying, "Push 'em to make a decision... come on, come on!" Like it was up to us to reel 'em in. Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteYou're a good man, Lance. Proud to know you. Glad that Jesus of yours isn't in your pocket, but is in your heart, mind and soul.
Amen.
okay... so, it was my wife's google account I commented with. Didn't want to confuse you, so this is... humbly,
ReplyDeleteChris Haughee (Helena, MT)