The young brother meant well.
He was sharing about how his two friends, who were not yet believers, were going through their issues, and he was encouraging them to have faith and just come to church and see how God was real and could help them.
I get that. I understand that. I am sure that would be the solution I would have suggested when I was younger. Just ‘come to church’ and you’ll be alright is the deal.
The problem I am now facing with this solution is that helpful though it might appear, it somewhat neglects the responsibility I have to be the ambassador of Jesus to my friends.
Imagine if Peter and John approached the lame guy at the Beautiful Gate with a similar solution. “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee. Come to church and we can sort you out.” The book of Acts would have taken on a very different read if that was the approach.
I get the thinking as well. It’s all about getting people to attend a service where after some songs a guy will take to a podium and give a speech and on the strength of that we hope our friend will be convinced and BOOM problems solved.
I am sure there are testimonies that will show how that has worked out for some.
Problem is it will not work out for everyone.
The deal, the challenge, the commission, my responsibility is to believe God equips me with the ability in the relationship to demonstrate to my friend through my lifestyle what it is to trust God, and then be prepared to explain to them the hope that is in me. That explanation is as much preaching the gospel as the dude who will speak from the podium at that meeting with the songs that we want our friends to attend.
The challenge beyond that is that if the friend has the experience of engaging with Jesus this way, then it is all the more important to consistently maintain that trust in God, but what makes it easier is that there is already a relationship there. In essence I don’t have to be different with my friend. It is now about explaining why I do what I do, and that friend growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ to apply that to his own life.
Sometimes it’s better it happens in that relational context, than thinking the answer is to enter a building with people who won’t necessarily be there for them in the same relational way.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 