"Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell."
C.T. Studd*
Being in church and doing church things was top priority in the Christian enviroment I've grown up in. But I've been feeling very resistant
to that idea as I get older. I want to reach the world for Jesus and I'm finding that is very difficult to do when I only go to church, hang out with church folk and participate in church activities. I'm starting to decide that I have to rub shoulders with the world in order to reach the world. I've got to be in places where I can meet people, and I have the disposition that is accepting and loving to people in order to ever, ever reach them for Christ.The things I used to think were most important in life I'm starting to reconsider and realize while church is an absolute necessity and Christian fellowship is vital, it IS NOT ALL that God has called us to socially and actively. God called us to reach the world. So part of the world we must be.
And NOT part of the world but with a pious air that I'm only stepping out of the Church-world to fix them or show them the way or that I'm better because I have Jesus. But humbly as a fellow human and naturally as a co-participant in whatever is before us...the restaurant, the event, the activity at hand. I need to be REAL about who I am and what I'm doing, and live naturally. Naturally, my faith in God will come out (it's too big a part of me not to). Naturally, I will make a difference for Him. And naturally, I will come across as genuine rather than someone with an agenda. If we think, as Christians, that the world doesn't see our hidden agendas to "fix" or "save" or etc, we are dead wrong. Our agendas come out loud and clear and they most often immediately put the world on the defensive.
Jesus was very natural and real in his approach to the world. He ate at their houses, went to their parties, and just participated alongside people in life. It was through THIS avenue that naturally topics came up that he was able to expand on and impact the world.
And finally, I musn't be afraid to go places that that world goes. A bar will NOT turn me into a sinner (etc). My connectedness to Christ will remain in tact no matter where I go...so long as I spend quality time with Him daily, quality time in Christian fellowship on a frequent basis and quality time studying materials to develop and strengthen my faith.
Rick Warren gave a great analogy with regards to this concept about the fish he ate at a restuarant:
"...the fish has lived its entire life in brine and yet before I eat it, I
gotta put salt on it! If God can keep a fish that's lived its entire life in
brine and he doesn't get salty, saturated, don't you think He can put you in the world and keep you pure & serving without getting infected?!" **
I love how Rick Warren states all the above in a simple sentence:
"Engaging culture is the most important thing I can do with my life." **
* http://www.nathan.co.za/ct_studd.asp
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