I just walked out of my office........laptop over my shoulder and a need to be in touch with people who DON'T know that Jesus loves them. Its not that I don't like Christians, although we can get a little tedious from time to time, endless meetings to share our burdens and problems (many of which could have been prevented by a little simple obedience or aren't really that big anyway in the scheme of eternity). It just that I was just reading in the gospels and noticed that Jesus didn't spend a lot of time in the "office." Instead He was out in the "highways an byways", interacting with folks - all kinds of folks.
My problem is that when my parishioners call the church office they expect me to be there doing "stuff," until they need me. I guess all pastors feel that way from time to time, but I'm really feeling it strongly lately. I figured out recently that this is why they made "call forwarding" - to free me from my desk and the waiting for somebody who needs me, to call. Its kind of cool you know, this being needed - kinda makes one feel pretty important. Except that when you think about it - christians don't really need me. They have Jesus, they have the unchangeable Word of God, they have the indwelling Holy Spirit, our supernatural guide --what in the world do they need ME for.
As a people (I mean by this christians) we have turned sadly inward, becoming a frantically "needy" people seemingly unable to close ourselves in a prayer closet with the Lord and work through our "issues" so we can reengage with a truly needy world. Needy because men in the world do not have Jesus, do not have the Word of God to turn to, and no abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. For instance, I'm a big "facebooker" and I'm growing increasingly impatient with the number of us believers who waste the potential of this incredible social network as a "whine tank", not to mention the terrible testimony that some of us put forward on Facebook for the whole world to see. When I realize that my rather large circle of facebook friends are for the most part "christians" and that I have not utilized this powerful tool to engage with people outside of my circle in meaningful dialogue, it frustrates me.
So if you call me today on the church phone I may answer but I won't be there, I'll be at Brugger's or the Deli, or Mocca Joe's - hopefully engaged in building a new friendship. And if you happen to be a "facebooker" like me and a believer, please clean up your language, adjust your attitude, and update your circle of friends to include people with whom you can engage in a meaningful and profitable way.
2 comments:
I have been trying to retrace my steps to findout where you sent the review of "the Shack". I went back to your websight. Then I started reading the post dated May 5...The Brugger's Evangelism.
God is so faithful and I wanted to just say AMEN to your thinking. I won't go into where I have been because the future is where God has been pushing me as well. I have too many "non practising Catholics" who are elderly. Many don't believe that Christ came as a real person. And friends who entertain the thoughts passed through such books as "the Shack" because it makes them all warm and fuzzy. It tickles their ears.
Not that I don't have anyone to go to but God has been leading me in a direction to learn from Him alone. James 1:5 is one of the encouragements that God has sent in my direction. I can't stop in the middle of conversation with a friend to "call my pastor" because I don't have an answer. But I can stop and say let's pray that God gives us wisdom in this matter. God has been so faithful.
Well, even if I don't figure out this computer (I am thinking about selling it) I have enjoyed reading posts on FB and websight. It is interesting to know that God is encouraging others as He has also encouraged me. And that is to go INTO the world to share Christ.
Kerry Bruno
Kelly, be patient. It looks like you're handling the computer pretty well. I am currently developing some teaching concepts which we hope to implement in our church family - encouraging people to the fact that we have in our hands and incredible doorway into the culture if we will be faithful to exploit it.
Your FB has the potential to touch hundreds of thousands, if not millions of lives. I am still thinking through and studying the possibilities - but they are almost too many to number. Keep plugging away, you'll get it!
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