Last year I wrote an article about walking the Light into the Darkness. It came out of some moments in spiritual warfare which were high adrenaline and high risk. A year later I have heard comments which support the unseen risk and my total ignorance of what I had gotten into.
Two Christmas's ago I opened the gym at our local assembly to get some exercise and to get to know some of the men who attend. The thought of reaching into a sub-culture was furthest from my mind. I opened the gym and began to shoot hoops.
There were nights when only 2 or 3 of us showed up. Then there was growth. The first year was a mix of men from various walks. Then in the Fall of that year a group of men began to show up for some serious hoops. The ensuing atmosphere, at times was filled with some tension.
Last year the cultural gathering for street ball hoopin was an educational and high risk event for me. The men who came come from a sub-culture which has rules far different than the white, middles class, peaceful culture in which I personally live. The nites were filled with excitement and behavior at times which exploded outside of standard of "marquis of queensbury's rules."
Several brothers - in their 50's - stayed the course to help me and bought into the philosophy which I was implementing. Matthew 28/18-20 indicates that while we are wandering about in our daily routine, we are to make disciples ... .
It is comfortable to put our money in an offering plate and go home to our secure places. Walking the Light into the Darkness is spiritually a spiritual adrenaline rush. Speaking truth from within an empty peanut butter jar (Stedman - 1960's) is part of every believers responsibility.
Most of the comments I heard and have heard recently are in the direction of, "shut it down, the risk is too great, " or "you need to change how you run the program."
First, yes I need to tighten up what we do and grow in wisdom in my understanding of this culture. But let me add this by way of some serious input: some had their heads cut off, some were thrown to the lions, some were sawn in half, one we know of was stoned to death, others were hounded into the mountains, one was crucified upside down. So how is this different?
So how do we justify the peaceful existence we have in most of our churches. One brother recently told me in summary form that he was asked to close down a Middle School outreach becasue the student who were coming were too noisy, the music was not hyms and the property may be in risk.
Close it down! Live in peaceful coexistence with the world and "let all of them go to Hell, they deserve it any way." The risk is just too high! Our insurance rates may go up and of course we may get hurt -not for stupidity but just because of the kind of people who will show up! They are the undesireables.
PS - have you heard about the revival among the garbage collectors in Egypt? Have you heard of the millions who were converted in South Africa?
Here again we (the church) for the most part have lost touch with why we (the church) are really here. I thought we are to reach the spiritually sick and undesirable, not shut them out. Most of these people are well meaning, they seek to protect the church and those in it but fail to see thge devastaing effect this has on those who don't know Christ.
ReplyDeleteI have personally seen this many times in our own assembly. A rough looking kid or adult will come in the foyer and people will just stare or make comments like "what is he doing here?" or "Why do they come looking or acting like that?" Last year at the Community Carnival I heard three such comments. One was overheard by the target of the comment and the damage was done. I spoke with these people and shared with them tat our purpose is to love these people and help them find Christ. In the process you get dirty, it is many times messy work but it is the work we are all called to do. "While you are going make disciples..." this is every day wherever and whenever the opportunity happens to prsent itself.
We need to teach people how to do this and engage each other and the lost world around us. Thanks for your example to have relationship and love a bunch of street guys through the gym. This is one good example of an opportunity seized and not lost.
TonyO
I watch and hear about this in many areas of local assemblies. Just today I was reminded of a Conflict Resolution process in which I invested 100's of hours.
ReplyDeleteThe outflow of this was that several greatleaders were sidetracked and since then have not been involved in church leadership. No one took the time to mentor through the wounds.
This is a common flaw in leadership - there is no debriefing. Young men get in the battle of the spiritual stuff and they become the walking wounded.
Dale
Unless we walk with the strong young men when we are old and perhaps stronger in wisdom than physical strength, these men engaged in the battle will become the casualties and live out the rest of their lives on the sidelines.
ReplyDelete