Our church's backyard was crowded and a thin cloud of cigarette smoke occasionally would collect before a summer gust would take it away. It was our 2nd annual Friends and Family Day at Bethel Chapel Church. People came for hot dogs and a free car wash, but they stayed for other reasons. I didn't see one person in the four hours just grab food and leave. They talked with our church people and left with handfuls of tracts. Even when they had eaten and no one from our church was talking to them, a lot of people just hung around. The city is lonely place. Finding community in a community is harder than you think.

Some people just smoked right in the church yard. A few ducked behind cars in the street, as if we were more concerned about the state of their lungs than the state of their souls. Three Muslim women in their burkas, I believe they were from Palestine, came in and stayed for about an hour. In their culture, it's not really appropriate for men to talk to women, so I stepped back and let my mom spend time with them. We learned from last year to have all beef hot dogs on hand. Last year we had some horrified little Palestinian kids spit their half chewed hot dogs into a trash can because they didn't understand that the hot dogs had pork. A little funny? Sure. But this year we had the beef hot dogs ready when they walked in.

A gospel that's isolated from the people who need it is no gospel at all. How can it be "good news" if no one's sharing it? Christians have convinced themselves that religious ceremonies and religious words are the sum total of living out the gospel. It seems like a lot Christians are content to do nothing more than come to church and make sure that they live a generally moral life. A lot of Christians, especially my age, love to sit around talk about "ministry philosophy" or "church planting strategies." Going to church and talking about ministry makes us feel very religious. But when our Christianity is primarily religious feelings, we have nothing to share. All we can do is wait around and hope that some other people who feel the same way we do show up and join our group. Someway, somehow we need the gospel to break through this thick religious skin and spill onto actual people. Derick Scudder--Christian college graduate, pastor's kid, youth leader--needs to walk up to someone, shake their hand, maybe chit chat for a minute, and then explain the gospel that he knows so much about. Period. Sure, it's helpful if all that happens in the context of a relationship. But I think we hide behind relational evangelism way too much (at least I do). What better way to start a friendship with someone than giving them gospel, right? The gospel has to touch the lives of the people who need it most. "And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Romans 10:14, ESV) Our excuses for not sharing the gospel are pathetic at best.

Nothing could bring deeper, more satisfying joy to my heart than smelling cigarette smoke and seeing women in burkas in my church's back yard. Not only were people being exposed to the gospel, but Christians were being exposed to those who needed it. Christianity desperately needs more of both. The fisherman didn't feel like casting their net one more time, they just obeyed. (Luke 5:4-7) And every disciple should know the terrifying joy of trying to pull in a net that God Himself filled.

Sarah on 2007-07-24 08:43:49

Great writing. I was really glad to be a part of Friends and Family Day. There was a real sense of community built around the Gospel.

Diane on 2007-07-25 22:10:42

We're praying for someone who has a burden to reach the Muslim population here in Philadelphia. Until then I get lots of chances to talk to my neighbors--some who are in Burkas. I'm praying for them. It was an awesome day. My Sunday School class trippled the following Sunday. Praise God for His working in response to our prayers.