People Might Think You Are Crazy
This week I got to be at Scarborough Community Alliance Church for a panel discussion with Pastor Timothy Quek, and then ended up having a meal with he and several young men from the church.
Good questions included; “How do we as leaders mobilize the people around us for missions?”, “How do the Canadian born children of immigrants find their way through the pressure to make a good living, as well serve Jesus wholeheartedly?”; “How do I keep my confidence when discussing my faith with an atheist?”. There were other good q’s as well, and I wish we had more time to go back and forth. I feel these young people represent a rising wave of change for the church. I am looking forward to their impact on the world!
That night, at Scarborough Chinese Alliance’s Missions Conference, I heard Gerald Hogenbirk preach about “lighting a candle, instead of cursing the darkness”. Next day, in my home church we had a special guest Wally talk about the many ways believers were lighting candles to show God’s goodness and love in place where there is great darkness. Last evening, our church had prayer time focused on that Spice Island, as well as on Oshawa – praying that we will be a light in darkness here.
Imagine someone from the Globe and Mail/Vancouver Sun asking: What “darkness”? How would you answer? Here’s a stab – “Wherever the redemptive, healing power of Jesus to free humanity from the hold of sin is unknown. It’s darkness because of the sad effects of sin in individuals and communities: hatred and conflict erupt frequently, the weak become exploited, the degradation of women and children becomes commonplace, hopelessness and broken trusts abound.” For scripture, we could use Paul writing to Timothy - telling him that Christ Jesus came into the world to ” ’save sinners – ‘and I am the worst of them all”. He told him in the same letter that God “wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity – the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message he gave to the world at just the right time”.
But at the end of the day in the eyes of many around us we may look crazy. Why do we believe so strongly in raising great amounts of money, or praying with regularity and intensity, or going to very dangerous places in order to bring the good news of Jesus to men and women?
A quick breeze through the New York Times shows that the early Alliance supporters piqued secular interest! Their firm commitment to the plan of making Christ known everywhere is absolutely amazing – but it was not always understood! (1898FallMissionsConference, SimpsonPledges1902) You can find lot’s of reports of their massive gatherings, and massive offerings! (Why are they doing this? Is it the music, the emotion…)
I remember a story Bill Hybels told about a fairly new believer who was being challenged by his accountant about his generous giving to ministry. Later, talking with his pastor one on one, he asked “I’m not crazy, am I?”.
Do I worry about what the world around me (my neighbours, the Toronto Star, civic leaders) think? For sure I do! But our confidence – our lack of shame – comes from our own experience of His mercy to us, and that the gospel really is the remedy our world is crying out for, and it’s been entrusted to the church to dispense in those creative ways He enables us by His Spirit.