Sometimes you look back in life and, in retrospect, realize the profound impact that some simple event or person or word had on your view of things. Other times, you realize the effect it's having right when you experience it. Today on the #55 bus on Beliveau, reading Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell, was one of those times.
"Notice what [Paul] does in the Book of Acts. He visits the city of Lystra, which hasn't heard of Jesus or the God Paul believes in, and he tried to figure out how to explain his Christian worldview to them. He tells them , "[God] has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."
Paul essentially asks his audience: Have you had enough food? Who do you think it comes from?
Has it rained so your crops could grow? Who do you think did that?
Have you ever laughed? Who do you think made that possible?
Missions, then, is less about the transportation of God from one place to another and more about the identification of a God who is already there [...] you see God where others don't. And then you point him out.
Perhaps we ought to replace the word missionary with tour guide, because we cannot show people something we haven't seen.
(Back to Josh's voice now) Of course this raises a ton of questions (not to mention a few eyebrows), but its a completely different angle on evangelism, one that will definitely change the way I share the gospel, whether it be at school, downtown, in some distant jungle, or frick, even on the #55 bus on Beliveau.
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