Comments on: Doing it all

By: Beppo

Beppo — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:12:44 +0000

I agree. There seems to be a mindset these days of dividing our life into the sacred and the secular. But as a Christian, we shouldn’t do that. We should seek to glorify God at all times, in all places. We should all consider ourselves “full-time ministry”, even if we have to sit in a cubicle in a secular corporation or whatever. We should take the Light wherever we go.

By: Jared White

Jared White — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 21:12:28 +0000

Thanks Shannon!

@Sidharth, that’s a great story. I love the verse as well… some time ago I was going to go give a testimony at church about the amazing things God did at a conference, and that morning before I left, I got an aroma of a match being lit — even though nobody in the house was lighting a match. And it wasn’t woodsmoke — a moment later it was gone. I took that to mean that God was going to set our church on fire! (Spiritually speaking, of course!)

By: Shannon

Shannon — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 05:41:35 +0000

Jared,

Great post!

It’s been a while since I’ve stopped in and I have to say, I love what you’ve done with the place! It really looks great.

God bless!

By: Sidharth

Sidharth — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 05:38:17 +0000

Dear Jared,

There’s a level of intimacy the Lord is calling us to where His Spirit flows into us and our spirit flows in His. We become united and one in fellowship with Him so much so that where we go the Spirit also goes.

A while back after coming back tired, I lay down on my bed. And suddenly the room was filled with an aroma. I couldn’t describe the fragrance. It was heavenly. After sometime I went over to meet speak to some visitors and the fragrance came with me. I was reminded of the verse in2 Cor 2:14-15:

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

Sidharth
TWJ Ministries

By: Jared White

Jared White — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:43:27 +0000

That’s awesome. I think we’re on the same wavelength here. I seem to remember a study that came out that indicated that a lot of non-Christians feel like every time they get to be friends with a Christain, once they aren’t able to “seal” the sale, the Christian dude goes off. Yikes. Why are we getting to be friends with people in the first place? To convert them, or to love them?

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:37:09 +0000

I’m totally on board with that thinking. When I say “sharing the Gospel” I really did mean via the relationships, etc we build. It will catch on, I have no doubt. The tracts and stuff is archaic, especially to our generation. We’re looking for more of a relationship-based evangelism style.

But, and I think this is important, we need to be careful with any kind of evangelism, even relationship based. I tell my students constantly that the danger lies in us Christians forming friendships with nonChristians with the goal of “converting” them. I tell them that if they’re not genuinely interested in them as a person, in having an actual, real, friendship with them, then don’t look at them as a project. No one likes being treated as a project.

By: Jared White

Jared White — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:23:22 +0000

Hey Ben, I agree with what you were agreeing with. But the problem as I see it is that the evangelical church has put such an emphasis on “sharing the Gospel” = handing out tracts or feeding orphans or telling people to come to a worship rally, etc., that most people go “yeah, whatever” and head back to watching the Super Bowl. We aren’t teaching people that sharing the Gospel means cultivating meaningful relationships with non-believers, it means praying for people, it means asking God to open up opportunities every day to make a difference in someone’s life. It isn’t about the marketing materials or the apologetics or the $100,000 joint mission checks to Uganda or the guy with the big hair and the big suit up on stage.

This kind of “incarnational” Christian living is starting to make a comeback…I just hope it’s enough to sustain a movement.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:13:05 +0000

I do agree with you. What I think Dan was saying, and what I was agreeing with, is that most Evangelical Christians aren’t concerned one bit about whether or not they’re being a Disciple of Christ. They’re concerned about getting the big house, putting their kids into the best schools, getting their kids high paying jobs.

Why can’t I be an effective disciple of Jesus Christ when I get involved with my community, or when I take time off for leisure?

You’re exactly right, there’s nothing preventing you from being an effective disciple of Christ when you do those things. But the point is that most evangelical Christians don’t do those things. They’re not concerned about using their career as an opportunity to make disciples and when they go off on vacation they sure don’t want to be bothered with sharing the Gospel. I’m not saying you don’t do those things, I’m saying most people don’t do those things.

I think it largely boils down to where values lie. I think for the vast majority of evangelical Christians in the United States they are devoted to money much more than they’re devoted to being an effective disciple of Christ. They tend to have a mindset that “I’ll go make the money to put a roof over my family’s head, you [the minister] make sure they follow Jesus . . . because that’s what I’m tithing for.”