From the Trenches #3 – The Power of Presence

In the midst of ministry, I have begun to discover the significance of just spending time with people. Some may call this incarnational ministry. Handing a stranger a flyer and saying “come to our church” may work on occasion, but this is not the depth of the calling of Jesus followers. Earning trust can be a long process that often takes multiple contacts with people. The first time I went to a sports event of one of my youth group teens, it was a little akward. But, several concerts and volleyball games down the road, I realize that it’s worth the effort. If you become a part of a person’s life and see their struggles and joys, your perspective will change. You are no longer an outsider trying to figure out a way to get in, but one who stands next to a person and cares deeply for them. I’m reminded of a quote from the movie Save the Last Dance: “Don’t be here just to be here. Take a look around.” When you speak, this person will be more likely to listen because you have earned the right to speak truth into their lives. This is not to say that spreading the gospel can only happen in this context. The Holy Spirit works in countless ways. And, total strangers need Jesus, too.

Inadequate

My good friend Aaron Bolduc told me recently that doing only what you are humanly capable of probably means you aren’t really following Jesus. This was such an encouragement to me. If I can handle it on my own, why does God need to be in the picture? He is strong in my weakness. He must increase and I must decrease. At the end of the day, I want to look back and say “look what God did,” not “look at the worthless piece of nothing that I did.” There’s something about ministry that leaves me in a heap of glorious exhaustion, knowing that He is at work and I am just a speck of dirt that He loves more than I can imagine. Isn’t it mind-blowing that He has included us in His master plan?

From the Trenches #2 – The Backyard Missionary

This past summer, I felt a pull toward world missions. I want the world to know Jesus and love Jesus and worship Jesus and be transformed by Jesus. I began to see that how God has shaped me would make living across the world in a different culture the perfect place for me. This might be a possibility in the future. Only God knows. Nevertheless, cross-cultural ministry is not a future venture for me. I looked around at the people at tutoring on Tuesday, at the people around my table at the awards banquet for the local high school’s marching band, at the people at the store ran by the aunt of one of my youth group kids. What did I see? The only other white person was another youth leader. Most of the peeps I was with speak another language than English at home. Some of them are Muslim. I am a missionary today to the people of Sierra Leone in Wyoming, Michigan. If God has prepared me for world missions someday, you can bet He has prepared me for this moment.