Going into this week, I noticed many students on the trip who have been doing this whole Christian thing, but even more interesting to me, a few who have not. When I first met my friend Paul, he was very open to learning new things... but that is all this week was. It was going to be a learning opportunity for him to learn more about the Christian Religion, so that he could look at all of the religions from an outside point of view, then go from there...
To make things even more interesting to me, in a random lottery, Paul ended up in my D-Group (small group) for the trip. From the get go Paul challenged every fact and idea that came his way, and very intellectually rebuked or looked at it from different angles. Many times Christians are scared to death of people like this. They are afraid they won't be able to answer their questions the right way, or know all of the information they need to meet the needs of someone like that.
I still remember this quote that Paul said to me and my Co-Leader the second day of conference. "I didn't feel anything, even thought all of the other kids were very emotionally moved by the worship and the message... I don't really expect to either" and basically got to the point that he was here to learn.
The cool thing about him being in our D-Group is that he was having his needs met in two ways. My Co-Leader was Damian who throughout the whole ordeal kept challenging Paul to let down his guard, and allow himself to be emotionally moved by what the Spirit was doing in the room and on his heart. And on the contrary, I was able to help Paul with his very challenging Theological questions about the faith. I would not have been able to had it not been for going to Bible College, and really having some incredible professors challenge me to ask those same questions. So as you can see, it is no accident that the incredible needs of this student could be met in this group.
I remember on one night, their was an activity in worship that challenged everyone in the room to allow the Spirit to lead them to do different things. Maybe it was to post a prayer on these big boards. Maybe it was to pray, or to read the Bible. But in this particular moment I felt moved to write Paul a note that simply said "Don't stop God from doing to you what He's trying to do". Paul later on said thank you, but was still not open at all.
As the week went on... Things changed.
When God is working on your heart, no matter how realistic, no matter how intellectual and no matter how closed to conversion someone can be, God can still do his work. As the days went on, and the questions got harder and God worked even more on his heart, I could tell that he was already not the same man.
On the last day Damo and I had the opportunity to just sit down on a bench and to talk to him alone. We asked him how he was, and what questions he had. He shared some unbelievable stuff, and asked some really hard questions. We helped guide him the best we could, and answered his questions the best we could. We layed our hands on him and prayed... and sent him away with the challenge to pray his whole way back to the dorms. I knew from the second he left when I looked over to Damo and he had tears in his eyes that God had taken hold of his heart.
We had figured out that Paul had a new Mission. Paul's new mission was to change Christianity as it is today. To get past the legalistic and occasionally hate-driven faith and take us back to our core... Jesus Christ, and the love he challenges us to share.
Shortly after, I had received word that Paul had decided to hand his life over to God, and be baptized.
Very shortly after me and Damo baptized him at the very creek, in the very spot that I was baptized only a few years ago.
I hope all of you can learn from this that no one is "unsavable". If you invest enough love into someone, they will eventually be able to see God. It doesn't take yelling or convincing. Just guiding.
I also challenge all of you. I would not have been able to help Paul nearly as much if I had not been equipped to do so. I challenge you to ask yourself... are you equipped for todays Pauls? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." When you really have to defend your faith... are you equipped?
Through this ordeal the Kingdom is a stronger and better kingdom. I look forward to a long lasting mentorship and friendship with Christianity's newest weapon.
1 comments:
Awesome.
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