I think a lot of us have had that somewhat irregular experience where you realize that the pastor/teacher preaching a sermon in a church service or chapel gathering or retreat talk seems to be talking directly to you, and sometimes even more concerning, seems to be describing your very life experiences...
This morning at Ada Bible Church Wheaton College NT Professor Gary Burge (we both used to teach adult Sunday School classes at Glen Ellyn Covenant Church...a rather unlikely pair with the INTL renown NT scholar and the guy who hung out with HS kids) taught about the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4...and he talked about what happens in one's life to cause us to be transformed in a way where we are never, ever the same like this woman who met Jesus and received the living water that caused her to tell everyone she knew about the one who had changed everything as she gave him a drink of water...
He used references to folks like BONO, GARY HAUGEN at IJM, and our friend SHAYNE MOORE from Wheaton who have all become remarkable global forces for justice and compassion in our world today...and then he described the power of what he termed a "second conversion" experience where you see up close something so compelling, so powerful that it forever alters the passions and direction of your life from that point forward...
Ingrid smirked at me as Gary Burge talked about Bono coming to Wheaton College and my mind went directly back to driving down a dusty road in northern Zambia into the Kakolo Village community...what I heard, saw, and experienced that day was not only something completely new and overwhelming; it was a life moment where the Spirit of Jesus was present in my life and in a community, even in the midst of great need, in a way that defined my life and my identity in brand new ways...
Almost a decade after that day filled with dancing and gifts and disease and hunger and worship and soccer and friendship there is no doubt that my life could be described as pre-Zambia and post-Zambia...I simply no longer have the same interests, the same life calling, the same passions, the same conversations, the same professional career, the same faith that I had once had before I went to Zambia, saw extreme poverty first hand, and fell in love with the African culture, people, and church as I experienced true community with so many students and Zambian friends...
I'm still desperately seeking to rally the gifts and resources of this generation to respond to issues like Malaria in something we've coined NIGHT OF NETS and only see it growing bigger and bigger as I get to share my story and the story of my African friends...I really don't feel like I have a choice to not be doing something to respond to the needs of the global poor and oppressed I know are so very present...
Gary's description of a second conversion of sorts truly is a perfect description for what God has done in my heart and my life...and what I long for my kids to experience, the students we recruit to be part of our global trips to encounter, and for the church of Jesus to pray for and seek to provide for so many who haven't been captured by something so grand and magnificent that it takes your breath away and gives you a vision that you won't stop pursuing till Jesus brings all things to full restoration one day...
May we all experience the transforming and life converting power of an encounter with Jesus and the needs of those He loves in our world today...because only then will our lives be all God wants them to be...
This morning at Ada Bible Church Wheaton College NT Professor Gary Burge (we both used to teach adult Sunday School classes at Glen Ellyn Covenant Church...a rather unlikely pair with the INTL renown NT scholar and the guy who hung out with HS kids) taught about the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4...and he talked about what happens in one's life to cause us to be transformed in a way where we are never, ever the same like this woman who met Jesus and received the living water that caused her to tell everyone she knew about the one who had changed everything as she gave him a drink of water...
He used references to folks like BONO, GARY HAUGEN at IJM, and our friend SHAYNE MOORE from Wheaton who have all become remarkable global forces for justice and compassion in our world today...and then he described the power of what he termed a "second conversion" experience where you see up close something so compelling, so powerful that it forever alters the passions and direction of your life from that point forward...
Ingrid smirked at me as Gary Burge talked about Bono coming to Wheaton College and my mind went directly back to driving down a dusty road in northern Zambia into the Kakolo Village community...what I heard, saw, and experienced that day was not only something completely new and overwhelming; it was a life moment where the Spirit of Jesus was present in my life and in a community, even in the midst of great need, in a way that defined my life and my identity in brand new ways...
Almost a decade after that day filled with dancing and gifts and disease and hunger and worship and soccer and friendship there is no doubt that my life could be described as pre-Zambia and post-Zambia...I simply no longer have the same interests, the same life calling, the same passions, the same conversations, the same professional career, the same faith that I had once had before I went to Zambia, saw extreme poverty first hand, and fell in love with the African culture, people, and church as I experienced true community with so many students and Zambian friends...
I'm still desperately seeking to rally the gifts and resources of this generation to respond to issues like Malaria in something we've coined NIGHT OF NETS and only see it growing bigger and bigger as I get to share my story and the story of my African friends...I really don't feel like I have a choice to not be doing something to respond to the needs of the global poor and oppressed I know are so very present...
Gary's description of a second conversion of sorts truly is a perfect description for what God has done in my heart and my life...and what I long for my kids to experience, the students we recruit to be part of our global trips to encounter, and for the church of Jesus to pray for and seek to provide for so many who haven't been captured by something so grand and magnificent that it takes your breath away and gives you a vision that you won't stop pursuing till Jesus brings all things to full restoration one day...
May we all experience the transforming and life converting power of an encounter with Jesus and the needs of those He loves in our world today...because only then will our lives be all God wants them to be...
