This morning, as I was seeking God's heart, He inspired me with the following, and as always, I just thought I would share with you my dearest friend...
As I was praying,
I was reminded of one of the music festival's vison's statement from childhood, the vision statement expresses “Taking the Church outside the walls, bringing Light into the darkness with the life-changing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” (Alan Greene, Lifelight Music Festival)
And I was thinking, you know? This whole message of Jesus Christ rising again on Easter morning, it's so beautiful....it TRULY is......but honestly, what good is this Easter message if you don't even bother to take it OUTSIDE the church walls...I've lost count of how many easter services I've gone to my entire life...and of course it's always the same "usual" message.......I live in a country where people are DYING to know the truth....I walk by them every day on the streets, every single day....and what do I do? I simply walk by them, as their heart, soul, and mind continues to become more broken, more lost as they fill their lives with empty and worthless things that will truly never satisfy them. Honestly, what good is the Easter message, if I just go to church, digest the same message, and don't bother to proclaim this hope to the world? I was shocked where my thoughts of criticality were coming from, but honestly, it's so true in my life, as I sure it is the same in yours.
Growing up when I was younger, I was afraid to share my faith with others. Especially verbally proclaiming it. I believe that Jesus has blessed us all with uniquely individual, beautiful and original styles for His glory. I know for me, even to this day, I express my faith in Jesus Christ best through music, art and sharing my story with other people. As much as I endlessly LOVE talking with humanity, when I sing of God's love to people, my entire heart and soul, is just poured out in such a way, that differs from when I simply talk to someone. From personal evangelistic experience, I believe that there are TWO types of evangelistic styles: Longterm and Shorterm. By long term, for example, this is my style. I meet someone on the streets of life, at a university, you name the place, and firstly I establish a friendship with them..I don't necessarily tell them that I am a Christian, I just let them figure it out slowly as I live my life. After I have established are really close and geuniue friendship relationship with them, and we know that we can both trust each other with are thought perspectives on life, THAT'S when I directly start telling them about Jesus...wither this period takes several days, months, years, decades, honestly depends on the person. and honestly for me, this has been the most effective style to lead people to Jesus in my life.
On the other hand, the short term evangelistic style, is basically where you meet a person (this is the style I believe we traditionally think of when we think of the word "evangelism") and you straight up tell them about Jesus on the spot, even though you just met them about 10 seconds ago. Personally, I don't like this style, and I think it is too "in your face" but I have met quite alot of people in my life where God has given them the gift of short term evangelistic style and long term as well. I myself have found myself in endless short term situations, and I have realized that this style is definetly not my God given gift. I am DEF more of a long term evangelizer. I believe each style of evangelism has it's time and place depending on the context of the situation, and which culture you happen to find yourself in. I HIGHLY encourage you to go and find what your evangelistic style is.....
Living in Lithuania, has taught me an endless amount of life perspective. Let's be really honest for a few moments. We are truly a "RESERVED" people group. That's just simply who we are, and we have to learn to deal with it. Not all of us, but the majority of us, and there is simply NOTHING wrong with that. When it comes to evangelism, it can be hard for us because simply walking up to someone we've never met on the street is seemingly CULTURALLY IRRELEVANT. In some aspects it's considered a "social taboo". I would like to share this following analogy with you..."
"Every culture of the world is like a soup, some are blessed to be the carrots, onions, broth, tomatoes, others are the potatoes, or the dill, or the basil...we are not necessarily "the perfect soup" we simply have to make the most of who we are for God's glory..."
Even though culturally we are so different, I believe that God uses EACH culture and EACH people group that He has EVER created to be a unique and original expression of His Love.....
At the end of the day, we may all believe in the same Jesus, but how we go about evangelizing to the world about the Gospel message, will GREATLY differ depending on cultural context.
As from personal experience, it's a one of kind life experience that most people I would say aren't blessed or shall I say cursed to go through....you know that feeling of waking up in the morning and realizing I'm nothing like my OWN flesh in blood.....3 million people.....It's funny how you can be genetically related to someone and be nothing like them at all.....bluntly speaking....
I will question everyday until I die, why I was chosen to live such a perspective, I guess I can cry about it, try to smile about the peculiar originality of it, or do a mix of both and somehow trust God, that nevertheless, He will use this interpretation of life for His most wonderful glory.........
I pray dearest friend, that God would give you the strength to find boldness, and relentless courage in your heart to share this Easter message with those around you....... who may not necessarily be found within the church walls....
As I was praying,
I was reminded of one of the music festival's vison's statement from childhood, the vision statement expresses “Taking the Church outside the walls, bringing Light into the darkness with the life-changing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” (Alan Greene, Lifelight Music Festival)
And I was thinking, you know? This whole message of Jesus Christ rising again on Easter morning, it's so beautiful....it TRULY is......but honestly, what good is this Easter message if you don't even bother to take it OUTSIDE the church walls...I've lost count of how many easter services I've gone to my entire life...and of course it's always the same "usual" message.......I live in a country where people are DYING to know the truth....I walk by them every day on the streets, every single day....and what do I do? I simply walk by them, as their heart, soul, and mind continues to become more broken, more lost as they fill their lives with empty and worthless things that will truly never satisfy them. Honestly, what good is the Easter message, if I just go to church, digest the same message, and don't bother to proclaim this hope to the world? I was shocked where my thoughts of criticality were coming from, but honestly, it's so true in my life, as I sure it is the same in yours.
Growing up when I was younger, I was afraid to share my faith with others. Especially verbally proclaiming it. I believe that Jesus has blessed us all with uniquely individual, beautiful and original styles for His glory. I know for me, even to this day, I express my faith in Jesus Christ best through music, art and sharing my story with other people. As much as I endlessly LOVE talking with humanity, when I sing of God's love to people, my entire heart and soul, is just poured out in such a way, that differs from when I simply talk to someone. From personal evangelistic experience, I believe that there are TWO types of evangelistic styles: Longterm and Shorterm. By long term, for example, this is my style. I meet someone on the streets of life, at a university, you name the place, and firstly I establish a friendship with them..I don't necessarily tell them that I am a Christian, I just let them figure it out slowly as I live my life. After I have established are really close and geuniue friendship relationship with them, and we know that we can both trust each other with are thought perspectives on life, THAT'S when I directly start telling them about Jesus...wither this period takes several days, months, years, decades, honestly depends on the person. and honestly for me, this has been the most effective style to lead people to Jesus in my life.
On the other hand, the short term evangelistic style, is basically where you meet a person (this is the style I believe we traditionally think of when we think of the word "evangelism") and you straight up tell them about Jesus on the spot, even though you just met them about 10 seconds ago. Personally, I don't like this style, and I think it is too "in your face" but I have met quite alot of people in my life where God has given them the gift of short term evangelistic style and long term as well. I myself have found myself in endless short term situations, and I have realized that this style is definetly not my God given gift. I am DEF more of a long term evangelizer. I believe each style of evangelism has it's time and place depending on the context of the situation, and which culture you happen to find yourself in. I HIGHLY encourage you to go and find what your evangelistic style is.....
Living in Lithuania, has taught me an endless amount of life perspective. Let's be really honest for a few moments. We are truly a "RESERVED" people group. That's just simply who we are, and we have to learn to deal with it. Not all of us, but the majority of us, and there is simply NOTHING wrong with that. When it comes to evangelism, it can be hard for us because simply walking up to someone we've never met on the street is seemingly CULTURALLY IRRELEVANT. In some aspects it's considered a "social taboo". I would like to share this following analogy with you..."
"Every culture of the world is like a soup, some are blessed to be the carrots, onions, broth, tomatoes, others are the potatoes, or the dill, or the basil...we are not necessarily "the perfect soup" we simply have to make the most of who we are for God's glory..."
Even though culturally we are so different, I believe that God uses EACH culture and EACH people group that He has EVER created to be a unique and original expression of His Love.....
At the end of the day, we may all believe in the same Jesus, but how we go about evangelizing to the world about the Gospel message, will GREATLY differ depending on cultural context.
As from personal experience, it's a one of kind life experience that most people I would say aren't blessed or shall I say cursed to go through....you know that feeling of waking up in the morning and realizing I'm nothing like my OWN flesh in blood.....3 million people.....It's funny how you can be genetically related to someone and be nothing like them at all.....bluntly speaking....
I will question everyday until I die, why I was chosen to live such a perspective, I guess I can cry about it, try to smile about the peculiar originality of it, or do a mix of both and somehow trust God, that nevertheless, He will use this interpretation of life for His most wonderful glory.........
I pray dearest friend, that God would give you the strength to find boldness, and relentless courage in your heart to share this Easter message with those around you....... who may not necessarily be found within the church walls....
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