Posted by: fordiym | May 16, 2008

Let’s Start Talking

Later this afternoon Kim and I will be heading out for the weekend to a family retreat held at Linglestown Life UMC. Several months ago after getting to know their youth director, Annie, she contacted me about speaking a their annual spring family event. I’ve been excited about this chance to speak because it’s involves the whole “family.” I love speaking to teens; equipping and encouraging them to live for Jesus, but this weekend gives me an opportunity to share with the parents and the adults of the church the importance of growing deep in their faith and going wide with the gospel, and their spiritual role in the lives of their children and teens.

Pray for everyone attending this event that their hearts will be open to hearing the truth of the gospel. Pray for me as I let go of myself and allow God to speak through me. And pray for the weather. As I sit here at my desk typing these words the sky is overcast and it’s been raining all night. The latest weather report is calling for rain all day and into this evening and this is an outdoor event. In the meantime…let’s start talking.

Let’s start talking:

Okay, admit it. When it comes to God, Jesus, heaven and hell you have questions. We all do, but sometimes I think we’re afraid to ask certain questions. So while I am away this weekend I thought I’d leave you with some questions to ponder and discuss here on my blog. So here goes, let’s start talking, I mean really talking about our faith. Don’t be afraid to comment and share your thoughts. One of the nice features about my blog is you don’t have to leave your name for everyone to see. Simply click on the “comments” link just below this post, type in an anonymous name, your email address (only I can see your e-mail address), and then leave me your thoughts. I’m looking forward to reading what you have to say. I’m looking forward to really talking.

  • If Jesus was here with us (physically walking the earth) today where do you think he’d go?
  • Who would he be spending the most time with as he went from place to place?
  • There are many “Christian” events held throughout our country every summer. Which events do you think Jesus would attend and/or not attend? Why?

Well I just threw my hat in the ring by asking the questions now it’s your turn.

Posted in Brian's Rants, Youth Ministry | Tags: , ,

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Responses

#1. If Jesus was here with us (physically walking the earth) today where do you think he’d go?
Right off the bat, I don’t think he would be visting churches. If anything, the churches would be following him. But I can envison Jesus in places like jails, streets, basically where there are people who the world likes to loathe (or rather, ignore). I could even see him going to a Gay rights protest or something. Places that would make us think twice about going.
Other than that, I think Jesus would go to where people have never heard of him (to be more specific, tribes around the world, deep in jungles)
#2. Who would he be spending the most time with as he went from place to place?
Like my first answer, I think churches would be out of the question. Yes, Christians/believers would most likely follow him, but I think Jesus would spend most of his time with people that normally the world would ignore (once again, like my first answer).
#3. There are many “Christian” events held throughout our country every summer. Which events do you think Jesus would attend and/or not attend? Why?
I doubt my ability to answer this question very well, considering the fact that my past summers consist of working in the garden and camping/counseling. Anyhoo, a picture of Jesus stopping by a church that has kids coming out from VBS and just spending time with them, talking, laughing and making them smile.
Well, those are my thoughts. Goodbye, and good night.

By: Emily on May 16, 2008
at 9:06 pm

Jesus would most definitely go to Creation!!!!

By: Alec S on May 18, 2008
at 7:18 am

Brian, great questions. I think that if we read about Jesus’ ministry in the Gospels, we can have a pretty good idea of what He may do today if He were physically here on earth.

1. If Jesus was here with us (physically walking the earth) today where do you think he’d go?

I must agree with Emily on this one. I doubt that Jesus would be spending all of His time speaking in churches. We can see from Matthew 4:23 that Jesus did begin His ministry in the church. He went throughout the region of Galiliee speaking in the synagogues. However, the synagogues were not the only place that His ministry took place. I think that the most powerful part of His ministry took place outside of the church. Jesus went from town to town and presented the Gospel and healed people who had probably never been to a synagogue. When He started this part of His ministry, people came from miles around to hear His teachings and to be healed by Him. Why do I think that Jesus’ most effective ministry took place outside of the church? Read Matthew 9:12-13. Jesus came to save the drunks, liars, tax collectors, and the prostitutes- that’s why He spent time with them. These aren’t the kind of people that were found attending the synagogues. Jesus knew and practiced what many of us in the ministry have overlooked. In order to be effective in the ministry we must follow the example that Jesus set for us. You cannot try to bring people to the Gospel, you have to take the Gospel to them!

2. Who would he be spending the most time with as he went from place to place?

Again, I must agree with Emily on this one. I think that Jesus would be spending much of His time with sinners. We can see from Matthew 9:9-13 that Jesus spent time with sinners, not just to preach to them, but to get to know them. I also think that Jesus would again put together a “ministry team” of disciples. Ministry is very difficult, if not impossible, to do individually. Jesus surrounded Himself with a support team that He taught and equipped for ministry.

3. There are many “Christian” events held throughout our country every summer. Which events do you think Jesus would attend and/or not attend? Why?

I’m not sure that Jesus would attend many of the “Christian” events. I think that we would be more likely to find Him at biker rallies, race tracks, and other similar events. Again, Jesus came to save the lost so while He probably would attend some of the “Christian” events, I think that He would spend most of His time at the “non-Christian” events.

By: Jeremy on May 20, 2008
at 8:23 am

It’s funny how, the more i thought about these questions, I keep going back and remembering the gospel stories and who Jesus spent alot of time with in them.

So about the first two questions, however much people who already go to church and are involved with that would like to talk to Him and hang out maybe, I think he would be going more to people who never heard of Him or who didn’t feel they deserved Him. Because that’s what he wants us to do why would he do any different? He ate with tax collectors, gave hope to the prostitute, and helped the people no one else would consider helping. So I think today those are the people He would choose to go to first.

#3. There are many “Christian” events held throughout our country every summer. Which events do you think Jesus would attend and/or not attend? Why?

I’m thinking Jesus would probably go to some of the “Christian” events, but also more of the secular events. The equivalent of a “secular Creation” maybe? Something that people who don’t know about Him go to where He could give more people hope and a purpose.

Thanks for the questions Brian! =]

By: Lizz on May 22, 2008
at 12:17 pm

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