Thursday, September 25, 2008

Sharing the Gospel

Today I went to "bring you pastor to school" day at Webster University to pray and talk to students about Jesus. And although it seemed a little strange, I jumped at the opportunity - I love students and I love sharing the gospel.

First of all, it was a bit nostalgic driving into old Webster. Many of you will remember this was Jubilee's former base of operations until just a couple of years ago. It had been even longer since I've walked on that campus. As a side note, they have done a lot to that campus and seems like a great place to go to school.

I showed up there at 10 am and we prayed for an hour or so and then went out and engaged students with spiritual questions. My new friend Nathan and I got into a great conversation with a freshman who is majoring in graphic art, but it appeared to us that her real desire was to connect with the divine. She struggles tremendously with God (at least the one I love and serve), as issues of right and wrong and judgment and other religions clouded her views. As I walked away from that conversation, my heart broke for this next generation. I was reminded of Paul's writings in Ephesians 3 where he wrote that it was his job (and our job) to make plain the mystery of Christ. And I began to think how God was a mystery to her. She was confused about God like many others are in her peer group. Yet, I was also struck by her desire to talk with us (for about an hour). My attention then floated to Matthew 9 where Jesus surveys a lost generation and says (I imagine with tears in His eyes), "The harvest plentiful but the workers are few". There are truly thousands upon thousands in this city like this girl I talked to today. Hungry for God, but confused about who He is. There truly is a plentiful harvest and there appeared to me today (at least at Webster's campus), not enough workers.

Let us never, never, never forget why we are alive on earth. We are alive on earth to share the glorious message of the gospel. To make plain the mystery of Christ to a lost and dying generation. We do that with both word and deed.