Grits, Theology, Mission, and Life

Some of you might have seen the recent addition to our property, a Porta-pottie. This week that outhouse has been a source of praise and prayers each time that I see it. Let me tell you why.

One goal of our church is to be “reaching out” to our community through actions and words. So over a year ago an idea was thrown out to use the one thing that we have plenty of to touch our community, space. After seeing an article in the paper and visiting websites we saw that local soccer leagues were in need of fields. So we begin efforts to try to help. After months of trying we seemed to be getting nowhere. And eventually, we figured that for some reason this was not going to work.

Then God showed up! A little over a month ago I was approached by someone and ask, “Would you guys ever be interested in opening up your fields for soccer teams?” I almost fell over. “YES, where do I sign” was my response. This man had been put in charge of finding more fields for the growing soccer groups in Madison County.  And after just a couple conversations it was done.  God had weaved together what our human efforts could not. So in the last few weeks the supplies have arrived, including nets and a porta-pottie, and practices have begun.

What’s more is that these new partners are willing to help us be a greater part of this community. When the set up crew for the nets and porta-pottie were told that they would likely be used by neighborhood kids and people visiting the playground, they responded with, “Great!”  We ask, “but what if they break the goals or nets?” again “No Problem! We have more.”  Amazing how God weaves His mission into even those not a part of this church!

So will you join me in praying for a porta-pottie?
Thank God that He is working to help us touch the community. Thank God that He has given us this property to be used for His Glory. Ask  Him that through these simple bridges that He would be clearly seen.  Ask that through this people would foster relationships where Jesus would be heard and seen.  And ask that through these relationship that people would come to know Him as their King!

We are obsessed with being safe. Just admit it. From seat belts (even for pets), to allergy warnings, to bike helmets, to toy recalls, to bridge designs our culture is obsessed with being safe. In fact some have even posited that our concern for safety has not only affected our daily lives but the way that we do things that are inherently dangerous like, fighting wars and going into space.  And by doing so has made us ineffective at doing them.

Things are safer today. And for that I am grateful. I am sure many lives (including my own) have been saved by things like seat belts. (You probably don’t want to know how many car crashes I have been involved in!) But, I wonder sometimes if  we have taken this concern for safety to far. And I am even more concerned that our obsession for safety has bled into our pursuit of Christ. Let me give you just a few examples.

1. Our heightened concern for safety influences our prayer life. When I pray and I hear others pray often there are prayers for safety. There are prayers for safe travel, prayers for children’s safety in school, and there are prayers for safety from this group or that influence. These prayers seem to readily come from our lips. However, as I have thought through the prayers I find in scripture, especially those in the New Testament, I can’t find one prayer that specifically mentions safety. Instead I hear prayers for things like endurance, not escape, for those in danger (1 Thes 1:6), a growing understanding of God’s will (Phil 1:10, Col 1:20), a continued growth in Christ (2 Thes 2:11, Col 1:10), and advances for the gospel (Phil 1:5).  I do admit you can find Psalms where David is pleading with God to save him from someone who is about to kill him, literally. But those times are rare in the Psalms and in our lives. I believe that often are prayers for safety are prayers for personal sustained comfort in disguise.
2. Our heightened concern for safety influences our mission in this world. Before going on missions trips to various countries around the world, inevitably someone has cautioned me or expressed concern to me about my safety. It makes me wonder if we are more concerned for safety then for mission. The advance of the gospel is a dangerous business. Read Acts and you see that people were tortured, beaten, and killed because of it. Open a publication like Voice of the Martyrs and you find out that today is not that different from then. But should that mean that we don’t go? If that is the case we are demonstrating what we believe about the value gospel as well as putting on display the idols in our own hearts. We are saying that the gospel is less important then our own personal safety. We are more valuable then the gospel. Fortunately, people “on mission” throughout history have not taken this position. Missionaries like William Carey pushed beyond concerns over safety to reach the nation of China. The gospel is and must remain more important then “my world” staying safe.
   And it is not just when we cross oceans on missions trips, I wonder sometimes if we are more concerned that we “stay safe” from “those people” across the street then reach them with the gospel. When safety is valued that highly, we have made an idol out of it in our hearts. And it is time to repent and pursue the heart of Christ.  It’s time for us to be ”gospel dangerous”.  God, please forgive me for valuing safety above you and your gospel.

I am reminded of a conversation about Aslan, the lion-Christ figure, in the Chronicles of Narina.

“Is – is he a man?” asked Lucy.“Aslan a man!” said Mr. Beaver sternly. “Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don’t you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great Lion.”“Ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.” “That you will, dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver, “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

We serve the dangerous lion of Judah. May we pursue His mission even if it isn’t safe.