Preaching at Home

Today in chapel our speaker was from Compassion International. He gave a good message, and then gave the usual pitch to sponsor children through Compassion. It really got me thinking about the Great Commission…

I think that we in western culture are neglecting to focus on the need to preach at home, and instead we are choosing to take an easier path. Sponsoring children and going on short term mission trips take sacrifice. But consider this for a moment: how much are you willing to sacrifice to preach to your lost friends and neighbors? It takes much more than raising funds and giving up a spring break to do that. We have to risk our reputation, our friends, and social standing to actually be witnesses to those closest to us. I would contend that we in western, and specifically American, culture are much more afraid of that proposition than just setting aside a few dollars each month to send overseas. The Great Commission calls us to all nations. Not just those across borders and oceans, but God calls us to preach right here at home.

In Acts, following the coming of the Holy Spirit, Peter and John went to the temple and began to preach the gospel and preform miracles. The priest got upset and threatened Peter, but the day after he was released he returned and proceeded to preach again. This is the same guy who denied Jesus three times to save his own skin. After all that he had seen and heard, Peter finally understood that his reputation didn’t matter. He got the idea of preaching to those closest to him.

Earlier in Acts, just before He ascends into heaven, Jesus calls the disciples to “… be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Notice that He starts by saying that we are to preach to those closest to us.

Don’t get me wrong, there is immense need for preaching the gospel overseas, but both Peter and Jesus give us a picture of what we need to focus on. Both of them are astounding examples of reaching out to those in need, but it is not just those in Samaria, it is also the cripple sitting outside the temple gate. We in western culture tend to focus on the stories of those that went out to the ends of the earth to preach. That is important, absolutely, but we are ignoring that the call is also to preach at home.

Right now, I am feeling called to be a witness to those in my ROTC Battalion. That is my “home” right now, and I am trusting God to do some awesome things there. So I challenge anyone who is actually reading this to find your mission at home. We have so many opportunities because we see these people everyday at work, at school, and at the store. God is calling us to be witnesses and to preach to them. 

Wisdom

Hey guys! Sorry I haven’t been writing recently. Life here at Baylor has gotten crazy. Keeping busy with Ranger Challenge, schoolwork, and as much sleep as is humanly possible. It would wear anyone out. But enough with the banal……

In my Christian Scriptures class today we were talking about the concept of wisdom. What is wisdom? What does wisdom look like? How do we acquire wisdom? These are important questions to answer, especially in a biblical context (thus the discussion in class). God calls us to pursue wisdom and understanding. It is fundamental to how we are to live our lives. The tragedy is that in American culture, we have lost a grasp on the benefits of wisdom. We place value in youth, beauty, and flashy rhetoric. That is not what God is calling us to. He is not calling us to plastic surgery and make-up. He is calling, even commanding, us to pursue “what is right and just and fair” (Proverbs 1:3).

The video accompanying this post is absolutely brilliant. Craig says it much better than I could ever dream. If you haven’t already, please watch it. As he so clearly says, we have a serious problem with wisdom in western culture, but I think that is based in a misunderstanding of wisdom. We don’t actually understand what wisdom is. The sad part is, wisdom is not hard to find.

Proverbs 1:20-22: “Our in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she make her speech; ‘How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate delight…’”

However, acquiring it is not so easy. Wisdom is inherently a process, much like the sanctification process that we go through to become more righteous. Life experiences allow for a better understanding of right and wrong. By having those experiences, we can better discern what the right thing is. But without ongoing life experiences, that knowledge would not be readily available. That is why praising youth is dangerous. We cannot be praising stupidity, as Craig so wisely called it.

So that little pit in your stomach because you realize its true? That’s conviction people! Don’t ignore it. We can’t just sit by and let culture ruin something that is sacred to God. In His very nature, God is perfect wisdom. We can’t really ignore that we live in the most immature generation in history while God calls us to pursue wisdom.

But what do we do about it? Proverbs 1:7 gives us a starting point: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…” So it starts with God, it ends with God, it is God. Pursue God, and you will be pursuing true wisdom. Pursue God and He will set your heart ablaze with a passion for wisdom, and who knows where that will take you. 

Update: 8 September 2011

The third week of school..... Its kind of that in between period. Finally adjusted. Finally have a routine. But now there are events to go to, groups to join, and tests and papers all seem to happen at once. 

School is going well. I am usually able to crank out my homework by 18:00 (benefits of a morning heavy schedule). It offers some good down time in the evening, but most of the time it's spent working out, studying the ridiculous amount of Arabic vocab they want us to know, and studying for quizzes and tests. 

ROTC is a blast. Unfortunately I failed my first APFT (don't worry, most MSIs did). I am getting involved in Ranger Challenge, which is pretty much the varsity sport of Army ROTC. We do PT five days a week (regular PT meets only three). It just started today, but I'm looking forward to the obstacle course days, M16 assembly and disassembly, and grenade throw events. Hopefully the program will boost my APFT scores, as well as teach me how to become a better leader and teammate. 

I still am searching for a church, but the hunt is still on. 

Thats it for the update. Look for other posts later on today for some of the issues I have thought about this week. 

Roller Coasters

So imagine with me for a moment..... You are riding a roller coaster for the first time. You climb into the seat and strap yourself in, the attendant comes by and nonchalantly yanks on the belt to make sure you clipped in correctly, and then you are out of the start house. Remember that anticipation when you were standing in line? Now you get nervous, especially since you have never done anything like this before. As that car reaches the top of the hill, the anticipation and nerves come to a frightful peak. Suddenly, you are plummeting down that first drop. About half way through, you realize you aren't going to fall out, and instead sit back to enjoy the ride of lifetime.

I kinda see this as good analogy for how my first week at college has been. What a wild ride I have gotten on this time. The anticipation all of senior year and summer for that day to arrive where I stepped on campus for good. The nervousness as I realized I wouldn't be in the car when my parents turn around to go home. The excitement for the new chapter. Just like roller coaster, or a really bad swim lesson, in college they throw you right in the deep end. Late nights, lots of reading, and for me, early morning for ROTC PT are all common in the first week. 

But oh what a ride it has been, and I have only been here for a week and half, but I know that Baylor is going to be a phenomenal place to grow and live. The community here is unlike anywhere else I have been. The intellectual level, both in and out of the classroom, is more than I expected. The spiritual life aspect is also hugely important to Baylor as a whole, and it is manifested in the lives of those around me. I am so excited for what God is going to do this year in me and at Baylor. I hope that attendant checked the belts correctly, because I am in for one crazy fun ride.

Soli Deo Gloria 

PS: If you feel so inclined, you can donate to the "Stephen is now a Poor College Student Fund". We are taking donations in the form of food (especially cookies- oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip seem to be the favorite in the dorm room), over exaggerated letters of encouragement (you know those professors can be tough), and even in the form of cash (anything will help- preferably the bills with two digits on them, we might even be okay with three digits). Please send all donations to: 

        

               Stephen Leland 

               One Bear Place #82822

               Waco, TX      76798