Being the Light in the Darkness

Before I went back to Ontario for Christmas holidays, my senior pastor and I laid out our vision for 2016. We had both thought about and prayed through where we felt God was leading our church and then shared our ideas. At the top of both of our lists was evangelism, sharing God, living out our faith missionally.

Since the beginning of January, we've been intent on focusing on just that. We both spoke on it from the stage, we've started a four week seminar called LID (Light in Darkness) that gives and practices tools for being God's ambassadors everyday, we've talked about it at prayer meetings and Bible studies and we've had people share testimonies about how God is using them in their families, work places and neighbourhoods.

One lady in our church shared last Sunday about how she has recently formed an unlikely friendship with a coworker. When asked what she was doing on Tuesday night, she gulped, stepped over her fear and said that she was going to Bible study. There was no sudden break in the friendship, as possibly feared, but simply interest. A seed is planted.

Another lady felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit and invited her nominally atheist neighbour to Bible study. She would invite any one of her other friends to attend, so why not ask this one, too? Her neighbour didn't automatically shut down the invitation, but asked at what time the study is held. A glimmer of hope.

While in the Dollar Store this past week, another of CGC's ladies got an important phone call from her son. She ended the conversation by saying, "I'll be praying for you." Her younger daughter, one of the kids in my Kzamm Sunday school, was in the store with her and heard this. When they reached home, she confronted her mom and reminded her that we're not supposed to say, "I'll pray for you," but that we should pray with them right then! A generation rising up in faith.

One of my Kzamm kids put in a prayer request that they would be able to invite more of their classmates out to Sunday school. A step in boldness.

Don't try to throw out the darkness; light a candle. Focus on sharing about Jesus, rather than the darkness, sadness, pain that abounds in this world. Show people that He knows your name! He knows their name! How can you reach your world with the Kingdom of God today?