When I was in Zambia I would drive by a large hill on my way to and from Lusaka. The top of this hill is where it is said David Livingstone stood and wept, For he saw "a thousand fires for a thousand souls who do not know the Lord".
Then when I was in Roanoke, VA I would often drive to the top of a mountain at night, where the Roanoke Star is and look out over the Roanoke Valley, and my mind would be haunted by the words of Livingstone as I saw the street lights, the porch lights, and the busy traffic lights. This time the words would be, " a hundred thousand lights for a hundred thousand souls who do not know the Lord" and then I would weep.
Now at River Valley, many times in our sanctuary, which happens to sit at the top of a hill in Grand Bay, I find myself being burdened to tears for the lost of our community in Grand Bay-Westfield.
While I was in Zambia one of the verses that the Lord kept laying on my heart was Matthew 23:37, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." (NIV) and in this verse Jesus' standing on a hill overlooking Jerusalem. I think it's pretty cool that I have always had a hill to overlook the place I'm ministering and experience what Jesus and David Livingstone experienced.
All this nostalgic banter leads me to this question, "Am I weird?" Does anyone else have these types of experiences, perhaps not on a mountain or hill, but does anyone else weep for the lost in their community. Do you some timeless feel overcome by the intensity of others helplessness?
TSB VIII
2 months ago
5 comments:
only 6% of people in Calgary go to a Gospel preaching church....about 10% go to any Christian church at all...the fastest growing religions here are Eastern ones, followed closely by Mormonism. Everywhere I go I see the signs of people turning away from the true God - while at the same time searching for God within other beliefs. I know how you feel Dave, and honestly, I'd say anyone who doesn't feel the weight of that does not truly understand the love of God for the world
Steph, I don't think any of us really fully get God's love for the world. Perhaps it's because you can't fully grasp tone of voice online, but I found your last sentence to be a little agressive and belittling for those who are jsut starting there journey. For me it's only over the past yeawr that I can honestly say i have developed any burden for the lost. Prior to 2004 I'd have to say my mind set was purely "discipleship". I hope I was misinterpretting your post
i was thinking Dave, and I think you're wrong. I think people new to Christianity get God's love for the world most, probably because they are so close to that part of the heart of God. It's later, when we get so imeshed into the polotics and grumbling of the church that we forget there is a huge world out there that doesn't know God. I didn't mean what I said to be demeaning in any way, I just think a lot of times within the church culture we miss it, and that is a problem on our part
Steph, I've met many "new Christians" who are very content to just go to church. They never have any desire to tell their friends about God. The mentality being, "This is my thing and they have their thing".
I've seen this attitude across the spectrum of "Christian Maturity". It's not just us, who have had the terrible misfortune of growing up in the church.
As far as church polity goes... it's present even in the Acts 2 church. Politics are designed to empower the church body. We all too often focus on the times it's been corrupted in order to promote individuals in the church.
All I have to say is, "Its time to wake up!!" Society is searching, yet they are finding answers elsewhere. Geaorge Barna's study on religion for 2005 is pretty hard hitting truth. We've got to change. While politics, CAN aid an organization. I'm not so sure it can aid the church in today's society, where politics is not respected much anymore.
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