One Thing I Know
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About Our Guest Blogger: Ruth is a pastor at Nexus Church, working with young adults. She’s a regular contributor to the Courier Mail, blogs at breadandjustice.com and you can find her on twitter under “@ruthlimkin”
Title: One Thing I Know
He wasn’t a particularly remarkable man to look at. I knew little of his background and knew not what to expect.
Then he started to speak. Softly at first, he spoke of the night that a crowd of thirty men broke into his house trying to kill him. He only survived due to an unlikely, and miraculous, escape.
This wasn’t the first time an attack on his household had come. Previously, his wife had been assaulted, beaten and left blind.
He used no theatrics in the retelling of his story. He also knew that his story wasn’t over, and was unfolding each day, yet he was willing to endure.
I can’t tell you his name, or the country where he ministers, due to the sensitive nature of his expression for Christ, but as he finished sharing his experiences, he spoke of the one thing he knew.
His words have gripped my heart ever since.
He said, “One thing I know, until my time is up, I have a gospel to proclaim, I have a gospel worth living for, and I have a gospel worth dying for.”
It’s not hard to get people on board with social justice these days. Culturally, it’s attractive, and theologically, many young adults are regaining an understanding of the way in which we are required to relate to the poor, the oppressed and the vulnerable.
But did you know that an emerging global trend within the church is that young adults are likely to opt out of ministry if the only option is evangelism and not social justice?
In “Meeting of the Waters” by Fritz Kling, we read that we lead a generation who are increasingly interested in social change. This is a brilliant thing – after all, many of the great social movements, which have brought dignity and justice to the oppressed, have been birthed from the church.
We should absolutely be a part of leading social change. I lead a charity, and passionately believe that every area of society should be influenced through authentically living out the message of Christ.
Yet we must not just live out the message of Christ. We must also speak it.
Our faith must be demonstrated, and articulated.
As leaders, we get the amazing opportunity to continually invigorate a church or ministry culture that encourages people to share their faith with joy, respect and love.
We can influence a generation to be as passionate about the spiritual transformation of people as they are about the social transformation of people.
What opportunities are we giving those we lead? What opportunities are we looking for ourselves?
After all, we have a gospel to proclaim; we have a gospel worth living for; and a gospel worth dying for!
It’s good news. And who doesn’t like good news!
