2014-39.3
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Crossing the room
Just Walk Across the Room – Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith is the title of Bill Hybels’ very accessible book, which has also been turned into a “how to” friendship evangelism course.
Isaiah 6:8
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
BILL HYBELS is a well known author as well as being the founding pastor of one of the best-known (and largest) churches in the US, Willow Creek Community Church. Despite the acclaim that comes from speaking to tens of thousands each weekend and travelling globally as a conference speaker, at heart he is an evangelist whose primary concern is sharing the excitement he has about knowing God personally through Jesus with others. One of his stories concerns an African-American man, with a Muslim name, who related how he often found himself an outsider at business social events in his southern US city. At one such party when he found was standing alone, another man broke off from his circle of discussion, crossed the room and joined him.
This is how he told it: “It was so easy and natural. In the moments that followed, we talked about our mutual profession, about our families and sports and business. Eventually our conversation found its way to issues of faith. I took a risk in telling him I was a Muslim – I was a little hesitant about how he’d respond. He told me he was a Christ-follower but that he knew almost nothing about Islam, and he asked if I would do him the courtesy of explaining the basics over a coffee sometime. He said he was a curious type and he was genuinely interested to understand my faith system and why I had devoted my life to it.”
He went on to say that his doubts were dispelled when they met because this friend really did seek to understand his life and faith – he was an engaged and compassionate listener. They met up fairly regularly and at one point got on to his friend’s Christian beliefs, as he explained patiently why he had given his life to this person called Jesus Christ. Despite deep-seated religious differences, they were becoming firm friends. There were lots of questions, and intriguing discussion. Then one day the Muslim man felt totally compelled to pray to God and in the course of that, gave his life completely to Jesus Christ. “In the space of about a week,” he said,”that decision changed everything in my world – everything!”
Back to Bill Hybels and it turned out that this man had read some of Bill’s books and was now part of the leadership of his local church.
Where did it start? One person prompted to walk across a room and start a conversation with another – a conversation that grew out of mutual respect and genuine interest to develop into a friendship. Jesus was in the friendship – but He also prompted that first, tentative contact, and someone like you or me received the Holy Spirit’s nudge and followed it.
As Bill says, it all starts with us being prepared to walk across the room – to “go therefore…” beyond our little circle of conversation, beyond the place where we feel safe and accepted, and to take friendship to another who probably doesn’t share all our beliefs or values.
The Blue Run 