Greetings,
Why in the universe would anyone in their right mind go into a town like McMinnville and proclaim the gospel to a bunch of people at a UFO festival? Good question. I have often asked myself questions like that. And the other questions that follow — like does anyone really make a life change when encountering a believer at an event like this? Or, how does anyone do real follow up with someone that they share the gospel with in a place that is far from home? This culture doesn’t seem to value, believe in or care to even talk about the gospel, so why try? My answers to these questions reveal my beliefs.
Do I believe that Jesus is who He claims to be? If He is God in the flesh and He really did rise from the dead, then I must believe that what He tells me about my life and the mission of the church must be true. God would not raise a liar from the grave, so if I believe the evidence —and there is much — then I must obey the call of the risen Jesus to His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything He has commanded us.
But, that doesn’t say go to UFO festivals. It doesn’t say be awkward and alienate people by doing strange things. You are right. It says to make disciples… which is not a normal practice in this culture of non-conformity. It also says to dunk them in water… what does that even mean to this culture? Not only that, but ceremonially dunk them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit — the trinity — one God in three unique persons… because that’s not a strange concept. Then teach them all to obey everything that He has commanded — like saying that looking lustfully is adultery, calling someone a fool is like murder, sin is sin is sin and the consequence of your independence from God is death… Do you get what I’m saying? All of this life of following Jesus looks odd to this world. If you are fearing man more than fearing God, there is where your problem lies.
We don’t do odd things to be a spectacle. We do odd things because we obey the one we put our faith in. If we believe Jesus rose from the dead, we are, as Peter declares in 1 Peter 2:10, the people of God. He goes on to say: "You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation" (1 Peter 2:10-12)
So, why go to alien days in McMinnville? Because we desire to be a peculiar people, a people devoted to Christ and His call to proclaim the good news to all creation (Matthew 16:15).
I should not be afraid to be persecuted or ridiculed for my foolishness for Christ. We will all be doing it together, which makes it fun, but the most important reason is that Jesus tells me, "surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." He is our strength.
Will anyone receive Christ? Only God knows. Will it make any difference? It will in me. Because the more often I am obedient, the easier it becomes to recognize His faithfulness to be with me always.
I’m looking forward to the stories that we will share together!
Love ya,
Chris