Sunday, June 19, 2011

Can I have a lift?

I'm pretty excited. One of my youth kids sent me a text asking for a lift to church tonight. Its his first time at church as far as I know. Let's call him Lex. Lex lives out of town, so its a bit of a drive out of my way but I'm not concerned in the least. He is coming to church.
In March, the man and I attended Youth Pastors retreat
 at Bondi. Both Brian and Bobbie Houston spoke at the event which was really amazing and inspiring. I took so many notes from that encounter I was experiencing hand cramps for days. But how could I not? Such wisdom and powerful contained in such a short time.
Bobbie shared with us her testimony, going from when she first met God, to entering a relationship with him, and maturing into a young dedicated Christian woman. One thing that really struck me about her testimony, that she was a spiritual orphan. No one in her family had a relationship with God. They may have had religion, but no spiritual intimacy with the Creator of the Universe.
Yet still she felt a passion for him and the desire to give her heart to Him. But between brand new baby Christian, and mature child of Christ, she briefly mentioned one person. Not by name. Her friend's brother. Who used to drive her to church every Sunday for 3 months, until she could drive herself.
It got me thinking. we prioritise going to church and connecting with God in his house, and with our church family, because that's what we know. A new young Christian without means of travel has no-one in their family who values this Sunday journey each week. How will they develop a consistency and passion for attending if we don't pick them up?
We already have a little list of kids being picked up by ourselves and other leaders just for youth. I'm beginning to think the same organisation and thought needs to be given to Church trips. So I'm picking up Lex tonight. And I might hunt through my youth list to see if God inspires me to encourage others to church with the offer of a lift. What does it cost me? A bit of petrol and a bit of time each week. But maybe for Lex it means eternity.
Maybe its not always just about convincing scriptures or amazing messages. Maybe its not only flashing lights and loud music that draws them in. Maybe its not always about little evangelistic diagrams and the quotes of wise men. Maybe evangelising young unchurched kids can be as simple as a lift to church.

No comments:

Post a Comment