1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

The messy means of my conversion

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Luke2427, May 31, 2014.

  1. Luke2427

    Luke2427 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2010
    Messages:
    7,598
    Likes Received:
    23
    The messy means God used to convert me:
    For evangelism, the Bible often uses the analogy of farming. Jesus used it several times and even in the Old Testament we see such statements as “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap” (Ecclesiastes 11:4). Certainly, part of the idea of these analogies is that evangelistic work requires getting messy. The primary substance the farmer employs, after all, is dirt. Getting the Gospel seeds into our hearts requires digging into a mess.
    That is precisely what those who won me to Christ had to do. They left their pristine palaces of peace and descended to the tumultuous trailer park which my grandfather owned and in which my alcoholic family lived. This church bus captain kicked aside the piles of beer cans to climb the steps to the front door of our double-wide trailer. He was armed physically with only a piece of bubble gum, but spiritually he was armed with something infinitely more powerful- love. Billy Thompson was his name. This man injected himself into our messy lives every week. He even took his own vehicle and began picking me up on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights. And on those trips to church he listened to my messy teenage problems- problems with my girlfriend, problems at home, social problems at school… and he cared. He became a friend to me, taking me to football games and other venues for relationship building. And before long, what was in my heart toward him was the same as that which was on the lips of Ruth: “…where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”
    I had thought that Christians were a self-righteous lot and hamstrung by weakness. I found in this man one who was willing to be seen often and by everyone with the very rough likes of me. I found in him a strength that I never had considered before- the strength of happy condescension. He found himself in awkward positions as he stood in my yard listening to the screaming of my drunken mother, and other such conditions- but he endured it gladly to bring me to Christ.

    This is genuine biblical evangelism. It is what we see as we behold Jesus stooping and drawing in the dirt as the adulteress’s accusers demanded her stoning. It is what we see as Jesus sits on the well in that land he “must needs go through” to convert the sinful Samaritan woman. And it is what we must see more of in our culture if Christianity is to last in it another generation.
     
  2. Reformed

    Reformed Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2012
    Messages:
    4,960
    Likes Received:
    1,694
    Faith:
    Baptist
    My experience is not much different. There were a group of Christians who cared for my family as it was going through much turmoil. The end result was my coming to faith in Christ. Some of those dear saints put my feet on the road of learning and mentored me. I will be forever grateful.
     
    #2 Reformed, May 31, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: May 31, 2014
  3. thisnumbersdisconnected

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2013
    Messages:
    8,448
    Likes Received:
    0
    Luke, I've looked upon many of your threads and posts as extreme, off course, and very nearly heretical at times. But this ... ? Luke, if this is what is truly in your heart, let it show, man! Let it show.

    Brother, you're spot on. This is what evangelism is ... loving on others, getting to know them, showing them friendship and fellowship. Yes, tell them of their sins, but dang it! Don't beat them over the head with a baseball bat.

    Billy didn't do that. Billy loved you. Billy met you where you were at. Billy took you to the foot of the cross. Amen, brother, amen.

    This is what we're to do. We don't save anyone. We bring people to Jesus and let Him do it. Wonderful testimony, amazing, and than you for sharing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

    :thumbsup:
     
Loading...