Day 170: New Lady....CONVERT NOW! er..

There is an interesting passage in I Corinthians 3:5-7(NIV) What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶ I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

Two weeks ago at church I spoke with a lady who came to hear the message at Radiant Fellowship, "Pink Floyd-The Wall". This lady was a self procrlaimed hippie back in the day and wanted to see how we would tackle this issue. She talked to me after service and was completely in love with our church and the topics we discuss. It is as if Radiant Fellowship is geared for higher learning and breaking away from traditional ho-hum stuff we grow up hearing over and over again. I so appreciate the staff of Radiant as we all are on this same page. What I find funny about that weekend is that we had a few drug counselors show up to hear our take on how "The Wall" could be paralleled with scripture. Anyway...

This last Sunday this lady (who shall remain nameless) returned for another week. I made it a conscience effort to remember her name so if she did show up I would know her by name. As she walked into the church I said, "Hello......". First thing she said was "Thank you for remembering my name!" It is so important to do that for people at church.

What got me though was after church, I sat down with her for a minute and she told me, "I don't know what or who I believe in but I do know I love it here!" The minute she said this to me it was if many different scenarios ran through my head. Different scenes I have seen played out through the years in church. Should I tell her we need to talk and convince her there on the spot she needs to give her heart to God? Should I place my hand on her head and pray in the name of JAAEEEEZZZUSSS-UH that she would be saved if she would just repeat after me? After she gets saved do I tell her what she can or cannot do? After all...the minute we get saved we should now turn it into a works thing right? NO! NO! NO! Re-read that scripture.

God used Pink Floyd (oh yes...I said it) to plant a seed in her life with this message. As the pastor of Radiant Fellowship, God is using me to water that seed...God is using Radiant Fellowship to water that seed but, ultimately, God is going to make it grow. No where under my own power should I or will I beg her to convert and follow all of these legalistic things (which really...underlying it all are things that will twist a person into what will benefit the church most). I want to see a natural growth in her life that only God can bring and we will be there alongside her as she begins her faith journey. She will then discover things that God wants her to do as she learns more about God. I am so happy for this lady and the others that are coming to a genuine faith through the ministries of this little church in Waupaca.