the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. – Matthew 4

A year ago, we met Mannie on the streets down here in Sydney. I remember it so clearly because it was Melbourne Cup day. There we were, 3 of us sitting on the steps outside the Municipal building chatting, praying, sharing. We were dressed in ragamuffin clothes while around us people in their finery were rushing to make it to lunch before the race.

Emmanuel has a mother who lives in the local housing commission, affectionately known as Alcatraz. Picture it for a moment; a 100-unit block right on the Sydney waterfront. Imposing, yet almost unknown locally, it is home to those whom society has both forgotten and mostly discarded. Ever since coming here we have been drawn to the place and have met, over the past months, quite a few Alcatraz inhabitants. We have prayed extensively (though not enough) and over time, met more and more people. Our sense from the Lord is to keep going, to watch as the power of God is unleashed through his Spirit, as the Gospel of Christ is preached to those who are captive.

Captive?

For most here, life is an endless round of depression, addiction, drugs (illicit or prescription) and visits by well meaning medicos whose role is to keep them away from mainstream society. The Webster packs (daily drug doses administered in weekly or fortnightly packs by nurses) can run 14-deep. Who will set them free?

We have toiled with this question a great deal. Like to know what we have learned? Firstly, that God heals and delivers today, and he wants to heal much more. He chooses us (on the whole) to heal through. Friends, nobody else will set these people free from the darkness that envelopes them. Secondly, the task is huge. The demonic, the darkness, the deliverance doesn’t get dislodged by a few 10-min prayers here and there. We are in a battle, and the stakes are high. Can you imagine what would happen if the wider community began to become aware that people were being delivered and set free down here? Lastly, we need to believe. This is a big mountain. Will God really set this place free? We, the believers at least, must trust God implicitly that he wants to do this.

Despite our doubts, we believe more than ever that God wants to demonstrate his mercy and power in this place. Over the past 12 months we have made inroads. Monthly, we run outside BBQs down by the waterfront. Tenants are starting to notice, and they now hover around to find out what is going on (as well as get fed). At last week’s meal, we prayed for Colleen whom we had never met before. She has emphysema, so desperate yet so lovely. Every time we meet, we run Discovery Bible Study around the picnic table and pray for each person.

As a result, a few more opportunities have started to spring up. Some are willing to meet during the week for Discovery Bible Study and prayer, and we encourage them to open their homes to others within the complex.  We are looking to rent the local community centre to encourage some to come out during the week.

Still though, we need prayer. Lots of prayer, lots more than we currently have. We need labourers too; those who live locally who are willing to labour with us in Christ.

We want to see Christ move through his Spirit. To see the oppressed set free. As we listen to the stories of lives that somehow got derailed, I realise how it could have so easily been me. Born into different circumstances, or with just a few things changed in my life, I could have been there. So, could you. How would you go as a pubescent girl with an alcoholic mother who force-fed you Vodka from an early age? What would the chances of ‘normal’ be for you today?

There are dozens of other stories. Are they all innocent, of course not? But is God rich in mercy, so much. He loves them, his Son died for them. He wants to save them and only he can. Friends, if you will, pray with us. Pray for more workers, and against the darkness of Alcatraz, that the Father of Heavenly Lights would shine on those in darkness.

We come into a seasonal time that is especially beautiful for believers, a time when God decided to act decisively against the darkness of this world. Pray especially that the darkness over Alcatraz might be lifted, and the light of Christ would shine in.

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? – Philippians 2

We’ve had a couple of meetings recently, both in stark contrast to each other. A week ago we were invited to a dinner with some people we knew. There was a small group of us who turned up, and we were anticipatory about sharing an evening with a group of fellow believers over food, to us it seemed so ‘church’ and it is something we love to do.

Let me put this into context, these were mature believers some of whom had been Christians all their lives, and one was a pastor. As we gathered around the table, and then while sitting around afterwards, we were slightly stunned that the person of Jesus Christ was never mentioned throughout. A couple of times we tried to bring the conversation around, but it never really stayed there. Soon, we drifted back into work issues, hobbies, family, children, schools – and on it went. Jesus was absent from the conversation and dare I suggest, absent from the lives of those gathered together. Church it certainly wasn’t, yet it had every opportunity to be so. We left early, walking home in silent disbelief.

A couple of days later I had a business lunch with a local young man, whom I had heard was also a passionate believer. Our meeting was to be about business, but the contrast couldn’t have been more extreme. Most of the lunch was spent discussing how business could be used most effectively to serve the Lord. Jesus was front and centre of the entire conversation, and it was not what I had expected at all. Two meetings, both with believers, yet so very different.

And the point being?

Open the book of Philippians, and count how many times the name of Jesus is mentioned throughout. Cover to cover, the letter is all about Jesus. Jesus was everything to Paul, is he to you and me?

Recently I had a discussion with someone about my views on church, and I expressed the concern that many sitting in the pew – far too many in fact, were perhaps in more grave danger than they thought, because they had never grasped what a relationship with Jesus was really about. That attending a church service, while the rest of our lives went largely unchanged, was a fairly clear sign that something was amiss in both their understanding of and practice of a relationship with God. The conversation by then too uncomfortable for him, descended into the dangers of errant theology in non-conventional church. While I didn’t agree with the theology of the young man I had lunch with, I couldn’t fault his devotion. Let me ask you, which do you think is more important to Christ?

A very wise woman once said, you can tell a person’s real faith by how much Jesus comes into their everyday conversation. They find it hard to leave him out. Is that the case with you, or me? Certainly for Paul it seems, Christ was never far from his lips. Surely the converse is true, that though we might go to church or wear any other religious facade, if we don’t know Jesus well, we are unlikely to ever speak of him.

As a simple example, this week while out to (yet another) dinner, this time to celebrate my son’s birthday, I managed to share the gospel in its entirety with a young girl sitting next to me. She was an agnostic or atheist, she wasn’t sure. A Gospel exposition is centred entirely on the person of Jesus, and it his power and his magic that is enough to draw the hard or confused of heart. All we need do is tell the story, he will do the rest. I am convinced that the seed has been sown, and change will come, and we pray expectantly.

Friends, the litmus test of all our faith is quite simply how much we talk of that which is important to us. If church, or religion, or whatever you want to call it, is little more than an opportunity to discuss politics, share business cards or even just assuage your own conscience, then I would suggest not only are you missing out, but you are also in danger.

If Jesus is missing from your conversation, he is likely missing from your life. Incidentally, if you have never shared him with someone else, I promise you it is the most fulfilling thing in the world, ever.

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved, and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other, a fragrance from life to life. – 2 Cor 2

“Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself.”

– Charles Spurgeon

Yesterday I met with a young man over some business. In his mid-30’s his achievements were by any standards, impressive. He drove a Maclaren on the weekends, and had a choice of European cars for the week. He owned 17 properties and a successful business that, should he retire tomorrow, would deliver him a residual income of $50,000 a month for at least the next decade, possibly beyond. A failed serious relationship had kept him always on the hunt, and he was intimate with a string of different beauties almost continually.  He looked after himself, and drank (expensive) wine only modestly. He also played cricket to a near-professional standard and overall his day to day energy levels were quite extraordinary.

What was missing then? What do you say to someone who has everything they need, yet still seems to lack the missing ingredient? He knew about Christianity, considers himself to be an agnostic, and like many I hear, has a distorted view of the Father of the Heavenlies, and the relevance of Jesus Christ. What do you say, in the 5-minute pause in conversation, to bring things around to what is important?

In between mostly him talking, there was a pause, and I recounted a brief, simple Gospel. I must say, for 5 minutes, my guest was riveted to the conversation, and not because I was telling it. The Gospel story has enough power to stand on its own feet, with or without my delivery. How did it go?

Like many, this young man suggested that all Gods are the same, and we are highly unlikely to be held to account, after all what sort of a God would put together a world like this, when he knew we were going to fail? Frankly, a simple ‘well that’s okay God loves you’ patsy, wasn’t going to cut through. Let’s start with our sin and God’s holiness.

In our self-centred, self-righteous culture, the concept of how far we really have fallen is anathema, even to most believers. Sin, how bad can it really be we joke? We spoke of the fact that our lives are on a constant record setting, and one day we will be confronted by the reality of what we have actually done; in fact, if any of us were to take the very worst of that video of ourselves, and play it back on say, Facebook, we would likely be deeply distressed. Imagine then, how it looks before a Holy God. He seemed to get the point.

Yet then, if it is so bad and we deserve the fury of God, where does the love of God show up? The answer is in Jesus Christ and in him alone. God would not create a world where the only option was doom, a point my friend readily agreed to. Yet, we both agreed that what we had done meant that we rightly had it coming to us – and not just us.

What Jesus provides is precisely what the world misses, he is our payment or as the Bible so neatly puts it, our atonement. As we stand in the dock before God, he writes the cheque that pays the required penalty. The simple story is complete, and I hope, relevant. After that the conversation moved to more worldly things, but I didn’t mind; he was clearly disturbed.

Friends, it is all we have to do. Learn a simple Gospel presentation that can hit the mark. Don’t be put off by all these ‘do-gooder’ Christians who say we should never talk about sin, it is a complete nonsense. Sin, my sin and yours, is an intrinsic part of the story, in fact it allows God’s magnificent salvation to be set in the light. We should talk more of people’s sin, in many cases it is extremely cathartic.

And to my guest? I have done my part, now it is up to the Holy Spirit to work in ways that I cannot, and then the next person. Who knows, the next person the Spirit brings into this young man’s life might be you? If it is, make sure you share the Gospel with him.

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. – 1 Corinthians 3

I have a new Sales Director working for me, Vincent. He is exceptionally talented, not like the Sales Director most would imagine. A natural leader, he warmly and softly encourages people to accomplish their very best, and firmly gets the stragglers to rise to the occasion. A joy to behold for both me and our clients, Vincent gets outstanding performance.

Recently we were talking about a client, and Vincent and I joked about ‘ABS.’ You see, the client had set themselves up to sell with every tool imaginable; technology, platforms, processes, methods, job descriptions and on it went. But nobody was actually doing any ‘selling.’ All bar the selling, all they need is someone to remove the excuses. The relevance?

Last weekend we went out on the streets, a small group of us and we had such a time. We prayed before we went, and God led people up to us; an American aetheist couple who stumbled over some of their answers to our questions (but we gave them a warm hug anyway); a Jewish man who talked openly about persecution and the coming Messiah; a Colombian couple, who welcomed our prayers over their children and whom we left with the encouragement to discover Jesus in their Bible reading.

Finally, we met Darlin and Sam. A young couple who hooked up while they were travelling, Darlin revealed to us that her mum is a believer, and she once was, but has since wandered. Darlin was deeply distressed with work here, and was overwhelmed with tears as we talked and prayed in to her life. Meanwhile, I brushed up some rusty French with Sam her travelling companion. We hope to meet up with them again this weekend or in the next few, and continue on the God conversation.

It’s been a while since we’ve been on the streets, which is why I haven’t often had much to write about. There is this unsaid agreement, the more I go out, the more God puts on my heart to write about.  One of those with us, was so animated at our short encounters, he admonished us that we need to get out ‘all the time.’ I couldn’t agree more. Which brings me nicely to what I have had on my heart all week.

It never ceases to amaze me how “the church” embraces the ‘All bar the Selling’ concept so readily. Take for example, the simple task of Disciple Making. Such a simple idea commanded by Jesus, I have been slightly amazed at the plethora of entities, books, resources, methods and gatherings based around this ‘new’ concept. We know more than a few who flit between one training and the next, discussing which is the right way, or the right teacher to follow. Then there are the cottage industries that have sprung up, which seem to me more about cashing in on this new idea. Really?

I am often told I overemphasise “going out on the streets” but I am not unduly concerned, after all look at who it affects. Firstly, sharing your faith with another pleases Christ Jesus immensely. We sense his pleasure when we are obedient to his calling. Secondly, those we meet are often visibly transformed by the words, Scriptures and prayers we speak into their lives. Some, just a few, respond to that call to follow him – the Holy Spirit has something to grasp hold of in their lives. Lastly, we feel unbelievably fulfilled in doing the work of the Lord, it defies description. Sometimes we feel like skipping home after an afternoon of meeting and talking with people.

I know there are different ways to define the streets, but most know what is meant. The example of Jesus is undeniably of a man who was in the marketplace more often than he was in church.

Let me leave you with a challenge. Of late we have come across numerous people who casually mentioned that the JWs had been there before us, which has me worried. So few of us, so many of them who are active. Will you leave your neighbour to the mercy of a false gospel?

Isn’t it time all of us accepted that we already have the tools and the mandate, to pray and cross the street and begin to lay the foundation of Jesus Christ into another’s life. No more excuses, let’s get on with the business in hand.