Ministry of Reconciliation

"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us."

PAUL (2 Corinthians 5:20)

I visited Columbia this past weekend for Homecoming after having been support raising for three weeks now. It sparked in me once again the desire to serve at The Rock up at Mizzou. It was encouraging to see a room full of Rock alumni on Friday night. We had a get together in the fellowship hall of Valley View Community Church, a sister church in town (they actually have a building).

John, our pastor, spoke about the hundreds of stories of life change over the years. One chain reaction he talked about was from a girl years ago who influenced another, who influenced another, and so on until he mentioned Mazvita Matsiga and all the girls whose lives she has influenced. Mazvita is also going through the support raising process to go on staff with our church, another girl is serving in Amsterdam and the others are spread out elsewhere.

It got me to thinking about the web effect of those who dare to share God's love with others. Even now, the freshmen who are coming to The Rock have had their lives touched by those who my generation of students reached out to. Our church has to grow by 25% each year in order to stay alive because of the constant turn-over. Likewise, those who have spent a few years within The Rock, are influencing the lives of countless others for Christ.

Three years ago, we sent a team of 17 people to start a church in West Los Angeles. They played a video last filled with the stories of the locals who have found a true home in the church out there. They are bringing God's truth to a people who are baffled when a group of Christians actually care for them. Time and time again, people in the video said things like "I know I can give anyone a call at a moments notice if I need to" and "Not to sound cheesy, but you all are one of the most caring churches I have ever seen."

Spending the rest of the weekend with friends who I care about deeply, I was encouraged time and time again to keep at it down here in Springfield. And I have been pondering on the trip home and even this morning, just how urgent it is for us to spread God's love and truth to people. I have this long journey in front of me but, I know that this is the path God has called.

Here is an expansion of the passage I quoted earlier:

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's amabassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us."

PAUL (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)

My heart breaks for the pain and hurt in the world and I desire with everything within me to be a part of God's ministry of reconciliation. Our message is urgent. His plan for me now is to build a team of supporters and to share this passion with others. Perhaps throughout the process I can be an encouragement to others in their path and maybe, maybe I can even give some the message of being reconciled to God. This is where he wants me now and I am at peace with that, but I cannot wait to bring God's message to the University of Missouri again - and to see lives touching lives touching lives...