Australia is Changing in my Basement

“The message you preach about commitment to our Lord and all the cost that goes with it is not a peaceful message to the ears of the uncommitted who want to rest and enjoy this world. But hearts and souls among the believing as well as the unbelieving are hungry for the commitment you speak of. Ask Him to turn off all the voices but His.” – My Mom, 2 years ago

 

"This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations." - Jesus Christ,  2000 years ago

I write today because I am weak. I need to see people's hearts coming alive, for some reason, for mine to stay alive. Like an immature kid who will quit something at the drop of a hat if he doesn't get constant enticements and rewards and cheers from "dad" for performing, I confess that if I didn't have a steady dose of "life from death" happening around me in a way that I can see it, I wonder if I would have the strength and perseverance to keep going.

 

But, praise God, He entices me regularly.

 

I have a guest in my house today named Drew. He is from Australia. He attends a church of 30 people in a Queensland town about the size of my town in Texas. He is in the 6th month of a 9 month journey, visiting churches and lectureships in order to be inspired for how he can be an effective part of "transitioning" his beloved fellowship over there a little bit more into the image of Christ.

 

He heard me speak at Harding's Lectureship a few weeks ago, where I spoke about my obsession with Christ, and the hunger and thirst for Christ at the Southwest Church of Christ, and he asked to come visit group of people in Amarillo. Now he is here.

 

He experienced our worship service Sunday morning, a small group meeting Sunday night, and the Palo Duro Canyon today with my two youngest kids and myself. He's not sleeping well, he informed my wife and I today, because his mind is running and running and he can't stop it. He's will be going home in January, he says, and with the end nearing, he is longing for a plan upon his return home. In addition to the clock ticking, he has experienced so much in his travels. So at night when he attempts to sleep in my basement, mind racing, he gets up with Bible, journal, and pencil in hand, to think, study, plan, and remember.

 

I didn't preach, really, yesterday at the Southwest church. Six friends of mine did. They spoke of how getting into deeper, unmasked, unguarded friendship with each other has gotten them into deeper, unmasked, unguarded friendship with God, and that it has literally changed (saved?) their lives. If you want to hear them, it will cost you 15 minutes at www.southwest.org. Prepare yourself...you might find yourself jealous of the friendships these guys have found with each other.

 

And rightly so...for you were made to have them.

 

My new friend Drew was only one of hundreds present in Searcy when I had the incredible privilege of speaking about Christ. I know for a fact that the message of commitment to Christ that I preached created various responses. Some defensive, some agreeable, some neutral, some apathetic. But for at least one, it stirred up an audacious, bold request..."Can I come and meet these people who love Christ so much that you speak of?" And now he has met them, and he sits awake in my basement being inspired by God's Spirit to write down how to join God in instigating a hunger for Christ in his brothers and sisters, and beyond, back home. 

 

I just have to pause as I imagine it: My basement has become a sacred cathedral during the nights while I sleep. When the lights go out, God gets Drew up and works and is active and is strategizing on yet-another-master-move in His Grand Scheme of breaking into the world with His Son's Kingdom.

 

The far-off nation of Australia is being changed a little bit more into the image of Christ in my basement this week...in part, because my friends who help me be more like Christ preached this past Sunday, using their own lives as God's "props" to show off how great He is, allowing me to preach about it 500 miles east of here in our own nation.

 

We are blessed. Very, very blessed.

 

May God bless Drew, for He has blessed me today through Drew.