Witnessing

One of my favorite moments from YES camp this year didn't even happen when the campers were there. It was Friday night and a few of us staffers were sitting around this massive campfire. I was sitting back watching everyone else interact with each other. Eddie and Ginnie were discussing family reunions and Eddie was concerned that hers wouldn't have food. Kelli and Caitie were talking, Trevor was staring at the fire. Off a little ways away from the rest of us, but still close enough was Chris and another staff member. Chris was talking to the other staffer about salvation, and the end times. This is some serious stuff for young men to be discussing, but knowing Chris it just made more proud of who he is. But it still amazed me that these two teenagers were discussing salvation and the end times when they could have been doing anything else that they wanted to do. It gave me hope for the future and for teens not only in River of Life Fellowship, but also across the country.

God gave us the command that we go out into the world and spread the word of God. I don't think there is one right way to do it. I know people who just shove the gospel in your face, others let the light of God shine through their actions. And then there are those like Chris and myself that wait until the right time presents itself. Chris and this other staffer were talking about God and end times as if it were a part of their everyday conversations, and I think sometimes that how our witnessing should be. Not shoving the Word into our friends' faces or fighting with other people about what they believe but discussing it. Asking and answering questions of each other. Todd and I have those discussions all the time. In fact we had one just last night about end times and then purgatory. I may write about our purgatory discussion tomorrow. But anyway. Witnessing shouldn't be this hard thing to do. Shouldn't it be easy for us Christians to be able to talk to our peers about the love of Jesus the way Chris and his friend were?

Like I said before I learned more from observing things at camp than I did teaching. God gave me that opportunity to learn more and grow and that's what I did. After seeing Chris interact with his friend, I know that is one of the best ways to witness to people. That way people aren't uncomfortable about God and feel free to ask questions and state their own opinions without being afraid of what we would say to them. As I end this post I think back to high school chorus and we sang a song (of course right). I don't remember the name of it, but one part went: Go ye into all the world a preach the living gospel, go ye into all the world and preach the living gospel. It was one of my favorite songs, and it helps me remember the command from God. So Go ye into the world (or your world) and preach the gospel to those you met, but not in a judgmental way, but a way like Chris that makes people feel comfortable.