ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)–I promise that this will be the last article I write that deals with my daughter’s wedding … well, I better not make that promise!
Very few events in my life have affected me more deeply that this one event. Of course, we are all emotional when our children get married -– even more so if you perform the ceremony. But the impact of that day was deeper than even that to me. I was never so aware of the power and the beauty of the body of Christ as I was during that wedding. All of the wonder of what God does in a community of faith was evident that day -– love, joy, family, friendship, accountability, worship, legacy and evangelism.
As I have reflected on all of this, it strikes me that it is very important that we allow all that we experience as the body of Christ to follow us as we move out from our church buildings into the mission field where church is lived out –- our communities. And it is there that I think we have some real problems to address.
It seems to me that when we gather as Christians outside the church building, we often forget that we are “ambassadors of Christ.” That is a 24/7 mission and privilege. We represent the King. We should be His love, His life, His bleeding caring hands, His gracious and compassionate heart. Our eyes should always be looking for the next person Jesus wants to love through us, the next time we will have the privilege of sharing His story. Think about the last time you were out in public with a group of Christians. Would you say your group more closely resembled a club or a mission team? My experience says that our public Christian clubs are many –- and that not too many seekers will want to join them.
The rehearsal dinner for my daughter’s wedding was wonderful. As it ended, I thanked one of the servers who took good care of us. She said, “It was good serving you. You were so much different than most church groups.” Well, that got my attention. I pointed out to her that we were not a church group, but she told me that she heard all of us talking about the Lord. I was able to share the Gospel with her and she was a believer, active in her church. But she told me that when they see a church group on the calendar, they all cringe.
“Church groups are the most selfish and demanding people who come in to our restaurant,” she said. “They are short with us, rude, and pay no attention to anyone but their group. They act as if the whole world revolves around them. And they are the worst tippers. I find myself embarrassed for all Christians because of the way they represent us.”
I prayed with her and asked God to forgive all of us for presenting such a poor picture of who the Church really is to the world.
I want to challenge everyone who reads this to make sure that this will never happen again as long as you are present — that if no one else will, you will act with intentional kindness and Christ-like grace to those all around you, and that you will ask God to help you to be His witness to those you meet. It really is not that hard, you know. Everyone is talking about Jesus — except Christians! Just be kind, be a friend, listen to their stories, tell yours, and by all means tell His. We don’t have enough daughters to marry off to bring the world to see what the Church is supposed to look like. Let’s take the celebration to them -– and make evangelism good news again.
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John Avant is vice president for evangelization at the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board.
