Evendays

I’ve spent at least 2 work days getting a flyer ready for our short Geneva campaign in June. Dr. Robert McCready will be in Switzerland with a small group of Harding University students, all of whom study French. They’re here to help small churches in Switzerland, France and Belgium.

About 18,000 of the flyers will end up in people’s mailboxes in the neighborhood where the church meets. There’s an evangelism committee which prepares logistics and such, and we usually get a good turnout from the folks from church. Most visitors are friends we have invited, but we always meet 10 or so new people from the neighborhood. Others sign up for Bible courses or just ask for a free Bible.

It takes a lot of work, but last year we met a family from the neighborhood and they were converted. They have a Bible study at their place now and some friends come with their questions, looking for answers, reading the Bible together.

Our conference is entitled: “Me, I want to… believe… hope… love.” I’ll also be preparing a web site for the conferences, along with two pages of “studies” that readers can consult.

For some people, the opportunity comes around every day. For me, it happens about twice a year. And when it does, I tremble.

It’s when you tell the story of Jesus and they hear of his death for the first time. And then they read about his resurrection.

No other Jesus-event seems as foreign, as strange or bizarre, as does the resurrection. Many people can handle a virgin birth. A miracle man? It’s a stretch of the imagination, but doable. But a murdered man who comes back to life, tells his friends to touch him and asks them for a bite of fish… This is indeed foreign territory.

When Paul brought it up in Athens, the Greeks slapped their thighs and wandered off. But others… They ponder. They wonder. They ask themselves if perhaps, just maybe, it might be true.

And we watch expectantly. And we pray.