As I write to you this morning, I am mindful of a project that Richie and I just completed. As part of social studies for 4th grade, California children learn of the Spanish missions that helped to colonize California. Richie had to write a report about a particular mission, learned that the missions basically served as places of confinement. When Richie was asked whether the Native Americans were better off because the Spaniards had introduced Christianity to them, he said "no." "Well, why not?" "Because they were forced to believe, so that faith isn't real." Spoken like a good Baptist! History is replete with examples of people trying to compel others to believe in a certain way under threat of death, and sadly Christianity has many examples, from the "Idyllic"city Jean Calvin tried to institute in Switzerland to a Russian Czar baptizing people before executing them, to women being killed in Salem, Massachusetts.
Indeed, faith and belief that is forced is not faith or belief at all. There is a temptation, because we believe so strongly that our way is the only way, to do whatever it takes to make people believe. This temptation leads us to cajole, urge, push, even "buy"people, if only they will become like us. But what is our job as Christians? I believe our duty is to introduce people to our faith. We tell them who Jesus is. We tell them about the presence of God with us, we tell them about the hope we have. And then we model our faith as consistently as we possibly can, demonstrating redeemed lives. Then there comes the time when the Spirit of God takes whatever we have Shared, taught, and done, and touches people, convincing them of their need of this Christ, far beyond any ability we could ever hope to demonstrate.
This has implications for we who are Christians, in our desire to share faith with friends and family, as we seek to be good citizens and hope to influence our nation and its policies in a positive way, and certainly for how we hope to do our job as missionaries.
A changed life I'd like to tell you about today is Gilberto. Gilberto is a student of ours at the Seminary. At 52 years old, he is not the traditional seminary student. His life has not been traditional. This very talented man has done everything from concrete construction work, to pipefitting at oil refineries, to even working on a fishing boat in Alaska. But all through this part of his life, he had a substance abuse problem that cost him his marriage, and robbed him of many things that make for a happy, stable life. He even spent some time in prison.
About three years ago, things hit rock bottom. He ended up in a shelter for drug-addicted people, operated as a ministry. Out of that, he heard the message of hope through Jesus Christ, and responded to that hope.
Talk about a changed life! Now Gilberto is in seminary. Being a relatively young Christian, and having had only a grade school education, this environment is a challenge. But it is wonderful to see the way he is blooming! His servant heart and desire to minister are very obvious. He wants to go back to a ministry that is close to what touched his life after his studies are concluded. He, like most students, lives by a shoestring budget, though, thankfully, he has received substantial support from one of our ABC churches that he worked with when they came on a work group experience to Mexicali.
Please pray for Gilberto. Please also pray for us, as we seek to equip people like Gilberto in partnership with the Convencion Dios Con Nosotros in Baja California, Mexico.