So, I’m up. Attempting to finish this paper that’s due tomorrow afternoon, and somehow, I am inclined by the Spirit to write (for the legalistic: electronically blog).
Currently, I live in the city of Philadelphia, the “city of brotherly love”. Since my arrival, I’ve come to find that I have been on a journey in discovering myself, my surroundings, and most importantly, in having a heart for the Mission.
Philly is the 6th largest city in the United States, and in a country with close to 30,000 [cities] incorporated with some form of municipal government, such a fact is a BIG DEAL.
There are many lives to be saved.
A city with culture, dating back to the early days of William Penn’s Quaker conversion and lifestyle, accepting the cultures and religions of Irishmen, Germans (hence, “Germantown”), and the Welsh* (“Bryn Mawr”); over time, has developed into a melting pot of modern culture and religion.
The focal point I want to veer attention to in terms of modern culture and religion are the religious folk in Philadelphia. Many a denomination exist. From Baptists, to Jehovah’s Witnesses, to Rev. Jesse Garner III’s First Presbyterian Church, “spirituality” is not ignored in this city.
One Thursday evening, I spoke to three seemingly seasoned black ministers who were part of a Philadelphian Christian Alliance. At the time I was waiting tables at Chili’s, and I decided to share my beliefs, convictions, and faith with them. Before I opened my mouth, I overheard the men discussing the “rump” of one of the waitresses. Men will be men, right?
After sharing with them my conversion story, my desire to one day devote my life to ministry and the active role I play in my Campus Ministry, and my belief that our ICOC movement is one that thrives to mirror the work and purpose of the first century church, one of the men stopped me. “Brother, I feel the Spirit in you. God is going to use you powerfully and effectively. Bless you, brother. Bless you, friend.” Quite the uplifting words from someone whom, ten minutes earlier, spoke as a pure misogynist and impure hypocrite.
But even then, I thought to myself, “Am I any better?” Sure, I respect women as my sisters, regardless of their faith, but who am I to belittle anyone else?
I thought of the messages these men must be preaching. The passion of a soulful black man who knows the talk of a misogynist just as well as the book of Isaiah. I asked God, “Should I stop him? His life isn’t right, yet, he still speaks of MY Lord, and MY Savior!” It was then, I was reminded of the scripture in Mark:
” ‘Teacher,’ said John, ‘we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.’ ’Do not stop him,’ Jesus said. ’No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.’”
Was this man badmouthing my God? No. I’m sure a number of the messages these men have given have touched people’s lives. Who am I to say that they haven’t? Jesus has given us strict commands that we should not stop those who continue to preach His name, to heal demon-possessed people in His name. The name of Jesus is being heard throughout the land. Throughout Philadelphia.
Sure, we need to “watch [our] life and doctrine closely”, and I believe my brotherhood strives for that. But I have battled for a long time with trying to fix religious men (or at least, idealistically thriving to fix them), and I have realized that that isn’t my Mission while I am living in the body.
Maybe my conversation with the “rump” ministers will help them “watch [their] life and doctrine closely”. The Lord’s spirit can move in any and every situation.
So let us focus on leading a life that is to be praised. To rejoice when the word of God is being verbalized, no matter who’s mouth it is coming from…
