Sunday morning

What a blessing it was to be in church today! After several weeks of sickness, it was so good to be able to worship with our church family this morning. This weekend was the Global Symposium, a Conference on Biblical Missions so we were able to hear several missionaries speak and visit many displays. We heard a missionary couple with MNA First Nations who work with Native American tribes. Guess how many tribes are recognized by the federal government in this country? I guessed 50, thinking was probably too many. But actually there are 560 tribes in this country!!! It was heart-breaking to be reminded of the sad history of the native people, but encouraging to hear of the work of God in the lives of so many native Americans.

We also heard from missionaries with MTW in Germany working in Berlin. I was amazed at the complete lack of Christian concepts in that city. They are a post-modern people with no idea of church, God, moral absolutes or truth. Even the Reformation that swept through other parts of Germany never reached their city so they have had no Christian influence.

Our main speaker in the services today was Dr. Stephen Beck with Greater Europe Mission to Frankfurt, Germany. He spoke on Proclaiming Christ in a Post-Christian Culture and how to reach the post-modern culture for Christ. It is hard for us in the U.S., and perhaps more so in Lancaster County, PA, to imagine the complete lack of Christian thought or ideas. Yet, that is the case for much of Europe. No concept of church - what is church? no concept of God, worship, truth, morality. How do we reach people like that? By serving. By loving them and serving them. Trying to include them in our circle of belonging. Everyone wants to belong and be loved. Through loving service, and a sense of belonging, many post-modern people are coming to Christ. It is a slow process, but God is working in the hearts of His people and His grace is irrisistable!

Every Sunday morning, we recite prayers of confession as a church body. I love that aspect of our service. I'm thankful for these prayers that I can use to speak what is in my heart that I don't always have the words to say. Here was our prayer for this morning:

O my Savior, I am slow to learn and ever prone to forget all your best lessons. I am pained to think upon too many prayerless mornings when I might have claimed the day for your service. Except for your tender forgiveness - all undeserved - unspent opportunities and cold compassion toward others would be my condemnation.

Your life-giving Spirit can shatter the walking trance of unbelief and degenerate behavior in which millions still sleep. As you empower the work of evangelism, please blow upon my spiritual ashes until an unmistakable flame of Christ in me shows his truth and mercy to some other soul. Make me your instrument: to comfort someone in despair, or to bring the wayward to the Cross of Jesus. Amen.