I enjoy blogging both here on Facebook and on LinkedIn. With 61 years under my (expanding) belt, I would hope I have something worth saying to the Church and specifically the Church in North America. 45 of those years have been as a born-again follower of Jesus Christ. When I write I fully realize that I am not the smartest, brightest, most articulate writer on social media. I am also fully aware that I have my shortcomings and yes, even sin in my life. So now that I have dealt with the "plank in my eye", allow me for just a few minutes to present this open letter to all my Christian friends and leaders. No names will be mentioned to protect the innocent. Notice that you can read that in 2 ways? Not to worry friends!
I come from a wide-ranging spiritual background that started Lutheran by birth. I became a follower of Jesus at the age of 16 at an Toronto Estonian Baptist youth retreat in 1971. Later on I pastored 2 churches within the United Apostolic Faith Church. Then we brought that church under the umbrella of an apostolic group called New Covenant Ministries International. My wife, three children and I then spent 2 years in Estonia as missionaries before returning to Canada. Today I am a chaplain at various places around southern Ontario. My wife and I are members of a Pentecostal church where I help run the Alpha program.
I have seen much, experienced much and heard way too much. Too much because time and again I have seen the frailty of those who call themselves Christians. They gossip, they truly are often hypocrites and they most certainly are not always "salt and light". And yet, God loves each and every one despite ourselves. He still desires us to be a witness and ambassador for Him on this earth as long as we walk on it. He is not expecting perfection but He is expecting something. His last words to us were, "Go make disciples...".
We are saved by grace but despite what some well-meaning preachers are teaching these days, that grace does not excuse us from ignoring His commands. I could not be a pastor today because I don't even recognize the Church anymore. Instead of us being salt and light and showing our faith by our works, we are increasingly becoming more and more like the world. On social media we have believers openly talking about their love of alcohol. It's like a bunch of teenagers who have just discovered booze and want everyone to know they can now get drunk like everyone else. Is this how we disciple the nations and how we are salt and light? I don't get it!
There are exceptions to this but then we can also get into the legalistic end of things which is not much better. Somehow I don't think this is too much of an issue in too many churches today.
I am in a unique place today as a Christian Chaplain. The majority of my day is spent with those who do not know Jesus as their personal saviour. All these people and their families and my work colleagues, know that I am a born-again Christian and guess what: they don't persecute me. They don't laugh at me, mock me or tell me to keep my beliefs to myself. They actually come to me with personal issues that they don't share with anyone else. I may pray for them but often it is simply a listening ear. Part of it is because I walk around with a shirt that says CHAPLAIN in big bold letters on my back but it is much more than that. I have first gained their trust by just being their friend. I have done that by laughing with them and crying with them. I have listened to their stories and about their lives and shown interest in them. Then maybe weeks, months and even years later, they come to me hoping God can help them or their family member with a difficult situation.
Being salt and light is not a part-time job as a Christian. If we think the world is impressed when we can drink as well as them or tell dirty jokes as well as them or cheat on our spouses as well as them, we are kidding ourselves. Remember though, God doesn't have a plan B and C in his desire to see all saved. We are his only option. Let's ask the Lord to help us be salt and light each and every day.
