Reflections from Hearing Ravi Zacharias

Through the crowd of people cycling between information booths, sipping punch, and talking amongst themselves, I saw with my own eyes the man who has always served as a great inspiration to me. I received the email inviting me to the Minnesota Family Counsel's 30th Anniversary Dinner last month. The price of the dinner was enough for me to reach for the delete button, until I notice the name keynote speaker. My parents often listened to his weekly broadcast on Sunday mornings after church and I remember enjoying listening to him since I was little. With a story like his, it is no wonder he considered the greatest Christian apologist of our time. For the very first time, my eyes witnessed the beaming, genuine, welcoming smile of Ravi Zacharias.

It would take me hours to try and express the way his challenging stories, parables, and main points moved and challenged me, but there are a few thoughts that I will ponder for many days to come. As a minister, a concerned citizen, and a worker in God's Kingdom, it can be difficult to live in each of those spheres without forgetting the other. Many would say that we are of God's Kingdom, and therefore it gives us an excuse to not be involved in civil government structures. We can also get so involved in the civil structures, that we start to forget that we are citizens of another kingdom. Zacharias inspires me to keep working in all three spheres, because the work God has for me naturally fits in all three.

The Church must be involved in the political process, but if it does so without reaching out to the people of culture it will accomplish little. Look for example at the fight to preserve traditional marriage, to preserve the life of the unborn, or to protect our children from the dangers that come with searching the internet. The cause may be a righteous one, but if there is no contact with the lost among the opposition, it will become little more than a cultural tug-of-war based on who has the majority in Congress.

I am not saying that these causes are futile, or that the Church needs to get out of politics. In fact I would encourage you to vote and stay in contact with your elected officials. This,  I believe is our civil duty. But, in order to change this culture, we should begin by venturing out of the walls of our churches and begin to gracefully and lovingly reach to our neighbors regardless of what side of the aisle they lean. We need to invite people into our homes regardless of their view on human sexuality. There is a God in Heaven who does not wish that co-worker of yours, who constantly teases you for your faith, to be cast from his presence.

What are your thoughts? Are we going to stand aside and expect civil structures to do the work of the Church? Or are we going to step in, as workers of another kingdom, as concerned citizens, and effective ministers to do the work of Jesus in our time?