join and believe

I've been preparing the last several days to share in chapel this morning (yes, it's that terrifying time of the semester where I'm supposed to share the Word with 80 pastors...not intimidating in the least!), and as always, I'm just sharing something He seems to be sharing with me through my devotional time.

I'm going to work through Acts 17,  but something struck me last night in my final prep from the final verses!

Evangelism, conversions, discipleship and numbers is such a daily part of missionary/mission organization living.  It's hard NOT to think about numbers!

Almost all of our students were out sharing the Gospel widely during Easter break, and there is such a temptation to want to measure this somehow.  Every missions organization on earth is trying to measure fruit and success in Gospel-sowing.

Years ago, however, I read the statistic that if every missions organization on earth's conversion numbers were accurate, the entire globe would have converted twice...which means that our numbers don't really mean what we think they do.

Ouch.  

Instead of getting into my burden for evangelism to be done well, relationally, cutlurally, life-on-life, ideally not through a translator, never from a position of power, not with an alternative incentive, and almost always only through ongoing discipleship, I just want to share what I'm seeing at the end of Acts 17.

Paul, troubled by all the idolatry he saw in Athens, shared with the Jews and Gentile believers, shared with the opposing religious philosophers, shared with the council (anyone who wanted to listen, really).  He met them where they were at, points out the logical problem with their beliefs, talks to them about God being above and beyond all of their current thoughts of gods--and yet notes that He is very reachable--and finishes with a driving push towards the Gospel and the resurrection.

I mean, he gives just a FABULOUS discourse, a fantastic Gospel presentation, a powerful sermon, on all accounts.  Better than I've ever heard or shared, no question.

And you know how many people converted that day? 

None.

Verse 32-34 says that most laughed in contempt.  Some said, "We want to hear more about this later."  Pretty sure if we're sharing the true Gospel, we should expect the same responses.

But something brilliant did happen.   "A few joined him."   They joined him.  Went home with him, maybe?  Stayed after, spent time with him, thought with him, listened more to him, asked him questions, joined lives with him, shared with him, followed him, and then BELIEVED.

Verse 34 doesn't say that they believed him and joined him...but that they joined him...and became believers.

No converts.  No immediate believers.
But some did beautifully come to truly believe...after joining him.

There is SO much in that joining.  

What freedom.

Today we're not out for converts, and not out to find people to win over.

I'm just out to mostly be laughed at, mostly be scorned, mostly be pushed off.  Hopefully, I'm gonna get to JOIN with a few.  And my prayer is that as we JOIN with people, that our "after the sermons", that our behind the scenes, that our lives and daily walks with Jesus will lead those people we are joined with to BELIEVE and know.  Truly.  To be transformed.  Not converted.

Go join some people today, and pray for me while I join with mine...what a gift He has given us in a mighty, all-powerful, above-it-all yet somehow not-far-off God who meets people all at once and little by little, through joining His son with us, through joining His people with the lost.