Friday, August 11, 2023

I’ve been saved for a long time, and although there were seasons when I struggled with my faith, I can’t remember when I didn’t believe in God. My faith has been my compass as I have navigated through a world where home life and outer appearances created more separation than unity. It wasn’t all bad, but there was enough of a divide to keep me from trying to find a community in Findlay, Ohio. Although I wanted to escape, I made the best of my situation. I learned to live amongst others who didn’t look like me and unapologetically remained myself without pushing people away.

I adapted without blending in, and it served me well as I moved away from Findlay and joined my wife, Erica, as part of a military family. Each duty station provided opportunities to cultivate new relationships with groups of people we probably wouldn’t interact with otherwise. My wife flourished in large groups. My personality only allowed me to handle a few new people simultaneously, but the numbers gradually increased. We began living as a family with many people, and like anyone else’s family, we are made up of believers and non-believers.

My involvement with the church mirrored my wife’s, and we weren’t ashamed to live out our faith in front of friends who didn’t share our beliefs. Those same friends sought counsel from Erica when they struggled. Some felt comfortable confiding in me. Our approach made us open for conversation.

Colossians 4:5-6
⁵ Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. ⁶ Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

Jesus matured our faith as we made a point to be standard bearers wherever we planted roots. I grew in part because of the churches we called home. When maturity pushed me to accept coming home to the Findlay area, I doubted we would find another church to invite us in the way we needed. My interactions with many fellow Christians growing up are how I imagine non-believers feel when dealing with us occasionally. 

When it was time to find a real church home, I trusted the direction God pushed us in, even though I was nervous. Findlay Campus Pastor Chris Baney and Kids Director Jaime Shank were our initial introductions to CedarCreek Church, and they didn’t disappoint. Chris did a great job acknowledging our natural differences and wanted to walk with us as we reintroduced ourselves to Findlay and its surrounding areas. Pastor Ben suggested an excellent conversation starter is, “Help me see it from your perspective.” That’s one of the things Chris says to me on occasion, and it’s always with an inviting tone. It’s how we should be with believers and non-believers alike. Our faith walk should be designed to create one community, one world loving and living for our Savior.

Questions:
Are you a Christian who only lives within your faith, or do you seek to live out to reach non-believers? Are you careful with the tone of your words?

Next Steps:
Invite someone new to a church service. Don’t be afraid to have meaningful conversations with non-Christians. Take GrowthTrack to start growing your spiritual gifts to use in the world.

Prayer:
God, thank you for putting me where I need to be and giving me the courage to share my faith with others. Each opportunity to walk alongside someone different from me is a blessing and a chance to introduce them to your love, truth, and wisdom. Amen. 

Series Theme Verse:
Colossians 1:23
But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.