A Missional Model for Our Time-My Friend John Avant

Folks who know me would also know that one of my best friends on the earth is John Avant, with whom I have shared everything from some pretty remarkable revival experiences, to writing projects, to shared ministry at a number of levels. John and I share a great love for people who do not know Christ.

Many of my students also know that a book I cite often is Lauren Sandler’s book Righteous. Lauren, whom I have not met but will get to meet this year, was a guest along with her husband at FBC West Monroe, LA, where John is pastor, during yesterday’s services. Read John’s commentary on the day and then check out the podcast:

“Yesterday I was part of one of the most unique experiences I have ever had within the walls of a church building. I shared my pulpit with an atheist. Lauren Sandler is the author of the book Righteous:Dispatches on the Evangelical Youth Movement. The book is a must read for all of us. Some of it will make you mad. You will not agree with all of it. But it is an amazing book. Lauren visited evangelical churches and movements all over the country. She predicts that “we are poised on the edge of the next Great Awakening.” She believes that she found ample evidence that a great spiritual movement is coming to North America, led largely by a young generation that is no longer welcome in our churches. How ironic that an atheist believes in revival more than most Christians! Her book challenged me to the core. She shows us the worst of who we have become as evangelicals – and the reason why we are reaching so few radically unchurched people.

“Beyond all this, Lauren and her husband Justin have become dear friends. Of course I want them to come to faith in Christ. But our friendship is more than that. We will be friends if they never come to faith. So Sunday, a Southern Baptist preacher and a NYC Jewish atheist took the platform together! We modeled how easy it is to actually share the gospel with friends. Lauren made it clear that she is open to talk about God anytime, but that the real draw for her is seeing people that actually live like Jesus. In fact she said that she doesn’t understand why Christians don’t talk about how cool Jesus is! She challenged us with what has repelled her from Christianity and expressed amazement at the way the people of our church had responded to her. 

“For me it was the most authentic expression of New Testament Church I have ever experienced. None of our doctrine was compromised. But we actually had God’s people, together in dialogue and relationship, with unbelievers – kind of like…well, Jesus! I am blessed to pastor a church that not only allowed this but embraced it. When Jesus hung out with unbelievers, the religious crowd wanted to kill him. Our people showered her with gifts and love. What if, just maybe, our churches decided to love people again instead of oppose them? Maybe we are almost as lost as the unbelievers we have shunned. After all, since Jesus has left the 99 and is in pursuit of the one who is lost, if we are not with him, but are cloistered away in our Sunday clubs, are we not lost from Him too? Hope you enjoy the podcast!”

go to http://www.firstwest.cc/podcast.htm and you can link directly to itunes to hear the podcast!