Out of the Church
Illustration
Stories
“I’m not sure why we’re doing this,” Ollie muttered to himself as he took his place on the bandstand. He unpacked his guitar and played a few chords to make sure that it was in tune. “The acoustics are better in the church building.”
“They may be,” Todd said raising his voice over the sounds of the busy park. “Going to be a noisy afternoon from the sounds of it.”
“Huh?” Ollie looked over at his smiling friend. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”
“You’re just saying what we’re all thinking, isn’t he Wendy?’
“He sure is. The acoustics are lousy outside and out here there are bugs,” Wendy slapped at her arm. “I really don’t like bugs.”
“It think that it’s going to be hot today, too.” Todd wiped his brow. “I have some extra sun screen and water if you need it.”
“Thanks.” Ollie tilted his head. “So if there are bugs, it is hot, and the acoustics are terrible and it’s hard to hear over all the background noise, then why are we here?”
“That’s a good question,” Todd said. “If we played at the church, who would hear us?”
“People who wanted to hear us,” Ollie said. “Along with friends and family, who would come to support us?”
“Exactly.” Todd smiled. “So who will hear us playing our here?”
“Strangers who may or may not want to hear us.” Wendy slapped at another mosquito. “If last time is any indication, there will be some who ignore us. Plus remember those two who were heckling us, Todd?”
“I do.” Todd nodded. “They really didn’t like that we were playing Christian music.”
“They said things, really?” Ollie frowned. “So why go where we aren’t welcome?”
“Who says we’re not welcome?” Todd asked as he nodded toward some families looking at the sign they had placed advertising the concert and talking excitedly. “Some of the people here will see the sign and come to listen. Others may just hear the music telling about Jesus and the gospel. All of that is good.”
“I’m not sure they’re going to come to Jesus just because they hear our songs.” Ollie paused. “I mean I know they are all religious pieces, but I don’t think we’re anything special.”
Wendy played a few notes on the keyboard. “I think that’s kind of the point.”
Ollie scratched his head. “What?”
“It’s like Pentecost.” Wendy said. “We’re out in the world where people are to tell them the good news of Jesus. Some will scorn and mock, but others will listen and come to believe through what we do.”
“I sure don’t think of myself as an apostle.” Ollie shook his head. “They were great figures of the faith who did incredible things. No, that’s beyond what I can do.”
“Is it beyond what the Holy Spirit can do? Because that is what Pentecost is about. Not you or me but what God does through us and with us. Remember the first apostles were just common ordinary people who simply witnessed to what they had seen and heard and felt.” Wendy gestured at the growing group of people around the bandstand. “We witness to Jesus and we sing our songs old and new and we trust that the Holy Spirit is the one who works in the hearts of the people who hear.”
“So we just play and God does the rest?” Ollie said. “That seems a little bit too easy.”
“Sometimes we have people approach us with questions afterward and we explain and share the gospel as best we can. Other times we have to put up with hecklers and people who don’t like talk about God but yeah, pretty much that is how it works.”
“I thought Pentecost was more dramatic.” Ollie frowned. “I’m not sure we’re going to see any miracles this day because we’re playing in the park.”
“If someone is reminded of God’s love and comes back to church, isn’t that a miracle?” Wendy asked. “Or if someone has never heard about God but becomes interested, isn’t that a miracle?”
“Not to mention if someone is strengthened in their faith or who is hurting and hears that God cares.” Todd smiled. “Whatever we do today will be a mere shadow of what the Holy Spirit will accomplish in the hearts and minds of the people who listen.”
“I prefer to think of what we do as a spark and the Spirit sets things on fire,” Wendy said. “The imagery fits more with Pentecost.”
Ollie laughed. “Okay. Let’s give it a go and let the Holy Spirit move.”
The three started to play songs telling of Jesus and all across the park the Holy Spirit moved in and through the people who gathered to listen.
“They may be,” Todd said raising his voice over the sounds of the busy park. “Going to be a noisy afternoon from the sounds of it.”
“Huh?” Ollie looked over at his smiling friend. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”
“You’re just saying what we’re all thinking, isn’t he Wendy?’
“He sure is. The acoustics are lousy outside and out here there are bugs,” Wendy slapped at her arm. “I really don’t like bugs.”
“It think that it’s going to be hot today, too.” Todd wiped his brow. “I have some extra sun screen and water if you need it.”
“Thanks.” Ollie tilted his head. “So if there are bugs, it is hot, and the acoustics are terrible and it’s hard to hear over all the background noise, then why are we here?”
“That’s a good question,” Todd said. “If we played at the church, who would hear us?”
“People who wanted to hear us,” Ollie said. “Along with friends and family, who would come to support us?”
“Exactly.” Todd smiled. “So who will hear us playing our here?”
“Strangers who may or may not want to hear us.” Wendy slapped at another mosquito. “If last time is any indication, there will be some who ignore us. Plus remember those two who were heckling us, Todd?”
“I do.” Todd nodded. “They really didn’t like that we were playing Christian music.”
“They said things, really?” Ollie frowned. “So why go where we aren’t welcome?”
“Who says we’re not welcome?” Todd asked as he nodded toward some families looking at the sign they had placed advertising the concert and talking excitedly. “Some of the people here will see the sign and come to listen. Others may just hear the music telling about Jesus and the gospel. All of that is good.”
“I’m not sure they’re going to come to Jesus just because they hear our songs.” Ollie paused. “I mean I know they are all religious pieces, but I don’t think we’re anything special.”
Wendy played a few notes on the keyboard. “I think that’s kind of the point.”
Ollie scratched his head. “What?”
“It’s like Pentecost.” Wendy said. “We’re out in the world where people are to tell them the good news of Jesus. Some will scorn and mock, but others will listen and come to believe through what we do.”
“I sure don’t think of myself as an apostle.” Ollie shook his head. “They were great figures of the faith who did incredible things. No, that’s beyond what I can do.”
“Is it beyond what the Holy Spirit can do? Because that is what Pentecost is about. Not you or me but what God does through us and with us. Remember the first apostles were just common ordinary people who simply witnessed to what they had seen and heard and felt.” Wendy gestured at the growing group of people around the bandstand. “We witness to Jesus and we sing our songs old and new and we trust that the Holy Spirit is the one who works in the hearts of the people who hear.”
“So we just play and God does the rest?” Ollie said. “That seems a little bit too easy.”
“Sometimes we have people approach us with questions afterward and we explain and share the gospel as best we can. Other times we have to put up with hecklers and people who don’t like talk about God but yeah, pretty much that is how it works.”
“I thought Pentecost was more dramatic.” Ollie frowned. “I’m not sure we’re going to see any miracles this day because we’re playing in the park.”
“If someone is reminded of God’s love and comes back to church, isn’t that a miracle?” Wendy asked. “Or if someone has never heard about God but becomes interested, isn’t that a miracle?”
“Not to mention if someone is strengthened in their faith or who is hurting and hears that God cares.” Todd smiled. “Whatever we do today will be a mere shadow of what the Holy Spirit will accomplish in the hearts and minds of the people who listen.”
“I prefer to think of what we do as a spark and the Spirit sets things on fire,” Wendy said. “The imagery fits more with Pentecost.”
Ollie laughed. “Okay. Let’s give it a go and let the Holy Spirit move.”
The three started to play songs telling of Jesus and all across the park the Holy Spirit moved in and through the people who gathered to listen.
