In Whom Do They Believe?

(scroll down for translation)

Dos días después de nuestra celebración hispana, una señora preocupada me llamó y me dijo: don Beto, llame a Sofía (nombre cambiado) y hable con ella porque está muy confundida. Su hijo le dijo que porque ella como Católica Romana fue a la iglesia evangélica para asistir a la celebración.  Ella le explicó que no estaba cambiando su religión, que era solo un evento y nada más, sin embargo quedó dudando si de verdad ha traicionado su religión. (Sofía, asiste semanalmente a un estudio bíblico en casa de unos amigos también católicos romanos, con Beto y Toña)

Lo hice de inmediato y después de una extensa explicación, quedó más tranquila con mi respuesta.  3 días después me llamó de nuevo la señora y me dijo que el domingo en la misa, el sacerdote estuvo hablando acerca del valor de la religión y dijo que no tenía ninguna importancia, sino en quien debían creer. Estaba feliz por la respuesta de sus oraciones de una manera tan rápida.

"La evangelización no es un asalto hostil a las creencias de alguien, sino una búsqueda de la persona total por la verdad y la realidad de Dios. Es posible hallar puntos de identificación y terreno común incluso en personas cuyas creencias acerca de Dios difieran completamente de las nuestras. Si edificamos sobre este fundamento, podemos presentarles progresivamente a Cristo."

Escrito por Beto Alzate

Two days after our Hispanic celebration, a worried lady called me and said, “Mr. Beto, call Sophia (name changed) and talk to her because she is very confused.”  Her son had said that because she was a Roman Catholic and was at an evangelical church to attend the celebration, he was wondering if she had betrayed her religion.  She explained that she was not changing her religion, that it was just an event and nothing else.  (Sofia attends weekly Bible study at the home of friends who are also Roman Catholics, with Beto and Toña)

I called her immediately, and after a lengthy explanation, she was calmer with my answer.  Three days later, I called again, and Sophia told me that on Sunday at Mass, the priest was talking about the worth of religion and said that religion did not matter, but only in whom they believe.  I was delighted that their prayers were answered so quickly.

Evangelization is not a hostile assault on someone's beliefs, but a search of the whole person for the truth and reality of God.  It is possible to find points of identification and common ground even in people whose beliefs about God completely differ from ours. If we build on this foundation, we can present Christ progressively.

Written by Beto Alzate

Spreading It

Is there anything like a screaming group of middle schoolers running around a gym playing 'foxes and chickens' on a cool November night to make it feel more like fall?   Last night at Blalack's Parent Night, autumn was in full force and it was a great feeling.  

If you've never heard about our parent nights, allow me to tell you about it.  LINC partners up with 14 schools around the metroplex and Ft. Worth to connect kids with their parents in a meaningful way - giving both the opportunity to grow closer over pizza, classes that teach parent how to reach their kids, and group games that focus on teamwork and goofiness for all.  Our focus is the promotion of healthy families and healthy relationships. 

I'm in charge of running the games, and let me tell you, it gets crazy.  There's everything here: toilet paper, bananas, a great human-chain snake that tries to catch its tail . . . the list goes on.  But the best part is when the parents get to come back into the gym and engage with their student in teamwork and goofiness. They get really into it, and that makes me get really into it.    I might be having a lousy day or be bogged down with school work, but when I'm in the midst of all those students and their energy, and when I see their parents let their guard down and let themselves look silly with their kids,  it just makes me feel better.  I genuinely fell like I'm making someone's life a little better than it was.  

If you've never gotten the chance to experience this, then just go out and do something nice for somebody and you'll see; or better yet, come out and volunteer at one of our parent nights -we're always looking for new people to come and make a difference in the lives of these kids, even if its just one night running one game.  So, until next time - if you've been blessed, then go out and bless others more.  Maybe I'll even see you sometime at one of our parent nights, who knows?  I hope so!  

God bless,

Brandon 

Whose Ways?

God is good at reminding us that He is higher than we are.  He repeatedly tells us throughout Scripture that He is not like us - from saying that He looks at the heart (1 Sam 16), to saying that He is outside of time (2 Pet 3), to simply saying that His ways are not our ways (Is 55).  There is a way that seems right to men....but God's ways lead to good things.  I get the "privilege" of writing a blog post the week before the election, and I think there's something relevant in it for us.  We've been discussing the issue as a staff.  What do we, as Christians, have to do about the political process?

In case you've missed it, there's a lot of fear and consternation about the election.  Each side feels like disaster is imminent if the other candidate wins, and both sides are sick of the caustic bickering and fighting.  Jesus, in the Gospels, has a great reminder to us about the government.  Don't go looking for it, however - He made a strong statement by not talking about it.  As much as his disciples and his detractors prodded Him, he would only say, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's."  Of course Jesus was concerned about earthly governments, He just tried to encourage His disciples not to be.  His Kingdom had nothing to do with it.  His thoughts are not our thoughts.

Today, we see the Kingdom of God flourishing in places where the government is most hostile to it.  The stories of the church flourishing under persecution are everywhere, including throughout history.  We needn't fear that the government will crush the Church - the Bible says that all authority is established by God (Rom 13)!  Both parties seem to want the government to do the Church's job - either by establishing morality or by caring for the oppressed and marginalized - but we as a Church can step up and reclaim our identity and role in society.  This should all give us some peace and comfort, that no matter what happens our citizenship is in Heaven and Jesus is still on the throne.  His ways are higher than our ways!

So what should we do?  The law tells us, as a charitable organization, that we can advocate for various issues but we cannot endorse a candidate.  I think that this is actually a helpful line for Christians.  We can, and in fact we must, stand up for what the Bible says about various issues.  The Bible commands care for the poor.  Since both parties believe that they are caring for the poor, it's up to you to decide which one will be more successful.  It's only by adopting this sort of posture that we can live up to our calling of being "salt and light" in the world (Matt 5), rather than antagonists.  Go vote and be the Church!  Just remember, His thoughts are not our thoughts!