Global Faith Forum

I leave tomorrow for Texas to go to Northwood Baptist Church led by Bob Roberts, Jr.  He is hosting the Global Faith Forum.  It will be interesting for me as a mid-west small town pastor to be in a room with people from all over the world, some of whom will have very different perspectives than I do on God, worship and life.  Why would I want to do such a thing?  I want to be a part of this because I realize that I am called to love people. 

It may seem simplistic to say that we need to love people, but I realize that loving people means I must know them, listen to them and treat them with respect.  I don't know many people who hold vastly different perspectives than I do. I am usually afraid of that which I don't really know.  Therefore I am going to Keller, TX to get to know people and perspectives that I probably won't agree with.

I am reminded of a couple of things from the Scriptures that really help me. John the apostles says that perfect love casts out fear and Jesus tells me that I am sent just like he was sent into the world.  The reason that Jesus came was that He was sent.  He loved perfectly and in the face of certain death, he overcame fear.  I don't expect anything terrible to happen in this conference.  I certainly don't think I will die, so I can proceed fearlessly in the love of God.

I am deeply loved and I can afford to love people.  Jesus didn't say to just love the people who were like us, but to honestly love the people who were even against us.  This is a powerful gospel that we believe in.  I am looking forward to practicing loving people who aren't like me.

You may not be going to a conference, but are there people that you are having trouble loving?  What are you afraid of?  How can the Lover of your soul help you to overcome your fear and actually love your enemy? 

I will try to post my thoughts throughout the week.  Stay tuned.