Sharing the Gospel at Coffee Bar!
On Saturday, March 20, I spoke at the Coffee Bar outreach at the YFC office. On Saturday nights, YFC runs a Coffee Bar outreach where we open up our building to teens from 7-10 pm and have games like ping-pong, pool, foosball, four-square, football (soccer), chess, puzzles, etc for them to play. Then we build relationships with kids, many of whom are not Christians. I recently talked to the youth ministry chairman here in Botswana who worked with YFC in years past, and he said that our Coffee Bar is the only one of its kind that he is aware of in all of Botswana for youth. About half-way through the Coffee Bar evening, one of the YFC staff shares for about 5-10 minutes a short message about God’s love, the gospel, etc.
First off, we were thankful that a lot of kids came anyway despite the rain and cooler temperatures (not cool to me but most of them wore pants…maybe it was in the 70s). As I said, many/most of these kids are not believers (i.e. a couple weeks ago, I talked with a teen whose breath smelled clearly of alcohol). So it’s cool that we are able to share with those who really need to hear of a greater hope and a deeper satisfaction than what this world has to offer.
I felt led to share the basic gospel using Victoria Falls as an analogy. Obviously in 5-10 minutes, you cannot get into a very deep theological explanation of the whole gospel, but I felt this was a good basic summary and if they wanted more explanation, we are always available and can help disciple them. I first used this analogy on my last trip to Botswana and it really was relevant to many kids and adults in Botswana. So…to start off, I had 5 of them long-jump as far as they could. Then I showed them pictures of Victoria Falls and asked if they had just been long-jumping across Vic Falls if it would really matter who could long-jump the furthest? No…they would all fall short and drown. Similarly, our sin had caused a separation between us and God, and no attempts on our own (i.e. good works, following the laws in the Bible, giving to charity, attending church, doing mission or volunteer work, etc.) can bridge the gap. Even if we obey more of God’s laws and do more good things, it’s just like long-jumping further across Victoria Falls—it is futile; you still fall short and die. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). In James it says if you keep the whole law but fall in one point, than it’s like you’ve broken the whole law (James 2:10). The effects are the same—separation from God (Romans 6:23).
Then I went on to explain more of the gospel and how God wanted a close relationship with each of us, so out of His deep love, He sent his Son to create the only bridge back to a close relationship with God through His death on the cross and His resurrection that defeated death. I emphasized that it’s not enough to know Jesus died and rose again to create the bridge back. That’s like standing and looking at the bridge and saying, “Yup, I believe there’s a bridge,” but never crossing it. Even the demons believe in God, but they certainly haven’t trusted in Christ (James 2:19). Turning from our sin and our own ways (repenting) and trusting in Christ as our Savior (from sin and death) and as Lord (to lead our lives) is the way we cross over the bridge. But that is not the end…it is only the beginning. We were not just saved from something, but for something—God has a plan for each of our lives. And we are meant to develop a close relationship and friendship with God and to now obey his word/law out of love (not fear…nor as a means to gain heaven or earn His favor). It will not be easy to follow Christ, but it is worth it and He is worthy.
I showed some posters of Vic Falls I have, including one of the bridge across from Zambia to Zimbabwe, and then said we YFC staff are available if anyone wants to talk to us tonight or whenever. After I finished, I erased the diagram of the Vic Falls and cross bridge I had drawn on a white board and went to put the posters and my bible away. When I returned just a minute later, there were a few boys who had already re-drawn the bridge analogy on the white board and were talking to one of the YFC staff about it. I ended up talking with two of these guys (both age 17) from then until Coffee Bar ended (so for about 1.25 hours!). They had lots of questions about the bible, faith, sin, peace, evolution, life issues and struggles, etc. I was amazed how honest and vulnerable they were with me. They have trusted in Christ but had some questions and could use some discipleship. They both wanted to start our discipleship bible study course (an 18 part correspondence course—where they mail in a lesson and receive the next lesson with the previous one checked and commented on by YFC staff—which really ground a new believer in the foundations of faith). One is really interested in drama/acting and being a part of the YFC dance/drama team when he is old enough. By then we hope to have a full-time team that travels throughout the country that I would lead, so perhaps he will be on my team someday! I can sense so much hunger and potential in him. He said he had read in the bible that morning a passage about ambassadors/messengers and feels like God wants him to be an ambassador and messenger telling other people to believe in Jesus. Sweet!
Another guy came over to look at the Vic Falls diagram and I could tell he was deeply thinking about it all. Another YFC staff member talked with him, and he told her that he knows he is like standing staring at the bridge but he hasn’t crossed over…he hasn’t trusted Christ and turned from his sin. He knows he needs to, but he has a lot of questions still. He took more information and I think the first bible study to read over. So let’s pray for him and the others who may be thinking/considering following Christ, that the Lord would continue to draw them.
Altogether, I felt it went quite well and was thankful to have the opportunity to really talk deeply with those guys afterwards. As I was thinking about it tonight and how they show such promise and yet need discipleship to clear up some misconceptions, I happened to read this from The Holy Spirit by Billy Graham:
“In the Acts of the Apostles we read of Apollos whose earnestness, love, and great gift of oratory appealed to the hearts of Priscilla and Aquila. However, he was immature and unprepared to lead others into the deeper Christian life. He had progressed barely beyond the baptism of John. But this godly couple, instead of laughing at his ignorance or decrying his lack of understanding of true biblical orthodoxy, took him into their home and in love expounded the way of the Lord more perfectly to him (Acts 18:26). Then he began to use his great gifts for the glory of God and the winning of souls. He left an indelible impression on the early Church and helped promote the kingdom of God in the first century.”
*Wow...I just got a chill thinking of the potential within those guys I spoke with tonight, especially the one who wants to be an ambassador/messenger sharing about Christ and wants to act on the team...how this passage could fit for him—how he has such great potential and acting gifts combined with such a beautiful heart seeking after the Lord. And already, the Lord seems to be putting His mark on him, stirring him to be an ambassador and messenger to tell others to believe in Christ and to use his acting gifts in the music/drama team (like how Apollos “began to use his great gifts for the glory of God and the winning of souls”).
I had that feeling of, ‘Who is this? Who will he grow up to be?’ Last week I shared in a prayer meeting how we never know if the kids we are working with will end up being the next Billy Graham or Ravi Zacharias (Ravi is an internationally-known Christian speaker/author who was the lone youth who responded to give his life to Christ at a huge Youth for Christ rally in India decades ago). Funny how the Lord just led me to a book by Billy Graham that confirmed what I had JUST been thinking—that we just need to disciple him and clear up his misconceptions and he could be such a vital part of the kingdom of God. Obviously, we want to pour into every kid who desires to grow in Christ, regardless of whether they end up being famous or shining Christ just in their village. Either way, they have such great potential, and the Lord has plans for each of them to promote the kingdom of God in the twenty-first century. I feel so blessed to be able to help youth reach their potential and discover and live out the calling God has for them, the unique role in His kingdom that only they can play.
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