Blogging with Father John

Flames of Courage in a Secularized World

On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit rushed through the temple portico like a might wind, breathing fire upon the disciples. Tongues of flames rested upon the faithful, and dedicated disciples giving them courage to do the will of Christ, which was to spread the Gospel throughout all nations. These same disciples who had been hiding out from the Jews in absolute fear for their lives, suddenly felt the power of the Holy Spirit and were emboldened to over come their trepidation, stepping out in faith. They were no longer Disciples of Christ; rather in that pivotal moment they became his Apostles. Peter even stood up (while at the same time the disciples were speaking and understanding the diverse languages), and addressed the crowd with confidence.

Today we must find the courage to do the same, by stepping out in faith and boldly proclaiming the Gospel truth. The Holy Spirit is still amongst us seeking to empower all who seek Christ and a deeper relationship with him.  The flame of Christ Jesus burns in our hearts, igniting a fire of passion for God’s Holy Word and the desire and courage to serve as evangelists.

In this day and age much of the western world has become secularized in nature. Many people are hungry for something in their lives but either don’t know where to look, or are simply put off by the church completely. This generation is a product of the previous generation in which we witnessed the beginning of the Churches decline, and struggle. A period that is still present today as far as having the courage to reach out into the community and attract others to God.

The word Evangelism strikes fear in the hearts of most people whether they be in the secular world or even in the church. The Greek word evanglion simply means Good News. But over the years television evangelist and some protestant or non-denominational Churches have misused power by preaching at people rather than to people. Or even worse placing guilt on their congregations to give much of their financial resources to the church, which often finds its way into the ministers pockets. No wonder those in the secular world are turned off by the church. In one case I had a friend who asked upon my leaving for seminary if I was gong to come home and preach at them to be saved!

Yet if the Church is to survive, the faithful believers must find a way to attract folks into the Church. There is no doubt that this will require courage on our part. But let’s not forget about the power and love of the Holy Spirit. She has the capacity to provide us with great courage in order attract people to our churches, using us as her evangelical instruments.

People today don’t want to be preached at, and who can blame them. Rather they want a message that will fill those empty places in their lives, providing sustenance that they are able to understand and apply to their daily lives.

So I encourage each of us to take up our staves of courage, trust the Holy Spirit and preach the Gospel in a way that moves the hearts of those who are seekers in this world. And remember the flame of courage always goes before us lighting the way.