October 24: Insight Post by Karenna Rowenhorst
Weekly Reading: Mark 8:31-38, Matthew 16:21-28, Luke 9:22-27
Friday Reflection
Boldness in Witnessing about Jesus: Jesus warns His followers not to be ashamed of Him or His words, promising that He will acknowledge those who boldly proclaim Him. We are called to live our faith openly, without fear of rejection or persecution.
Friday Verse
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes the Jew first and also the Gentile. Romans 1:16 (NLT)
Friday Questions
Are there areas where I have been hesitant to share my faith? How can I find courage to be more bold in my witness for Jesus?
Friday Insight Post
by Karenna Rowenhorst
Have you ever found yourself in a social situation where the conversation turns towards an inappropriate topic or glorifying bad behavior and you are left wondering how to respond? Your heart drops in your chest and your stomach turns over. Do I get up and leave? But would that be rude? Do I say something? Would THAT be even more insulting? Do any of the people with me know that I think differently than the thoughts being expressed? It can feel very lonely. And the idea of suggesting another way of thinking can seem like the farthest thing from what you might want to do.
It can be hard to be IN the world but not OF the world. If we are in it, we are going to get exposed to things we disagree with. But this is a good thing! Meeting people in their mess (and with our mess!) is what we are called to do. We all need patience and understanding. We need to understand how to respond in a loving but truthful way.
You may not think of the moments as “evangelism”, but anytime we can share a vision of reconciliation instead of revenge, thoughtfulness instead of impatience, sharing instead of selfishness, you are speaking gospel truth into the situation. Sometimes sharing the gospel happens in moments, and sometimes it happens over lifetimes, but all the ways are important.
We can expand our understanding of sharing the Good News of the Gospel in a way that honors people stories, cultures, and uses a natural process of first getting to know people before sharing our faith. Our genuine approach should be full of love and respect for everyone.
One approach I learned about recently was developed by Tim Popadic, Dave & Jon Ferguson, and they use the acronym BLESS to describe their approach:
B…begin with prayer
L…listen
E…eat together
S…serve
S…share your stories, and share the Gospel
If we can arrive with humility, begin in prayer for our neighbors, and take on a servant posture, we can truly get to know our neighbors and speak into their lives. This makes our words genuine and sing with love.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
Karenna Rowenhorst, MA
Senior Director of Education
New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org