Fam Nights Are Here!
Last night was the first of five Fam Nights with a focus on Evangelism. I was not sure what to expect since we are still trying to navigate a global pandemic—and evangelism is a word that usually conjures up the opposite of excitement. I was prepared to be happy with thirty or forty folks who were ready to take on the challenge of understanding and practicing this most unappealing topic. But, to my surprise, almost three hundred were registered. In all, three hundred fifty-six people joined in. One hundred forty-four of those were online participants, seventy were youth, and the rest were in-person adults.
In the cool evening air, under the soft glow of hanging lights, and with the smell and taste of tacos delighting our taste buds, we gathered at the Living Streams courtyard and ate dinner together. We face-masked in the common areas and spread the tables out as much as possible. Though the food serving line was long, there was an ease to the night, and palpable joy filled the air.
After we dined, we headed into the sanctuary. As soon as we entered the foyer we were hit by the fragrance of pumpkin spice (thanks to our facility team’s creative hospitality). We enjoyed some inspiration and instruction from a panel of true, yet everyday, ordinary evangelists. They shared stories and insights from their own lives, then sent us out for some small group discussion time. At my small group table, I was so encouraged by stories of how people came to know Jesus and who they have helped get to know Jesus. This demonstrated to me that evangelism is alive and well in the church today. Hallelujah!
The night left me thrilled and inspired by the eagerness of the Living Streams family to take seriously the great commission of Jesus. Like the evangelist Charles Spurgeon said, “Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor.” Last night was another time of proving that Living Streams Church is made up of a lot of people who are not impostors.
Grace and peace to you as you take seriously your own spiritual formation, and also the spiritual formation of those the Lord Jesus is giving to you.
David
If you weren’t able to join us but would like to for the next four Wednesdays, you can register here: bit.ly/famnights2020