November 2015 – Pastor Eric’s Letter

Dear friends,

I need some help.  We have started our fall tennis season…(I play on a men’s 55 and older team against other old men teams).  This week was our first match and I was paired up with a partner I had not been paired with before.  I have known him by name for at least 5 years.  We have been on the same team before and I have practiced with him a good number of times.  We had a good match.  Lost the first set, came back and won the second and then just barely lost in the deciding tiebreak.  Lots of fist bumps and “nice shot” and “good try”.  Afterward our captain said, “It was minister against minister…one of your opponents is also a minister.”  “Really” I said.  And then my partner looked at me and asked, “You’re a pastor?”

Now, we Christians are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people IN ORDER THAT WE MAY PROCLAIM THE MIGHTY ACTS OF HIM WHO CALLED US OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS MARVLOUS LIGHT (I Peter 2).  I have obviously not been doing a very good job and need some help.  What should I be doing?  I don’t want to push my religion on any one.  And I don’t want people (especially my fellow tennis players) to think I’m some kind of religious nut.  And, I don’t want to come across as judgmental.  So I lay low.   I can proclaim the gospel in church and in bible studies and meetings and with my family but out there in the secular world I would rather just lay low.

What do you do?  How do you proclaim the mighty acts of God?

Sometimes when people know you have strong religious beliefs they get friendly but more often they start keeping their distance.  Lots of people get their ideas of what a Christian is through the mainstream media which tends to focus on the weird and spectacular and not necessarily what is true.  I do think we live in a time when it is not easy to be a witness.

What would perhaps be most helpful is some thought and discussion.  I hope this gets you thinking…maybe you have the answer for me.

In the meantime…Peter continued his thoughts on witnessing in the following chapter of the book of I Peter, “Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.” (I Peter 3:15)  I guess that is a good place to start.  If someone does ask you why you have hope or why you go to church or why you pray or why you are a pastor you would at least have a reasonable answer…an explanation.

Your not very good witnessing pastor, Eric