Thankful for a Gospel Surprise
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise…”
Thankful. That was my core emotion after teaching the New Testament Survey class last week. A survey teacher gets the pleasure of pointing out some of the magnificent themes in God’s unfolding movement of redemption. Reading, reflecting, studying and then teaching an overview of the entire New Testament in eight weeks is like being shot into outer space and looking back to see the beauty of the entire planet in one jaw-dropping vista.
But this night, I especially sensed the wonders of participating in God’s unfolding mission. As the class reviewed Romans, Corinthians and Galatians, I pointed out that a major pastoral issue in these Pauline epistles was how the gospel unites God’s diverse family together in Christ. The gospel that justifies all by grace through faith alone is the same gospel that unites Jew and Gentile; wealthy, working class and poor; and scholar-smart and street-smart. While rebellion and sin levels us all, the blood of Christ redeems and reconciles us all to the Father and unites us in God’s beloved family.
I shared an illustration from about twenty-five years ago at Faith Christian Fellowship, which God blessed to reflect a gospel unity across such divides in Baltimore city. A group of people from the Bahá'í faith attended Faith for a while. Bahá'í is an offshoot of Hinduism whose highest value is the unity of all people. But while these Bahá'í esteemed unity, they struggled to see it manifested. Somehow they heard about FCF, began attending, and asked how we were creating this unity.
As I shared this story, MBS student Francis Govan (pictured in the tie), spoke up.
“I sent those people to you.”
“What?” I was dumbfounded.
“I met them at the library in Northwood. They were giving a seminar on their beliefs. In a follow-up discussion they asked me, 'Do you have this?' and I said yes, just around the corner at Faith. So I sent them to you.”
The whole class was caught up in this gospel surprise with me. Francis Govan, a valued friend and neighbor from Pen Lucy, has been a gifted disciple-making leader for decades. When he learned that Metro Baltimore Seminary provides accredited and affordable seminary training, he enrolled in the Urban Ministry track I oversee.
God has assembled current and emerging leaders –Anglos, Native American, East Asian, Indian and African American—in this class, and is building cross-cultural, disciple-making leaders. My joy and thanksgiving is to participate with Christ in His relentless gospel.
Your partnership in prayer and support has allowed me and our BALM team to engage in this work. I am deeply thankful.
“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Cor. 9:15
Grace,
Craig
for the BALM team