Crossing barriers & Family One gospel concert

Yesterday I heard a sermon on Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4. It was given by Alain, who is a lay person and member of the church council. Even though not a formal pastor, he gave a reflective and engaging sermon on the text. Unlike many lay preachers (and a few professional preachers too), he didn't go too long or leave you looking at your watch and wondering "when is he going to land the plane?"

He mentioned how Jesus broke a number of cultural barriers in interacting with this women. The first was a cultural and religious one, as she was a Samaritan and Jesus was Jewish. Jews often avoided Samaritans, who they viewed as being heretical and syncretistic in religion. The second was the male/female one, as males wouldn't normally address females in this setting. The third was a moral one, as she had been divorced 5 times and was living with another man. She came to get water at the hottest time of the day, when no one else was at the well. She preferred the solitude over the discomfort of the judgmental looks and comments that she normally would attract from the morally "just."

Like the 4 men who went through the roof to lower their friend to Jesus in last week's sermon, this is another account in the gospels of breaking cultural norms in order to have Jesus interact with the needy. I like how Jesus approached and engaged her, rather than waiting for her to come to him.

So often the mindset of many Christians I know is to want to "bring people to church." On the one hand, if our churches are places of life, then they can and should be places where the poor (spiritually, physically, emotionally, etc.) can experience life. However, the typical Sunday morning worship services that I know are often not that entry point. The entry point is rather a signficant relationship or conversation or encounter. I love how Jesus engages her in a way that draws her in. My evangelistic style is more relational and hesitant to say too much too fast, in order to not shock or overwhelm someone. It's not out of shame or fear (at least most of the time), but rather not wanting to turn people off to a message given impersonally. In France, I think that this is often appropriate. However, Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman shows that there are opportunities sometimes to talk with a complete stranger about spiritual significant matters. Certainly there is the Holy Spirit's preparation of someone's heart and we can't assume that just because we have the "magic" strategy that someone will respond. However, the "packaging" or manner of engaging someone is an important component that the Spirit will sometimes use to help someone to drink of the Living Water.

On Saturday morning our friend Charles called and offered 5 free tickets for our family to attend the Family One gospel concert at l'Europeen theatre in Paris. I've known Charles pretty much since first arriving in France in 1988. Back then, he was an artist (singer/song writer/director) trapped in the role of vocational pastor. He's had some ups and downs over the years and we got back in contact on Easter Sunday 2003. Charles' profession now is helping lead choirs for les Orphelins d'Auteuil, a charitable organization that works with orphans and other children in difficulty. He exercises his pastoral gifts in the course of leading these choirs, whose style is Black Gospel Music. Charles loves the Sister Act I and II films.

For a country where many are practical agnostics or atheists, it's interesting that Gospel Music is so popular. There are a number of different gospel choirs in France, as well as groups that pass through.

We had amazing 2nd row seats at the concert. My whole family enjoyed the event, which was full of life, joy, and energy. The crowd was very much into the music, clapping, dancing, and singing along. I wonder how many present would claim to be Christ followers. However, whether one was aware of it or not, we all were worshipping God that evening through the music. For those musicians and particularly the singers, they are getting some theology.

I can't close without mentioning the amazing prayer at the worship service yesterday. It was based on the 10 Commandments and had as much spiritual meat as most of the sermons that I've ever heard.