Christian No Entry Zone
Our ministry in Rwanda this month consists of going door-to-door sharing the Good News of the Gospel in a village 30 minutes outside of Kigali. My teammate, Brady, and I, along with a translator (our ministry host: Fred) walked intol bar (unbeknowst to us). We (nor anyone else for that matter) would never have guessed that the small mud shack we entered was a bar. As soon as we entered the smell of alcohol hit me like a brick wall. Note: Christians in Rwanda don’t drink alcohol. The people inside were drinking out of old laundry detergent bottles. The concoction was beyond me! The men and women inside were drinking what looked to me like thick, muddy water. I think I even saw sand inside one container. Anyways, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that we entered that place because God’s children were inside. After a short introduction by our pastor, my teammate Brady shared the Gospel. 4 people accepted Jesus in that bar. We prayed for healing over the 4 of them. Although no physical healing was observed I know that Jesus was doing some significant renovations on their hearts.
I’ll never forget what one man said to us after we shared the Good News:
“Thank you for sharing your hope with us. Every other Bible-carrying person in the village walks by ignoring the bar. They don’t come in.”
Jesus “came not to call of the righteous, but sinners.” – Matt. 9:13
Believers in Jesus Christ are called to do the same. We are called to love the unlovable, touch the untouchable, treat the untreatable, forgive the unforgivable. We only have the power to do that through God and His grace through Jesus Christ. Once we truly understand the human condition and salvation we gain the power to be Light in places that need it.
Jesus is with us wherever we go – don’t be afraid that people will reject you and what you have to say – Jesus will turn every situation for His glory, just like He did inside that bar.
We are all sinners, so He came to call ALL of us. Including those drinking alcohol at a local bar in an African village. As disciples of Jesus Christ and undeserving recipients who are aware of God’s love we need to humbly and boldly present the Gospel everywhere we go, even to the people inside a “Christian No Entry Zone.”
