I started this race as a skeptical southern Baptist girl who was not sure if what she believed was the real deal or just a matter of being told her whole life that’s what she was supposed to believe. Growing up in the church meant being a part of the wonderful things churches do such as sing beautiful songs in perfect harmony, help the impoverished around the holidays, and travel internationally to tell orphans of heroes long ago who saved the world and conquered their enemies. Growing up in the church also meant seeing the politics and mistakes of the church body and then hearing about the hypocrisy of your church family all over town.
I grew up doing all the right things: my friends were youth members, my radio played Christian radio, I didn’t watch rated R movies, and I only cussed if it was really bad. I grew up in the Bible belt of America home of the brave and land of the free (as long as you showed up at church on Sunday in a knee length skirt and the right translation of the bible.)
However, with all this, I also grew up in the real world, where sex and drugs were the main topic at school and if you were an outspoken Christian you got gum in your hair then called stupid for not having answers to the problem of pain. It wasn’t easy and the ridicule gave me a lot to think about as a drifted off to sleep every night. Being a Christian isn’t always fun, but if what Jesus did is true then it is undoubtedly the most important thing in the world and I can’t afford to give up on God.
So naturally I followed my instinct and pursued everything I could to know more about who God is and what his purpose for me was. I spent four years studying Biblical studies at a Christian college and then decided to put those four years in action on a yearlong mission trip around the world.
That’s when this southern Baptist girl decided to sign up with an organization who allows people from all backgrounds to go as long as you love Jesus and are committed to showing the world His love. Now, if there are any politics in the Christian church that does a better job at dividing the body of Christ it is my full belief that 1st prize goes to denominations.
After a week at training camp, I left terrified, having no clue who these people were and what the heck they were doing when we were supposed to be singing! I heard languages I had never heard, laughter loud and creepy, chair throwing, dancing, hand clapping and more! What did I get myself in to!
The beginning of the race wasn’t much better for reasons I can’t delve in to here but I was bombarded again and again with things that I truly didn’t understand. I caved to the politics and shut myself down to people different from me.
Fast forward now to the end of the race and the past few months, I’m not the same girl that left. My favorite people and most that I admire and look up to are Charismatic, Methodist, Lutheran, Non-Denom, Presbyterian etc. The one thing that unites us all together is our love for Christ and His love for us! We absolutely cannot get enough and last night I saw the body of Christ unite on the front lines in a spiritual battle like never before.
We spent last night in a Fire Conference with a speaker who claimed to preach by the power of God. He yelled a lot of things about mantles, and fire, and Elijah and numerous phrases I couldn’t decipher. The message was packed with scripture verses and loud music. The atmosphere was the perfect setting for the war about to take place.
As the preacher came to the end of his message he called people to the front to be slain by the power of God. He blew on them, hit them with his jacket, and the people would convulse, scream and hit the floor. The World Racers huddled in the back standing and watching. The preacher turned to the band and motioned for them to play louder and faster, he turned to the camera lady and told her where to stand next.
Then he looked right at us and said, “Are you ready for the power! I’m starting in the back!” and he ran for the racers themselves. Some backed away, others were caught by surprised. They were hit in the face by his jacket, shoved backwards by the force of his body, but not a single racer fell to the ground. He moved through the crowd and eventually all the church’s members fell shaking on the floor.
The preacher man looked at the racers still standing and said, “The people are tired of hearing! They are ready to see the power of God!” The church members cheered and the preacher yelled. “I want all the missionaries to stand in a line right here in front of me!” The racers stood shoulder to shoulder in battle formation, heads bowed and prayers were going up like never before. The preacher pointed at us and accused, “Do you not want the power! Lift your hands!” One of us replied calmly, “We already have the power.” As he continued to yell at the members on the floor the tension in the air was tighter than any moment before.
I stood off to the side of the line in that moment and I saw something I had never physically seen before. I saw the body of Christ standing before the enemy as he accused and judged and it didn’t matter our background, our upbringing or denomination we stood as one in the Spirit and one in the Lord with the full authority of Jesus Christ and the enemy did not overcome us because united together we are more than conquerors.
We must remember that the fruit of the Spirit includes, love, peace, kindness, gentleness, and self-control none of which were present in that man’s ministry. If there was ever a night I was more proud to call myself a child of the Living God, it was last night standing shoulder to shoulder with my World Race sisters who all love him in unique, beautiful, and completely different ways from me. Last night we stood on the front lines of the biggest spiritual battle I have ever seen and together, we won.
