The moment that I found out that our host church at DC is David Platt’s church, my whole chest was blast with tremendous joy – it was about to explode. Well, sorry for the exaggeration, but you get will get the idea. Just bear with me, and read the following.
I didn’t know many names in the evangelical world, perhaps the only name that I know of is John Piper for his Don’t Waste Your Life. Then I went to Cross Conference in Louisville Kentucky in the beginning of January with three other key volunteers from Cleveland.
It was at this conference where I heard J.D. Greear giving a seven minutes long powerful speech of how each books in the Bible, from Genius to Revelation have shared the same theme and have already pointed to the truth that Jesus is God (The Gospels: The Commission of Christ).
Also I was deeply moved by David Platt’s speech of The Life of a Disciple-Maker and later on panel discussion, in which he encouraged 7,000 young college christians to reach out to international students on their own campuses. He said that this is one of his regrets when he was a young college student that he didn’t really connected with any internationals. He also made a crystal clear point to everyone (mostly Americans) that if you are not ready to share the Gospel on campus to internationals, then how would you be ready when we send you overseas to a completely different country where they don’t even understand English?
I kept replaying those speeches from Cross Conference while I was running on a treadmill. Many of the content that shared during the conference are like extra supporting materials for Master Life, especially David Platt’s speech on Disciple-Maker. So, this is why I said in the beginning that my chest was blast with joy. It was like going to a book fair and read a great book by accident, then you turn around the corner, meet the author of that book!
For the past three months, one thing I’ve noticed about my own spiritual growth is through leading small discussion of God’s word. Also I’ve overcome the fear of surround by people and sharing Gospels with them because I know I am not alone or doing this on my own strength, I have the Holy Spirit with me. (If you know me well then you know that I am definitely not an extrovert who’s comfortable with crowds.)
I have been so blessed with God and trusted by Him that I have had this chance to meet with four young college visiting students from China. They are all curious of Christianity, who Jesus is, and have been coming to our Friday Night Dinner and Discussion since day 1. I had the opportunity to led one of my favorite parables on Friday night D&D, The prodigal Son, just two weeks before we went to DC. I can memorize this parable by heart because of Rich’s story telling lesson in last year. We had an on going discussion with this topic, two sons and one loving father, and we came to a point where every one in the room were saying a loving Father is looking for us, and waiting for us to return home.
Now you guys, ready for another incredible amazing moment that it must be from God.
At National Gallery of Art, WE SAW the oil painting of Prodigal Son as a group! (The Return of the Prodigal Son. 1667/1670 Bartolome Esteban Murillo. Spanish 1617-1682). I was just standing there, trying to hold my tears back because students were pointing at the sandals, ring, robe, fattened cattle, the repentance son, the loving father and everything we’ve talked about.
