Simply Christianity report

Last night was my first go at actually leading Simply Christianity. And I got the week on judgment. But thankfully it was also tied in with the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). I like the way the course has done this. Sure judgment is coming, and God hates greed and hypocrisy and every sort of injustice (but I also liked the way sin is defined as not living ‘wildly’ but just living ‘separately’ from God, and wanting the gifts but not the giver) and yet at the same time here is a picture of God’s willingness to offer complete and lavish forgiveness. And that also explains Jesus’ (even though he is God’s appointed judge) unusual preference for hanging around ‘sinners’. (That is my parentheses filled summary.)

We actually thought we’d been completely stood up for a while. So for half an hour, with no-one there, I was just chatting to my co-leader and thought I’d got out of it. Then two came, then two more. (I got a bit flustered wondering if I should start again when the second two arrived, but the night was getting away so I kept going.)

So far those who’ve come along are from Los Angeles, Brazil, Germany, Iran and Montreal and two from Australia. We’re loving the multiculturalness (that should be a word - multiculturalism wasn't working for me). Last week we heard all about life in Iran, from a girl who’s investigating Jesus because she’s never had the chance before. Then last night one of those who came late, and for the first time, was a bona fide rock star. He introduced himself as a “recording artist”, and one never knows quite what to make of that, but I have since done the googling, found his Wikipedia entry and website etc, and he’s seriously big - just not so much in Australia (I’d link it but I think that’s a breach of confidentiality). One of the things he once did was “tour” Europe with a preacher and interpret sermons into French. Now here he is.

It's so intriguing and so very interesting (which is probably tautology) hearing about what is going on in the lives of these people.