When we reached out to the people of the night in Cape Town some years ago, we had a growing outreach team. After youth on Friday nights we would have drinks and snacks in the coffee bar and then I would lead a team of about forty plus young people to witness on the streets, especially in front of the many night clubs in the surrounding areas. We also took teams in buses to other night clubs further on. We’ve had amazing times, seeing mighty works of the Lord, but this landed me in front of the elders of the church.
“How can you take our young people in our buses to the night clubs in the middle of the night..?” Then they listed all the carnal fears and dangers and the potential image damage to the church. By the wisdom of the Holy Spirit I made them understand that we were doing the Lord’s work and He was looking after us, which He did. “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say,” (Luke 12:11, 12). After they had grilled me, the head pastor came over to encourage me saying: “If you’ve survived this one, Henry, you’ll survive anything.”
One day, more recently in another church in England, while I helped out at youth one night, I happened to get into conversation with three ten year old girls. One girl was opening her heart to me in a code language we both spoke. I realised this was a divine appointment and settled in on their level, sharing the Lord’s wisdom with her as the Holy Spirit led me, to put her troubled heart at ease. Lo and behold, next thing I became aware of is the person in charge towering over me with fire in her eyes, trying to hint me away from the girls. Since I was busy with the Lord’s business and had a divine appointment, I ignored her and continued with what the Lord had in mind. She eventually became verbal and I had to end the conversation. Needless to say, I received the usual grilling.
Whose work are we doing, church, when we are so scared of what man can do to us? In the first example the church leaders were scared of the possibility that somebody may sue the church if something happens to some of the young people, and they were concerned about the image of the church. What would people think of the church, should they find out their young people hang out around night clubs?
In the second example the church also was afraid. What would happen if people find out that a man, who already had married children himself, had a conversation with a ten-year-old in public where everybody could see them. What could happen to the church – maybe a law suit?
“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe,” (Proverbs 29:25). These were only two examples, but can you see where the church is headed? We’re compromising with the world! In Hebrews 11:36-38 we read: “Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated - of whom the world was not worthy--wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” Does it sound as if they were concerned about their image or what men can do to them?
Lord, my rewards are waiting. Help be to obey at all cost!
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