Friday 12 June 2009

Breaking the Barriers

I have never before been overtly political on this blog. I have done my best to keep it out of the kinds of controversy that are the usual domain of shock jocks and megaphone toting demagogues. However, the very aim of this blog has what some people might call a political edge.

But before we go there, here’s a minor segue to set the scene.

I believe that some of the greatest discoveries in life begin with a question. The question “who is Jesus?” can bring us closer to salvation. The question “does God really care?” if answered sensitively, can help to illustrate just how much God really does love us. The question “why am I here?” is the starting point for finding out that unique role that God has called us to play in the history of this planet.

On a personal level, God gave me an answer to this last question several months ago, when I was reading a book by John C Maxwell called “Your Roadmap to Success.” He made a single statement that has launched me and fired me up with more passion than I knew I could ever have. The statement was this:

Write your epitaph now or someone else will.

And so I asked God and I asked myself, “how do I want people to remember me?” There was a single phrase that came into my head. When people think of me, I want them to be able to say, “he broke down the barriers.”

What barriers? That’s a good question. The barriers I meant then and still think of now are the kinds of barriers that keep people from hearing the gospel in a language and method that speaks to their heart and stops them gathering with a group of believers who can encourage and strengthen them. So, these barriers range from the obvious barriers like those of language, culture, money and class; to the more insidious: barriers of racism, fear, hatred and suspicion.

What do I mean by breaking these barriers? Do I mean that I want to somehow “break” language or culture? No! But these things should no longer be able to hold people back from hearing a relevant, heart-changing gospel and living it out every day. The more insidious barriers will indeed need to be broken and rendered powerless. The more obvious ones will require time, effort and more than anything else, groups of people who care enough to lay their lives on the line to help people find God and relate to each other.

And so, of course, this is political. There is simply no way to talk about breaking down these barriers without talking about issues like people trafficking, immigration, racism, civil and human rights and what the Bible has to say about all these things. No matter how we feel about immigration, the Bible tells us strongly to take care of the foreigner residing in our land. No matter where we stand on the asylum debate, the Bible reminds us that we too dwell in this world as temporary residents. So who are we to do anything but offer the hand of friendship and a caring word or deed?

One way or another that is what this blog is about. This is why I will write articles on translation and interpreting: because they are the quickest means to begin to break through the barriers of language. This is why I will talk about purpose, discipline and using your talents: because it is only by bringing these three areas together that we can all break down the barriers that separate us from the things God has for us. This is why I will talk time and time again about what the Word of God has to say on a range of issues: because it is the Word that has the power to stimulate people to action and turn families, cities and even entire nations to God.

So, that’s why I started this blog. At times, things might get a little heated but it is heat that has the power to soften us enough for God to reshape us. At times, the things I write might seem uncomfortably close to home. Well, all the better for all of us. We all need God to shine a light in the dark places of our heart so that the barriers that have kept us back can be dismantled and we can live in glorious, spacious freedom in Him.

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