|
I still… (Colossians 1:28~29)
|
|
|
|
Essay 13: I still… (Colossians 1:28~29)
December 20th. 2001
“I still support September 11th” was the word that John Walker Lindh spoke moments after being captured as an enemy while fighting the United States to support the Taliban.
That was the answer to the mass media and after that he spoke no more. It was a huge shock to the United States. He was born into a Catholic family who was a lawyer, but was greatly involved in Islam, and was converted. After traveling to Yemen, he headed to Pakistan, then Afghanistan where he learned to terrorist training.
The culture today carries on airplanes and internet. People are carried in the planes, while the information is carried through the networks. But the problem is the technology is being used for wrongful purpose. Planes are used to terror attack, and networks are used as a way to get connections in terrorist. It is a feeling of utter collapse upon which the technology was so great before.
Before, to board an airplane, only a few security searches were done. The complex machineries were used to search for weapons. Most of the technologically advanced things and of the country’s problems are solved in the machines or the computers. However after the 9/11 terror attack, instead of weapons, certain people are being actively sought out. The entire nation of United States is trying to search on Osama Bin Laden. After Lindh had become a terrorist to become a Taliban, he had met with Bin Laden himself and become faithful supporter of his terrorism; it becomes a reality check point of where our stand in our religion is.
We must ask ourselves, where our purpose and direction of our ministry is.
Is it great musical talent, or church’s fancy activities, or even ultra-modern computer system? Even intricately designed building’s façade? Of course, all of these things are necessity. But by doing so, we are neglecting the blind spot of not raising next generation of leaders, and by doing so, the repercussion of not finding the right person is negligent at the least.
Osama Bin Laden was able to convert this young man, John Walker Lindh into terrorism. Wrong people with wrong idea had led into this tragedy. But through Jesus Christ, the right path is for the changed people into blessings. Great things are accomplished by them. I remember a prayer by another reverend. “Dear God, I pray that instead of us becoming famous, we would become great trainers of raising new workers into the ‘Great Commission’ instead.”
Apostle Paul has written in the book of Colossians about the importance of even one person:
“28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” (Colossians 1:28~29)
I pray that every single church would find and raise new workers of God. I also pray that as this season ends, that we would “still” chase after the good news and to change even one person as a goal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unforgettable Names 
I still… (Colossians 1:28~29)