This is a letter I received from one of our college students. I hope you find it encouraging as well.
Dear Pastor J.D.,
I am writing to you to thank you. This letter is not about me, but about my friend who came with me to church today. Since around the beginning of this year, my friend has showed interest in Christianity. Until today, she had only been into a church a few times as a young child around Christmas time. Her father is a skeptic, and her sister is an atheist. She never talked about God at home and up until college has never really known any believers.
I first realized the gravity of the situation when one time at breakfast another friend of ours referenced her own salvation story and said very casually, “when I asked Jesus into my heart.” my friend said casually back, “what? What does that mean?” My heart was pounding as I realized she literally knew nothing neither about Jesus nor the gospel. How much do I take for granted the home I was brought up in?
Before this past Sunday she asked to come with me to church and for the first time followed through. My heart was in knots when you opened with saying how many will be offended this morning by your message. But I can tell you that I felt the Holy Spirit in that building almost like never before. You so clearly and so beautifully presented the Gospel that she had never heard before. Today, she heard, through you and our beautiful church, what the cross means.
I am so thankful for you and your obedience to God’s calling in your life. When she got back in the car, I asked her what she thought. “I liked it a lot. I liked how sarcastic and honest he was. I don’t like how people try to act perfect and condemn others for not being perfect. He really told us like it is and I respect that.” So, JD, please never stop being honest with us and know that your willingness to talk about “offensive” topics in the Bible is only proclaiming the Good News all the more clearer. No matter how many people write angry blogs or have “ignorant” things to say about the Gospel or our church, know that God is working through you and our church. Please join me in praying for my friend, and know that there are many like her who come each week. I am confident that the Lord will do a great work in her, and you should know that you have had a part in that, as have I.
