Breathe in Culture -- A Message from Pastor Todd

Dear PoC God-loving City-lovers,

I’m so proud to be a part of your church family!  What a great week to obey the Lord in loving our city!  Getting caught in the middle of God’s plan is awesome!!

As a 30-something preacher in the ISU Philosophy department, I stuck out like a sore thumb.  Everyone was quite aware of my presence and even though I tried to keep it hidden for some time, word of my “occupation” quickly got out.  It wasn’t long before the other students and some of the professors began picking my brain on matters of faith and such.  Every single last one of them were kind and wonderfully “philosophical”.  I enjoyed many stimulating conversations.  Very seldom did I have to start from scratch since most of them had some sort of frame of reference from which to draw.  Some grew up in church.  Others had read the Bible.  Most of these conversations were pretty easy.  Until one of my professors asked me to lunch.

I was thrilled to go.  This professor was actually a little younger than me and was a fantastic teacher – truly gifted.  In fact, he was my favorite.  We met in the school cafeteria.  He began to ask me if I was comfortable in the Philosophy department.  He just assumed that I might be experiencing some sort of “persecution” because of my faith.  I assured him that everyone was really kind and open.  I talked to him about how surprised I was that there didn’t seem to be any gossip or hurtful behavior like I expected to find in the “secular” world.  He agreed and said that those who are in the philosophy department are generally open and kind.  It was true.  Honestly, I often find out city’s kindness refreshing.

Then he asked me about my faith.  He wanted to understand.  Now I wasn’t under any illusion that this was a salvation-opportunity.  He was just very inquisitive and very very interested in things of this sort.  I did, however, feel a bit of pressure.  I wanted to represent Jesus and the Gospel well.  So, I began by trying to find out what his frame of reference was.  I found out that he and his family did not go to church . . . ever, that he didn’t know anybody that did, that he never read the Bible (not even once), and didn’t really think it was a “book of note”.  The more I quizzed him, the more I realized that there really wasn’t anything that I could work with.  As I toured the culture of his frame of reference and asked the Lord to help me, I didn’t see anything to which I could relate . . . until . . .

I asked him about his love for philosophy.  I asked, “What first drew you to study philosophy and why do you find it so meaningful?”  In his wonderfully proper manner, he said, “Well, that’s really two different questions.  First, I’ll tell you what drew me to philosophy.  So, he did.  It didn’t take long and honestly, I don’t remember much of what he said, but then he said, “Now your second question was ‘why do I find philosophy meaningful’?  I don’t know if I’ve ever considered how meaningful philosophy is to me.  I’m sure it does have meaning because I’ve devoted my life to it, but knowing your background, Jeremy (my first name), I suppose you are implying a broader use of the word ‘meaning’.”  He cracks me up!!  I love him!  I thought, “Why, YES.  Yes, I am.”

I said, “Yes.  By ‘meaning’, I mean “peace”.  Does philosophy bring you peace?”  He laughed.  He said, “Ah, peace . . . well-being.  Isn’t that what everyone wants?  You know, I’d have to say that it does not bring me peace.”  Then I heard myself ask him, “Have you ever known anyone who seemed to be ‘at peace’”?  He thought for a long time and said, “You know, I believe I’ve only known one person.  I had an aunt who impacted me when I was younger.  If anyone had peace, she did.  She wasn’t in my life very long in an influential way, but yes, she’d have to be the only one.  That’s an interesting question.  I haven’t thought of her in a long time.”

Our time ran out and we cleared the table and got ready to return to class.  Just before we parted ways, he said, “You know, now that I think about, my aunt – she was a Christian too – like you.  Yes, I’m sure of it.”  Then there was some silence between us for a second before he said, “I’ll have to think about that some more”.

On Sunday we’re going to talk about Paul when He was in Athens.  On prior trips he could reason with not-yet-believers using scripture, but not in Athens.  The philosophers in Athens didn’t value Scripture.  So Paul had to look around, breathe in culture and trust God to lead him.

Look around, breathe in the culture.  Who knows what God will lead you to use.  Get caught!

Can’t wait to see you Sunday.  I’m praying for you.

Pastor Todd