Listen, listen, listen and stand firm!

Welcome today to Don West, principal of Trinity Theological College.  Trinity is focused on helping Christians know how to use and understand the Bible and equip and empower every Christian person to be effective as servants of God in the world – that’s my summary, anyway.There is nothing worse than finding yourself in situations in which you feel ignorant, ill equipped and foolish because you lack knowledge and understanding.  At the same time it is fantastic when you can approach a situation confident that you understand and can make a useful contribution.  For Christians this means knowing the Bible and how it works.I am sure Don and I share the conviction that Epaphras had [Colossians 4:12] in our desire to see every Christian “standing firm in the will of God, mature and fully assured”.  I believe this is what useful theological education should do.  It equips us to do God’s work in the world; we know so we can do.You know if you know enough when you find yourself in conversations with active non-believers and feel able and relaxed or powerless, with nothing useful to say…… a side comment at this point – if you do find yourself in conversations with active, even aggressive non-believers and you don’t know what to say, do two things, firstly listen, listen, listen.  Most people don’t listen.  Most people are just thinking what they’ll say next when this infernal person shuts up.  Secondly, ask questions that tease out what people are really saying.  Ask for clarity, ask where they got their ideas from, ask what they think the logical conclusion of living that way might be, ask how their life is going?  The number of people who long to be heard AND by a Christian, because EVERYONE knows those Christians NEVER LISTEN!  So, surprise them.  Jot down their questions and share them with me so we can teach into them.I was at a civic function this week and was embraced by someone who introduced themselves as “An atheist!” How wonderful, I thought we can talk about the God you don’t believe in – this was a listening opportunity.  I offered little and listened.As I was leaving another person literally grabbed my arm and led me to a corner – I knew the family just a little.  This person shared their anxiety about not knowing God, about being confused.  My heart went out to them.  Their question was, how can I know God?  I asked permission to share a little of my personal story.  After receiving that permission I gave a little of how God met me personally, not through religion or church denomination or rules and regulations but through Jesus.People want to talk and they want to be listened to.  Knowledgeable or not, listen to what they think and focus on what you’d like to know so that Epaphras’ prayer, “standing firm in the will of God, mature and fully assured” becomes yours.In the AdventureMalcolm