Can one visit 52 different conservative
Anabaptist-run ministries (and talk personally with some of the people that
make those ministries happen) all in one – or two – days? Is there such a
possibility? Well, there is, and it’s within REACH.
In my last post, I mentioned that recently Ken
& I had the privilege of attending REACH, which is a ministries convention
put on by Faith Builders every two years on a weekend in March. It’s held at a
huge Calvary Church near Lancaster, PA. By huge, I mean big enough in its main
auditorium to seat the 2000-plus people that attend on Friday, the second day
of the two-day event, when entire high school grades from some schools will cancel
classes and come and add to the 1739 other people who are already there.
It also has the capacity to comfortably handle the
15 or so breakout sessions that take place simultaneously at different times
throughout the day. What may not be so comfortable is navigating the foyers and
halls teeming with attendees to get to the breakout sessions rooms on the four
different levels of the building.
The first year Ken and I went to REACH, we went to
separate workshops during the breakouts time – Ken to a basement room and I to
a chapel smaller than the main auditorium on the same level. When we met up
again, the first thing Ken said to me was, “There’s another whole church down
there!” It’s good that current Faith Builders students were strategically placed
throughout the church to assist the throng in getting to the proper rooms.
Another large room on the main level of the massive
church was lined with tables where the 52 different ministries set up their
displays of literature and “advertising” pens, handbags, candy, or, as in one
case, office scissors. (score!) Typically, two or three people associated with
the ministry manned the booth; someone was on hand to explain briefly what the
ministry is about and to answer questions anyone might have about it.
It was also the room in which to figure on taking a
long time to get from point A to point B on account of meeting up with people
you hadn’t seen for years. Depending on where you were headed though, you may
have chosen to streamline your encounters, narrowing them down to mere seconds:
Hello, ____! Face lights up and big smile appears. How are you? Doing well, and
you? Good too. So good to see you again. You, too! See you later. (maybe or
maybe not, you think as you graciously slip away and go another few feet until bumping
into the next friend or acquaintance)
One of my favorite things about REACH is listening
to the speakers in the main assemblies and in the breakout sessions. Throughout
the talks on God’s will in the Kingdom, the power of the Gospel, finding
identity in Christ, being faithful in supporting roles, reflecting the image
and glory of God as a woman, and bringing Light to darkness, I just kept
thinking oh, this is so good. People at REACH are passionate about the King and
being in His Kingdom service. There’s something very energizing about mingling
with that many people who have the same focus – someone said you can “feel it in
the air”, and I think I know what he meant. It’s not hard at all for me to
imagine the Spirit moving through the place as a rushingmightywind.
I also got to feeling slightly overwhelmed by so
many opportunities in ministry. After hearing the 20-second blurbs about each
of the 52 ministries participating at REACH 2019, hearing longer explanations
of a few of those during Ministry Focus sessions, and browsing many of the
display tables set up in the Ministry Displays Room, I realized I could be
involved in soooo many areas.
I could pray, counsel, camp, send money, stock
books, visit prisoners, study, nurse, broadcast, support, fly, preach (okay,
maybe some of these I couldn’t do since I’m not a pilot and since I am an
Anabaptist woman), publish, train, sing, and bake. I could teach – how about in
a city school? and I love language – it would be fun to get involved in Bible
translation somehow, and that couple who turned their home into a haven for
troubled Anabaptist young women inspired me (how could one not be intrigued by
a ministry with a name like Aquila Villa?!) So many opportunities are within
REACH!
And as if it wasn’t enough God-saturation (really,
though, could one ever get too much?) to be at REACH for two days, on Saturday
night we went and saw Jesus, what’s
showing right now at Sight & Sound in Lancaster. I loved the emphasis
placed on Jesus rescuing people, ordinary people, like me. I cried a bunch.
There was a young girl – maybe 8 years old? – sitting with her family in the
row behind us, and I heard her sniffles at times throughout the story, and her
tearful explanation to her mom during the crucifixion scene: “I don’t want Him
to die!” and felt I understood completely.
But even Ken joined me in crying joyful tears at
the Resurrection scene. It was just so delightfully moving. Jesus didn’t end with the Resurrection,
though; it went even beyond the Ascension, to the coming of the Holy Spirit and
the transformed disciples writing and telling The Good News. (Right back to that
ministry/witnessing theme we’d been hearing at REACH!)
So, yes, I came home from that weekend in Lancaster
with my head and heart full. My devotion to Christ is deeper, my understanding
of discipleship is broader, my longing to show and tell Him to others, greater.
The question is Where do I start to put to practice what I have discovered?
Perhaps right at home is the place to begin. Around
my kitchen table. Being gracious with family members in conversation. (I felt
like you were interrupting me. Really? And here I thought I couldn’t finish
what I was saying because you were interrupting me!) Listening
long to a chatty neighbor lady on the phone. Engaging in friendly conversation
with the checkout person who is tossing my groceries into the bags willy-nilly
rather than me pointedly packing them my way while stewing inside.
I want to remember what I discovered in a recent
Sunday School class on Power in God’s Kingdom. Our teacher pointed out that,
while there is definite power in sudden, loud and blasty things, there is also
power in the long, quiet, and unpretentious things of life, such as a seed
growing into a tree that bears fruit. In ministry, I want to realize the slow
power of God. “The kingdom of God is within you” Jesus said in describing to
the Pharisees how the Kingdom would look. Slowly, quietly, faithfully, I can
begin Kingdom ministry. This is possible only through the power of the Holy
Spirit of God who dwells inside me – within reach.
This Post’s Quotable:
“They almost fit,” she said.
This Post’s Childhood Memory:
I remember what a treat it was to Go to the
Bookmobile when I was a little girl. The bookmobile was a bus, a commercial-sized
one, converted into a portable library. Every few weeks (in the summer?) this
delightful books-on-wheels phenomenon made a stop at The Log Cabin Store, which was only a
quarter mile or so down the dirt road from where we lived, and Mom would take
us children to visit it. We’d take back the books we’d checked out on our
previous visit, and spend time browsing for another set to take home this time.
I remember entering the bookmobile through the tall, narrow, hinged doors and
smelling the black ribbed rubber of the inside steps and aisles, as well as the
paper and ink of the books. It was a hushed and enchanted world. We got to go
to the children’s books section among the shelves and shelves of books, sit on
the low circular metal stools and pull out some interesting-looking books to pore
over right there and to, glory be, choose a few on our very own to enjoy at
home – for a couple of weeks. I loved the large square books, with crinkly
plastic over the covers and lots of pictures, such as the Richard Scarry
series. It was also extremely fascinating to watch the librarian take the card
out of the little pocket in each book we were checking out and ink the date on
it with her little rubber stamp.
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