This has been a busy week at Christian Life Assembly. After Palm Sunday morning worship, we launched 5 nights of online meetings for Holy Week. The worship and Word was timely and beneficial. I appreciated how each pastor took time to “break bread” with us, it was life giving. Then some would gather on Zoom for prayer. It was encouraging to hear people pray using the words of Jesus – that CLA would be “a house of prayer for the nations”. Then our Good Friday Drive-In and online services were well received, it was so great to greet many. All of our Campuses are meeting for outdoor services this Easter. These celebration events are full but many more will find their way online. He is risen!
This week I did an interview with the Globe and Mail. The newspaper contacted me for comment on the on again off again health orders allowing public gatherings. Global News Vancouver saw the article and reached out to see if they could come by the church for an interview. It was a delight to chat with reporter Nadia Stewart. We talked about my personal disappointment with the rescinded orders, about the challenging year, about love for neighbours and keeping focused with so many voices demanding this or that. I was able to share that Good Friday was an illustration of Jesus Christ laying down his rights for the world and that CLA was following in his footsteps. That Christianity isn’t about my rights but in humility, it’s about considering others more important than myself. I was happy with the interview and the clips that she chose to use. She even used a clip of one of our online services. The story ran at 6, 11 pm and in the early morning time slot. Thousands of people saw it, and many reached out. I’m grateful to be able to explain our position of embracing the government orders, not without pain, but as part of our love for the weak, vulnerable and marginalized. Following the interview, Nadia and I talked for a long time about “our society” and the lack of trust people have in institutions like the church or media. It was a great conversation “off the record” and it included many elements of faith. I told her that Easter is the hallmark of Christianity and why. I was pleased to hear her use that line in her report.
This Easter, that illustration, reminds me to make the most of every opportunity. I joked with Sara that if I had known I would be on the news that day I would have worn a better shirt! That’s the point I guess. We don’t know. We don’t know who we will meet in a day, what their needs are, or how God will use us. After the resurrection Jesus commissioned us to be filled with the Spirit and to be his witnesses. Almost two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul wrote, “making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). For Christians, every day is a remembrance of Easter. Let’s make the most of them through our loving witness, in word and deed.
