Today I’d like to invite you to “sit” with me on Mars Hill; in Greek it’s called the Areopagus. The photo I’ve included is taken from this spot. It’s one of my favorite places to go and pray for the city of Athens, where I live.

I grew up in a world where children's relationships with God were not as important as the adults in the community. Churches were filled with the elderly, and it was up to the children to either join them or not. My choice was to not. There was nothing I could relate to inside the church. It was the most boring place, since the main focus was on the adults. 

If we’re in ministry for very long, we’ve met a Cornelius. A Cornelius is honorable, socially and spiritually conscious, and well intentioned, but not in relationship with Jesus Christ. About six years ago I met one.

I’ve never been good at numbers. Especially the big ones. “For all peoples,” for instance. I can’t wrap my mind around that.

In the hillside slums of Caracas, Venezuela, young men-turned-street criminals terrorized entire neighborhoods, including ours, where an InnerChange team took up residence in 2002. This story involves two important figures: a street criminal nicknamed Calimero; and an old, bed-ridden Spiritist we called Señor Oscar. 

Think of a time you were around a group of small children. How were they behaving? What were your reactions to them? Now, think of a time you were around a group of teenagers. How were they behaving? What were your reactions to them? 

A few years ago, I was with a couple of Novo staff in a border city close to a closed nation in Asia. We were there to offer DBS training for a few workers serving in and for that nation. During our 5-day trip, we had an opportunity to visit a special prayer gathering that was for invited guests only. Arriving at a secluded, unfamiliar location, we entered a dimmed entrance to an old, faded building—it felt like we were in a suspense thriller.

Over the past several years, I have been convicted often by our "Church of Hopeful Waiting" stance—how we sit in our churches just hoping people will come to us on their own. We do need to pray and hope that the Lord will draw those to us who are truly seeking him; however, the likelihood is very small that this will result in them entering our local church services. 

What does the gospel we preach cause us to become? What does it mean that we become a Kingdom of priests?

There was a wedding at Cana. John says this is the first of Jesus’s signs (v. 11). I usually have found it puzzling that Jesus tells his mother that his time has not yet come and then changes around 180 gallons of water into the best of wines. “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” There’s something in the interaction that we miss, I think, that doesn’t seem to be conveyed in the writing of the incident unless, maybe, we are more steeped in the story of Israel.

I remember vividly the first time Debbie and I encountered the Roma people. In 1987 we were part of a summer InterVarsity team serving a pastor in NE Hungary. Part of this pastor’s work included outreach among the Roma. Debbie had the opportunity to visit women in their homes, while I worked alongside them in construction projects.

And now we turn to our final focus. . . this good news of great joy is for All People. Imagine that—all people! Your friends, family, neighbors. Your enemies. The people you get along with and the people you can’t stand. People groups you’ve never heard of. People of every shape and size. All walks of life. The good news of great joy is for ALL people.