8/30/11 Demetrius, about 20
This morning I met with Paul (from church) to walk around the University of Illinois' Chicago campus and initiate some Gospel conversations there. One that stood out to me was with a young man named Demetrius, who is from Bulgaria and grew up as part of the Orthodox church but is now an atheist. Paul, who speaks several languages, won Demetrius' attention by speaking to him in his native language. Although Demetrius is technically an atheist, he was at least open minded enough to consider the possibility of God's existence, and this was enough to at least have a good conversation on what biblical faith really means and looks like as opposed to the tradition-based religion that Demetrius was familiar with..
Gospel conversations from the streets and marketplace....
8/29/11 Jeff & Rachel, 20's
Brad and I used MDB gospel tract to start a conversation with Jeff and Rachel, a couple living a life of street hustling and drug addiction. Jeff had spent a year in a Christian rehab program ,was thankful for the experience, and believes himself to be saved because of a "Holy Spirit experience" which he described as a kind of physical charge that filled his body. He now considers himself saved but backslidden into sin. He asked some of the major questions that unbelievers ask, like "Why would God allow evil?" , "Why would a forgiving God send people to Hell?" "Who made God?" I patiently listened to his questions and when he was done I just asked "These are all good questions that I've had to wrestle through myself, and I think I have some good explanations for each of them, but I need you to choose -which of them would be the most important to you?" We need to sharpen our theology and to be prepared for questions like these, but we don't need to worry about answering them all in a single conversation.
Brad and I used MDB gospel tract to start a conversation with Jeff and Rachel, a couple living a life of street hustling and drug addiction. Jeff had spent a year in a Christian rehab program ,was thankful for the experience, and believes himself to be saved because of a "Holy Spirit experience" which he described as a kind of physical charge that filled his body. He now considers himself saved but backslidden into sin. He asked some of the major questions that unbelievers ask, like "Why would God allow evil?" , "Why would a forgiving God send people to Hell?" "Who made God?" I patiently listened to his questions and when he was done I just asked "These are all good questions that I've had to wrestle through myself, and I think I have some good explanations for each of them, but I need you to choose -which of them would be the most important to you?" We need to sharpen our theology and to be prepared for questions like these, but we don't need to worry about answering them all in a single conversation.
8/28/11 Justin, about 22
Today I met a young man named Justin while he walked his dog at the park. He grew up attending a non-denominational Bible church, attended the youth group and served on the worship team, but his grasp of foundational Christian beliefs was limited. He believed he is a Christian because of his good behavior, and his salvation will be determined by whether or not he has confessed his most recent sins before he dies. I have heard this from Catholics who beleive they must attend confession before a priest in order to keep their forgiven status "up to date", but not from someone from an evangelical background. Justin based this on 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I explained that Christians are initially "legally" forgiven through repentence and faith in Christ, and that we need to continue to confess our sins to maintain our "relational forgiveness" or fellowship with God, not our salvation which has already been determined. I used the analogy of marriage; that just because a husband and wife may be arguing and not relationally right with one another they still remain legally married. We couldn't talk long, but I hope this distinction hit home with Justin.
Today I met a young man named Justin while he walked his dog at the park. He grew up attending a non-denominational Bible church, attended the youth group and served on the worship team, but his grasp of foundational Christian beliefs was limited. He believed he is a Christian because of his good behavior, and his salvation will be determined by whether or not he has confessed his most recent sins before he dies. I have heard this from Catholics who beleive they must attend confession before a priest in order to keep their forgiven status "up to date", but not from someone from an evangelical background. Justin based this on 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I explained that Christians are initially "legally" forgiven through repentence and faith in Christ, and that we need to continue to confess our sins to maintain our "relational forgiveness" or fellowship with God, not our salvation which has already been determined. I used the analogy of marriage; that just because a husband and wife may be arguing and not relationally right with one another they still remain legally married. We couldn't talk long, but I hope this distinction hit home with Justin.
8/20/11 Tim and Tom, early 20's
I was at a hotel for a work-related training conference and found two young men sitting outside to smoke so after some small talk I asked them about their beliefs. Tim and Tom are Asian-American brothers and grew up Catholic. Both stated they believe in some sort of higher power but don't think they will continue to exist after they die. Tim did most of the talking. He has never read the Bible but had a lot of strong opinions about it. He thinks Christianity is just a story used to control other people and keep them in their place. I listened to his various theories but didn't attempt to argue about what would easily have led only to side issues and rabbit trails. Instead I kept asking essential questions in response to his statements, showing him that I was really listening and processing what he said. As he went on his shallow thinking became evident, and he soon asked what I believe. We talked a long time about the Gospel based on two presuppositions: 1.) I didn't presume to have convinced them of anything at any point, assuring them I realized they didn't necessarily believe what I said but that they were simply affirming that they understood what I was saying... and 2.) I asked them to just assume for a moment that the Bible is true, and on that basis I explained what it teaches about how they stand before God's righteous standard. In an intellectual sense, Tom was concerned that he would indeed be condemned for his acts of rebellion against God's rule and he appreciated what Jesus did on the cross. However, at a much deeper but essential level he was missing the foundational beliefs that true faith in Jesus must be built upon - the fear of the Lord and affirmation that God has every right to hold us accountable to His standards.
I was at a hotel for a work-related training conference and found two young men sitting outside to smoke so after some small talk I asked them about their beliefs. Tim and Tom are Asian-American brothers and grew up Catholic. Both stated they believe in some sort of higher power but don't think they will continue to exist after they die. Tim did most of the talking. He has never read the Bible but had a lot of strong opinions about it. He thinks Christianity is just a story used to control other people and keep them in their place. I listened to his various theories but didn't attempt to argue about what would easily have led only to side issues and rabbit trails. Instead I kept asking essential questions in response to his statements, showing him that I was really listening and processing what he said. As he went on his shallow thinking became evident, and he soon asked what I believe. We talked a long time about the Gospel based on two presuppositions: 1.) I didn't presume to have convinced them of anything at any point, assuring them I realized they didn't necessarily believe what I said but that they were simply affirming that they understood what I was saying... and 2.) I asked them to just assume for a moment that the Bible is true, and on that basis I explained what it teaches about how they stand before God's righteous standard. In an intellectual sense, Tom was concerned that he would indeed be condemned for his acts of rebellion against God's rule and he appreciated what Jesus did on the cross. However, at a much deeper but essential level he was missing the foundational beliefs that true faith in Jesus must be built upon - the fear of the Lord and affirmation that God has every right to hold us accountable to His standards.
8/19/11 Manny, about 40
After a natural conversation in front of the house of a man named Manny I switched over to a spiritual conversation by asking about his beliefs. Manny said he believes in God and heaven and hell, and that he would be sent to hell for the bad that he has done earlier in life as a gangbanger. Yet he didn't really think this would be fair, since he does a lot of good things that show he is really a good person. As it turns out, he was only saying what he thought a church guy like myself might say - but he didn't really understand why. In fact, during his childhood he had visited a Baptist church and "prayed a prayer" that he now thought might save him, though he now has no idea what he had said or what it meant. I explained the law to him, helping him understand more clearly why he would indeed be guilty before God, and I talked about the repentence and faith that the prayer had probably consisted of. "They probably meant well" I explained, "but they didn't know that you really had no idea what you were saying". I explained how he needs to pray and express repentance and faith in Jesus on his own, and challenged him to do so before his head hits the pillow tonight.
After a natural conversation in front of the house of a man named Manny I switched over to a spiritual conversation by asking about his beliefs. Manny said he believes in God and heaven and hell, and that he would be sent to hell for the bad that he has done earlier in life as a gangbanger. Yet he didn't really think this would be fair, since he does a lot of good things that show he is really a good person. As it turns out, he was only saying what he thought a church guy like myself might say - but he didn't really understand why. In fact, during his childhood he had visited a Baptist church and "prayed a prayer" that he now thought might save him, though he now has no idea what he had said or what it meant. I explained the law to him, helping him understand more clearly why he would indeed be guilty before God, and I talked about the repentence and faith that the prayer had probably consisted of. "They probably meant well" I explained, "but they didn't know that you really had no idea what you were saying". I explained how he needs to pray and express repentance and faith in Jesus on his own, and challenged him to do so before his head hits the pillow tonight.
8/19/11 Bob, 53
On a long road trip across Wisconsin I stopped at a truck stop and used a MDB to begin a conversation with Bob, a truck driver. I asked if he believes in heaven and he replied "Oh yes, I'm a Christian. Have been all my life." He is a Methodist and described several ways in which he has survived near-death experiences and said that he has always felt close to God and that God has kept him alive for a purpose. During a struggle with stage-four cancer 11 years ago he had what he described as the experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit right in his hospital bed, which also left him cancer free ever since. When I asked about his hope for heaven, he acknowledged a life of sin yet felt he would be judged good enough for heaven. I explained how we fall short of God's holy standard and why we need a Savior, and he received this correction gladly. Bob reminds me that one can be extremely thankful to God for life and health and happiness, yet fail to realize our ultimate source of gratiude, the forgiveness secured for us by Jesus at the cross.
On a long road trip across Wisconsin I stopped at a truck stop and used a MDB to begin a conversation with Bob, a truck driver. I asked if he believes in heaven and he replied "Oh yes, I'm a Christian. Have been all my life." He is a Methodist and described several ways in which he has survived near-death experiences and said that he has always felt close to God and that God has kept him alive for a purpose. During a struggle with stage-four cancer 11 years ago he had what he described as the experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit right in his hospital bed, which also left him cancer free ever since. When I asked about his hope for heaven, he acknowledged a life of sin yet felt he would be judged good enough for heaven. I explained how we fall short of God's holy standard and why we need a Savior, and he received this correction gladly. Bob reminds me that one can be extremely thankful to God for life and health and happiness, yet fail to realize our ultimate source of gratiude, the forgiveness secured for us by Jesus at the cross.
8/13/11 Luiano, about 20
Sometimes John the Baptist is enough. John preached about sin, judgment, and our need for repentence in preparation for the coming Messiah. Why should we think that people today need any less preparation? Today my witnessing partner was Jonathan, and we spoke with a young man on the sidewalk named Luiano. He really didn't seem to have thought much about eternal things, and his initial reaction to the idea that we will be accountable to God was that "God has no right to judge me". This is probably a knee-jerk reaction to our politically-correct pop-culture idea that no one has the right to judge anyone else, which less-thoughtful people automatically apply also to God. This seemed to come as a shock to Luiano, and although we shared the rest of the Gospel message as best as we could, I wouldn't be surprised if all he remembers is the idea that his sin is serious and will be accounted for. Maybe that's all he needs right now.
Sometimes John the Baptist is enough. John preached about sin, judgment, and our need for repentence in preparation for the coming Messiah. Why should we think that people today need any less preparation? Today my witnessing partner was Jonathan, and we spoke with a young man on the sidewalk named Luiano. He really didn't seem to have thought much about eternal things, and his initial reaction to the idea that we will be accountable to God was that "God has no right to judge me". This is probably a knee-jerk reaction to our politically-correct pop-culture idea that no one has the right to judge anyone else, which less-thoughtful people automatically apply also to God. This seemed to come as a shock to Luiano, and although we shared the rest of the Gospel message as best as we could, I wouldn't be surprised if all he remembers is the idea that his sin is serious and will be accounted for. Maybe that's all he needs right now.
8/12/11 Joe, about 60
"Anything but Jesus" seemed to be Joe's motto, whom Jim (from church) and I met today as walked by him on the sidewalk and he sat in his front patio. He was very open to talking about spiritual things when I asked him, and he initially said that he was Catholic. When asked how he could be sure of heaven, he talked of confessing his sins and receiving forgiveness, but leaving out any reference to belief in Jesus. When I tried to explain why repentence needs to be coupled with faith in Jesus, Joe began talking about other spiritual pathways he has been exploring such as reincarnation and Buddhism. I wondered later with Jim why I had failed to personalize Joe's sin through exposure to some of the Ten Commandments, and I now think it was his talk of his own sin and need to confess that threw me off. His faith was in his own work of confession, but the Bible clearly states that “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:14-16)
"Anything but Jesus" seemed to be Joe's motto, whom Jim (from church) and I met today as walked by him on the sidewalk and he sat in his front patio. He was very open to talking about spiritual things when I asked him, and he initially said that he was Catholic. When asked how he could be sure of heaven, he talked of confessing his sins and receiving forgiveness, but leaving out any reference to belief in Jesus. When I tried to explain why repentence needs to be coupled with faith in Jesus, Joe began talking about other spiritual pathways he has been exploring such as reincarnation and Buddhism. I wondered later with Jim why I had failed to personalize Joe's sin through exposure to some of the Ten Commandments, and I now think it was his talk of his own sin and need to confess that threw me off. His faith was in his own work of confession, but the Bible clearly states that “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:14-16)
8/7/11 Tian, 21
If you believed that one plus one equals three, then it would be logical to conclude that one plus two equals four, two plus two equals five, and so on. The logic is there but the conclusion is wrong because the original presupposition is wrong. This analogy has helped me talk to people who think other belief systems are logical, because it helps them see the importance of having a strong foundation to build such a belief system on. I used it in talking to a young Asian man named Tian yesterday, and it helped him to accept my advice. Tian moved to Chicago from China five years ago, and has been lonely and depressed because of the language and cultural differences and being left on his own by his parents who have separated. He had no religious background but he heard somewhere that 80 percent of Americans are Christians, so he decided to check Christianity out to see if it offered any happiness, though he isn't even sure if he believes in God. He was attracted to TV preachers like Joel Osteen, but has been attending the Jehavah's Witnesses for the last two months . He was warned about their false teachings by a Christian friend, and ended up visiting our church this last Sunday where I met him and found out his story. As we talked, I could see that Tian sees logic in several different world views, all of which are based on a faulty foundation: 1.) The scientific worldview, which begins with the presupposition that anything outside of scientific law or description cannot exist, which would include God and His miracles; 2.) the Jehovah Witness worldview denying the Trinity and the deity of Christ which is absolutely essential to Christian faith and forgiveness; and 3.) the secular view that our personal happiness is rhe chief concern when, in fact, God's glory is of primary importance. The answers to all of Tian's many insightful questions could be traced back to the influence of these powerful world views, and my simple math analogy gave me permission to talk about the foundational truths rather than chasing after every religious rabbit-trail that came along.
If you believed that one plus one equals three, then it would be logical to conclude that one plus two equals four, two plus two equals five, and so on. The logic is there but the conclusion is wrong because the original presupposition is wrong. This analogy has helped me talk to people who think other belief systems are logical, because it helps them see the importance of having a strong foundation to build such a belief system on. I used it in talking to a young Asian man named Tian yesterday, and it helped him to accept my advice. Tian moved to Chicago from China five years ago, and has been lonely and depressed because of the language and cultural differences and being left on his own by his parents who have separated. He had no religious background but he heard somewhere that 80 percent of Americans are Christians, so he decided to check Christianity out to see if it offered any happiness, though he isn't even sure if he believes in God. He was attracted to TV preachers like Joel Osteen, but has been attending the Jehavah's Witnesses for the last two months . He was warned about their false teachings by a Christian friend, and ended up visiting our church this last Sunday where I met him and found out his story. As we talked, I could see that Tian sees logic in several different world views, all of which are based on a faulty foundation: 1.) The scientific worldview, which begins with the presupposition that anything outside of scientific law or description cannot exist, which would include God and His miracles; 2.) the Jehovah Witness worldview denying the Trinity and the deity of Christ which is absolutely essential to Christian faith and forgiveness; and 3.) the secular view that our personal happiness is rhe chief concern when, in fact, God's glory is of primary importance. The answers to all of Tian's many insightful questions could be traced back to the influence of these powerful world views, and my simple math analogy gave me permission to talk about the foundational truths rather than chasing after every religious rabbit-trail that came along.
8/6/11 Francisco, about 50
There's a part of me that's discouraged, but a part of me that know's better. Today I drove a young couple from church and their infant daughter to a doctor's appointment, and I walked around Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood while waiting to take them home. One of the people I talked to on the sidewalk was Francisco, who has been attending one of Chicago's most well known and reputable Bible churches for over 15 years, and his son has graduated from Moody Bible Institute and is now a music pastor. It seemed obvious that Francisco must be a Christian, but I've learned not to take it for granted so I asked about his hope for heaven. It was discouraging to hear him say not only that he believes he is "good enough" for heaven, but he sees no need for belief in Jesus and in fact believes the Bible is merely written by man and Jesus only a product of wishful thinking. Apparently his church involvement only serves to keep his wife and son happy. It discourages me that sitting under years of quality Bible teaching hasn't brought him to faith. If that isn't enough, what hope do I have for a half-hour witnessing conversation? Now I know that "faith comes from hearing the message" (Romans 10:17) but I get discouraged that like Israel we are "a disobedient and obstinate people" (v.21) However, Romans 11:5 gives me hope..."So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace." And it's not too late for that same grace to reach Francisco.
There's a part of me that's discouraged, but a part of me that know's better. Today I drove a young couple from church and their infant daughter to a doctor's appointment, and I walked around Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood while waiting to take them home. One of the people I talked to on the sidewalk was Francisco, who has been attending one of Chicago's most well known and reputable Bible churches for over 15 years, and his son has graduated from Moody Bible Institute and is now a music pastor. It seemed obvious that Francisco must be a Christian, but I've learned not to take it for granted so I asked about his hope for heaven. It was discouraging to hear him say not only that he believes he is "good enough" for heaven, but he sees no need for belief in Jesus and in fact believes the Bible is merely written by man and Jesus only a product of wishful thinking. Apparently his church involvement only serves to keep his wife and son happy. It discourages me that sitting under years of quality Bible teaching hasn't brought him to faith. If that isn't enough, what hope do I have for a half-hour witnessing conversation? Now I know that "faith comes from hearing the message" (Romans 10:17) but I get discouraged that like Israel we are "a disobedient and obstinate people" (v.21) However, Romans 11:5 gives me hope..."So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace." And it's not too late for that same grace to reach Francisco.
8/4/11 Nester , about 40
The "law to the proud, grace to the humble" approach that Jesus used has opened my eyes to just how widespread and deep the problem of human pride is. I rarely if ever find unbelievers who are truly humble and aware of their own depravity. Take Nester, for example, whom I met at the park today. His selfish lifestyle had brought him close to rock bottom and he had almost lost his job, home, and loved ones. Someone had reached out to him - much like I was doing he told me - and he had responded by coming back to God and the Catholic church he had grown up in. He is now involved in a somewhat intensive Catholic catechism for adults. He decribes himself as garbage compared to God and unworthy of salvation, and he was truly appreciative that God is giving him a second chance. I assured him that humility and repentence are indeed necessary for a right relationship with God and spoke of the need for faith in Jesus alone. Yet of course he, like all of us, really isn't aware of the horrible depth of his sin. I suspect that he sees a "normal" lifestyle a being good and worthy in God's eyes, and I fear that if he overcomes his sinful habits he will feel worthy of God's favor like most other people. I felt it necessary to share the law without discouraging Nester from the humble path he is on, so I used the law as a mirror revealing our sin. But instead of looking at Nester in the mirror of the Ten Commandments, I looked at myself. I wanted him to see that no matter how respectable our lifestyle, we are all in dire need of the forgiveness that only comes through Jesus.
The "law to the proud, grace to the humble" approach that Jesus used has opened my eyes to just how widespread and deep the problem of human pride is. I rarely if ever find unbelievers who are truly humble and aware of their own depravity. Take Nester, for example, whom I met at the park today. His selfish lifestyle had brought him close to rock bottom and he had almost lost his job, home, and loved ones. Someone had reached out to him - much like I was doing he told me - and he had responded by coming back to God and the Catholic church he had grown up in. He is now involved in a somewhat intensive Catholic catechism for adults. He decribes himself as garbage compared to God and unworthy of salvation, and he was truly appreciative that God is giving him a second chance. I assured him that humility and repentence are indeed necessary for a right relationship with God and spoke of the need for faith in Jesus alone. Yet of course he, like all of us, really isn't aware of the horrible depth of his sin. I suspect that he sees a "normal" lifestyle a being good and worthy in God's eyes, and I fear that if he overcomes his sinful habits he will feel worthy of God's favor like most other people. I felt it necessary to share the law without discouraging Nester from the humble path he is on, so I used the law as a mirror revealing our sin. But instead of looking at Nester in the mirror of the Ten Commandments, I looked at myself. I wanted him to see that no matter how respectable our lifestyle, we are all in dire need of the forgiveness that only comes through Jesus.
8/3/11 Jonathan 19
Yesterday I met a young man named Jonathan as he rode his bike past me and then stopped ahead for a rest. I gave him a MDB tract which started a good conversation about his beliefs. Sometimes conversations can go off on a tangent, and this one did as he talked about trying to avoid running with the gangbangers in the neighborhood and looking for a job. I took some time to listen and give plenty of advice in this area, something I've done for years while running a neighborhood youth center. In this case, my knowledge and advice about temporal things gave me credibility about eternal things. We returned to our conversation about his relationship with God with a new level of trust and Jonathan felt free to ask plenty of questions. He asked whether he would be saved because he had been baptised when he was an infant, even though he hasn't attended church in long time. I took the opportunity to explain what baptism represents - the death and resurrection of Jesus - and why this so crucial to a right relationship with God. Jonathan responded with openess and interest; I just pray his worldy concerns won't distract him from the things of God.
Yesterday I met a young man named Jonathan as he rode his bike past me and then stopped ahead for a rest. I gave him a MDB tract which started a good conversation about his beliefs. Sometimes conversations can go off on a tangent, and this one did as he talked about trying to avoid running with the gangbangers in the neighborhood and looking for a job. I took some time to listen and give plenty of advice in this area, something I've done for years while running a neighborhood youth center. In this case, my knowledge and advice about temporal things gave me credibility about eternal things. We returned to our conversation about his relationship with God with a new level of trust and Jonathan felt free to ask plenty of questions. He asked whether he would be saved because he had been baptised when he was an infant, even though he hasn't attended church in long time. I took the opportunity to explain what baptism represents - the death and resurrection of Jesus - and why this so crucial to a right relationship with God. Jonathan responded with openess and interest; I just pray his worldy concerns won't distract him from the things of God.
8/1/11 Albert and Palmer, both 21
Driving across Wisconsin I stopped at a gas station with a Subway sandwich shop where I found two young men at a table. They gave me permission to ask a few questions and we started an interesting conversation about their beliefs. Palmer is a Native American and spoke of the tension between his ancestral traditions and Protestant Christian beliefs. His friend Albert said he believes in ghosts, poltergists and some sort of spirit world after we die but claimed he didn't believe in God. "One man couldn't have created all this." "Do you think it was a group effort then?" I asked. "I just think if one man created all this then we would see some evidence that he existed, like his bones or something." "So you think its possible that God could have made the world but then died, leaving us alone?" Albert went on to explain his theory that aliens visited Earth, taught us some of their knowledge, and one day it will be our turn to do the same for another planet. Some questions about his past revealed that he had attended a Baptist church with his father, that his parents had divorced and he had helped take care of his irresponsible mother, but three years ago she had suddenly died of a heart attack. He refused to believe in a God who remained silent after two weeks of intense prayer about why she had to die. "Do you think if God did exist that He would owe you anything?" I asked. "I hadn't thought of that... No I think we humans have screwed up pretty bad". I explained how sometimes people can look at a glass half filled with water and say that its half-empty. "You could be mad at God for cutting your mother's life short, or you could be thankful that you knew her as long as you did". I could tell this really hit home with Albert. I went on to share about God's law and grace by first assuring Albert that I didn't just assume that he now believed in God's existence, but this wasn't necessary. He already did.
Driving across Wisconsin I stopped at a gas station with a Subway sandwich shop where I found two young men at a table. They gave me permission to ask a few questions and we started an interesting conversation about their beliefs. Palmer is a Native American and spoke of the tension between his ancestral traditions and Protestant Christian beliefs. His friend Albert said he believes in ghosts, poltergists and some sort of spirit world after we die but claimed he didn't believe in God. "One man couldn't have created all this." "Do you think it was a group effort then?" I asked. "I just think if one man created all this then we would see some evidence that he existed, like his bones or something." "So you think its possible that God could have made the world but then died, leaving us alone?" Albert went on to explain his theory that aliens visited Earth, taught us some of their knowledge, and one day it will be our turn to do the same for another planet. Some questions about his past revealed that he had attended a Baptist church with his father, that his parents had divorced and he had helped take care of his irresponsible mother, but three years ago she had suddenly died of a heart attack. He refused to believe in a God who remained silent after two weeks of intense prayer about why she had to die. "Do you think if God did exist that He would owe you anything?" I asked. "I hadn't thought of that... No I think we humans have screwed up pretty bad". I explained how sometimes people can look at a glass half filled with water and say that its half-empty. "You could be mad at God for cutting your mother's life short, or you could be thankful that you knew her as long as you did". I could tell this really hit home with Albert. I went on to share about God's law and grace by first assuring Albert that I didn't just assume that he now believed in God's existence, but this wasn't necessary. He already did.
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