HOME / PROCLAMATION! MAGAZINE / 2012 / SPRING / THE LIFE AFTER WITH CHRIS LEE
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VOLUME 13, ISSUE 1
D E P A R T M E N T S
The life AFTER with Chris Lee
I sat on my front porch enjoying a beautiful spring day with a couple near and dear to me. As fine as the weather was, their story was even better. Matt and Jill are in the midst of transitioning out of Adventism and into an evangelical congregation. I listened as they talked in glowing terms about their excitement, their desire to know more, the changes in themselves, and their hopes for their children.
Matt related how his new pastor’s habit of preaching through a section of the Bible was so different from the topical preaching he was used to, but little by little he got hooked on being fed straight from the Word and wanted more. Jill told me about staying up late nights to listen to just one more sermon online. She said she had never experienced a hunger like that before, not just for the Word, but for more of Jesus.
I was astounded by what God had done. It all seemed so sudden and unexpected. Although I knew Matt and Jill had a few issues with aspects of Adventism, I assumed they would remain cultural Adventists for life. It’s hard to escape a tradition, even one you don’t totally believe or live. What happened? You might think that since Matt and Jill are friends with me, a contributing editor of Proclamation! magazine, their transition has been aided by a lot of deep theological discussions and helpful articles, but sadly, you’d be wrong.
What happened?
In my early zeal after leaving Adventism, I desperately wanted all my friends and family to know what I had discovered, to understand the true biblical Gospel, and to share my joy. That’s a good thing, but the way I went about “sharing” was often wrong. I’m a debater by nature and have a bent towards trying to argue people into truth. It doesn’t work and usually ends up building walls.
I remember an early heated conversation with Matt that I’d like to take back. I’ve felt bad about it ever since. What I love about Matt is that he continued to love me and was the most accepting of all my friends, despite the fact that we disagreed. Still, the damage was done. We never talked about spiritual things again. That’s on me.
So what happened with Matt and Jill? Simply put, God happened. In His grace, God may choose to involve us in His work, but God didn’t need my help to lead Matt and Jill where He wanted them. If anything, I was a hindrance because of my failings.
In honesty, I still don’t always know where the balance is. The New Testament calls us to expose false teachers, and the real gospel is always going to be offensive to those steeped in a counterfeit. We can’t completely avoid offense; certainly Jesus and the apostles didn’t. I think the answer is being fully surrendered to the Spirit. I need to rest in Him and only speak when He says speak. I need to trust that He doesn’t need me. He may work through me, but it will be in His way and in His time. Knowing that, I can relax. It’s not my job to argue others into truth. It’s my job to be a surrendered tool.
I think Matt and Jill are going about this right. They’re talking with family and friends, but they’re talking in order to allow their loved ones to ask questions. They’re not trying to convince anyone through the power of well-reasoned arguments. They’re striving to maintain relationships while being open and honest. That’s a witness that God can use. Matt and Jill, you have my apologies. I’ll be watching and learning from you. Now go start living the life after! †
Copyright 2012 Life Assurance Ministries, Inc., Casa Grande, Arizona, USA. All rights reserved. Revised April 18, 2012. Contact email: proclamation@gmail.com
Chris Lee lives in Lincoln, Nebraska with his wife, Carmen, and daughters, Ashlyn and Alyssa. They attend the Lincoln Berean Church. Chris is a self-described “theology junkie” whose mission is to proclaim the unfathomable grace of Christ in a clear, understandable, and Biblical way. He leads a Life Group Bible study for former Adventists at Lincoln Berean. You may contact Chris by email at ambulater@gmail.com.
