Dream Awakener

  Cruz de Cabral 
  Originally uploaded by Diego Idi.

Leslie Newbigin was an amazing missionary in India.  When he lived in Madras his house was half-way between the airport and the city, so it was a great place for different pastors and priests to stop off and have lunch.  After lunch, people would always ask him a question.  They would ask, “Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of the church in India?  To which he had to develop a standard reply.  He said, “I believe Jesus rose from the dead, and therefore the question doesn’t arise.  In regards to a fact, one is not optimistic or pessimistic.  One is believing or unbelieving.”

I am going to stand with Newbigin on this one.  When people ask me if I am opptimistic or pessimistic about the future of the church in United States I will say, "I believe Jesus rose from the dead, so it is not a matter of being optimistic or pessimistic, it is about believing or  not believing.