Recently I haven’t been able to go outside of my house without meeting a pastor, a lively congregant, or lay leader who is ready to start a conversation. It has been refreshing to see but also has a whisper of the divine behind it. God tends to move in not so secretive ways at times. He will always attempt to pull you back to Himself and utilize His people when necessary. You could call this the Jonah effect.
Of course this could all be coincidence. One cannot got to Starbucks without running into a millennial pastor, they practically live there. Bible studies are equally as popular in these spaces. This raises a bigger question, are there true coincidences with God or does He weigh every outcome to His end?
My theological understanding of this question? I have no idea.
What I do know is that the Church works best when it’s people are found in the everyday cycle of existence like this. In the coffee shop, in the market, at the dentist. This is where life happens. This is where we should be found and open to what God might want to do. Of course not all of these encounters are the things of movies. They are sometimes awkward – like the time a attorney gave me his card and announced laughingly that he was one of the few lawyers that attend church.
Truth is, it is nice to be on the “other” side of these conversations; to be the one invested in. I always leave these, no matter how strange, feeling encouraged. It is easy in our faith walk to feel isolated and alone. When we meet the random Bible reader or pastor in a safe space like Starbucks, there is something energizing that happens. It is a feeling of a bonded faith without borders. Maybe we can be this for others by simply recognizing the space we’re in. Maybe if we listen and watch, we can see the budding miracles ahead of us.
Matt simon blog 