On the hotel shuttle to Thessaloniki airport ten days ago, I struck up a conversation with our driver: “Lula and I are missionaries. We’re returning to Germany after meeting with our colleagues from all around Eurasia.” No reaction. “Missionaries tell people about Jesus Christ…” After a while, he asked: “What does Jesus Christ *mean*?” Whoa… “Well, the Bible tells us that we’re separated from God because of our sins. But Jesus died on the cross to *pay* for all our sins, and He rose again from the grave to give us eternal life.” He glanced over at me: “I believe all of that. But I don’t go to church.” “Why not?” I asked. “Because all our priests are crooks.” He then cited many examples of local priests who, in his opinion, were mainly after money and not interested in their flock. “That’s very sad,” I replied. “Because only in the church do we receive Christ’s true body and blood. Also, if we stay away, we deprive our fellow Christians of ourselves. You might be the very person with whom someone can share their burdens.” “Hmm…” he grunted. “You know,” I continued, “When we focus on Christians instead of on Christ—we will almost always be disappointed. There are very few believers who are true role models. One could be Mother Teresa, ministering to the outcasts in India.” “Indeed.” Cruising down the highway, over to the right we caught glimpses of the Aegean Sea. “But even though you might be turned off by the leaders in the Church, you can still stay connected to Christ.” “You mean by reading the Bible?” “Exactly.” “I do that sometimes,” he shared. I tried to encourage him: “Keep it up. A few chapters a day, maybe focusing on the New Testament or the Psalms. Because in the Bible, God the Holy Spirit is speaking directly to you. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said with a big smile, as the airport terminal came into view. I stuck out my hand: “God bless you, brother.” “God bless you,” he replied with a sparkle in his eye.
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