Notes from the underground...

Before headed off to tonight's Engage NU events, I called one of the fraternity students with the intent of leading some guys in a quick Bible Study. Jake met me at the door.

"You want some dinner?"

I rarely say no to free food - and there is something beautiful about dinner in a fraternity house. I admit, beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder, and my vision is pretty lousy...but I still think it's beautiful.

So I headed downstairs to the basement and grabbed a sandwich and a chair with some of the guys and proceeded to introduce myself, saying I was with Jake.

One guy asks, "What year are you?"

"Actually, I'm not a student. I'm kinda on the faculty of the university."

It's true, I have a Wildcard (with one sweet picture, I might add...my hair is glorious) and I have a faculty parking permit. I usually don't like to ruffle feathers unless I feel the need.

Then Jake broke the news and said that I was there to lead a Bible Study tonight. All eyes are now on me and it seems like someone sucked the laughter out of the room.

Gulp. OK Holy Spirit...it's time for you to show up.

One guy said, "So, are you one of those Christians who goes door to door trying to convert people, or are you like someone who just lives out his faith and leaves others alone." He made a reference an article in today's Daily.

Double gulp. Wasn't quite expecting the interrogation upon entry. Spirit, can you come any faster?

So I said, "Well, I'm kinda in the middle. I don't believe if I have really good news, I should keep it to myself. I mean, if I had a cure for AIDS, would it be a good idea to keep it a secret?"

"At the same time, I understand Christians can be annoying and obnoxious when it comes to sharing their faith, and sometimes disingenuous as well, and I hope you don't think that I'm that way."

"Let me explain a little - you know that 'What the hell, God?!' stuff that is going around this week? I'm a part of that."

One guy pipes in, "I like that. That's kinda how I feel sometimes - what the hell, God?"

"Yeah, that's kinda why we did it. Because the reality is that if we are honest, a lot of times that's how people feel about things sometimes. Jesus talked about hell like it was a present reality - so last night we talked about injustice and why is it that folks in the Sudan are experiencing hell on earth? And tonight - we're going to talk about sex, and we're asking, "What the hell, God? I'm horny."

Laughter around the table. Now I've got an audience.

"What do you guys think?"

We talk for another few minutes, and Jake pulls me away saying we need to get started with the Bible Study. I agree, but man I'm having fun.

Jake and I pull away, and I ask him, "How do you think that went?"

He says, "Man, this is exactly why I want them to come to Bible Study. But you know what happens when you mention "Bible Study" - like the kiss of death, dude."

"Yeah, I hear ya, Jake...but you know, just keep having conversations like this and praying and see what happens. That was fun."

InterVarsity, your friends are waiting to have conversations like this. And I know sometimes it's scary to go into these conversations when we risk friendships and may stir the waters. But the upside is that we have the opportunity to see God at work and both we and our friends are transformed in the process.

And you might even laugh a little...

Cheers,

Andy Bilhorn