The Journey of an Atheist 2 (of 3)

Upon exchanging e-mail addresses we began to chat via e-mail, phone and when I would see him at church.  His girlfriend had been attending for about eight months and within her first few weeks she committed her life to Christ, attended her first LifeGroup (Small Group), attended membership class, began serving in several ministry areas and got baptized; needless to say the girl was on fire for Jesus. 

For his privacy, and the fact that his e-mail address is so amusing, we will call him Pimsh_ _ for the sake of these posts.  Pimpsh_ _ would come to church every once in awhile and I remember him showing up at our membership class.  I noticed him sitting on the edge of the stage waiting as everyone was leaving.   

He finally approached me and said; “I don’t even know why I am here, I don’t believe, I have been inviting people to church for the last couple of weeks… it’s just weird man.  I mean you are cool Scott you don’t judge me and people around this place don’t look at me crazy.”  He went on to say “I have been to a number of churches in my life and have known a bunch of Christians and they always seem to be a bunch of hypocrites.  They would look at me crazy because of how I looked, my tattoos…; I don’t know something is different about you and this church.”  I chuckled, thanked him for inviting his friends and reminded him that he could give me a call anytime. 

From this point we would continue to have sporadic conversations and I would receive updates from his girlfriend regarding his life and his journey.  Each time that I would talk to him or his girlfriend it was clear that God was working on his heart.  

Fast forward several months of ups and downs and an Atheist filled with many questions.  Pimpsh_ _ still does not believe but is asking some pointed questions, longing, searching to fill that void.  Around this same time Pimpsh_ _ and his girlfriend enrolled in our Prep For Marriage Class.   

As my wife and I were finishing up the second day of the class Pimpsh_ _ and his girlfriend stayed behind and we began talking.  This was the moment that I had been waiting for… his heart was primed and ready, he was saying things like “I can believe the sky is blue because I can see it, I believe that there is carpet in this room because I can see it.”  I’m thinking to myself, this is my opportunity, as we go back and forth about faith, what it is, grace, life, who God is, who Jesus is, the worldly things we put our trust in, asking “What If”….   

This conversation was really good and he began to share more of his life story and shared things about his life that he said that he hadn’t shared with many people.  He reminded me that because he didn’t believe, didn’t mean that he was “hatin’ on God or the church,” as a matter of fact he said “You are doing something right, I’m here and I’m sharing things that I don’t share.”   

We talked for about an hour and as we continued talking, I became confident that I could lead him to Christ at this moment… Soooo I waited, knowing some of his story and knowing that Craig’s message the next day was about being held hostage to “Bitterness.”  Pimsh_ _  had promised me he was coming to church the next day. 

Sorry for the long post, I am trying to fit it into three parts.  More Tommorrow!

Do you find it difficult to be patient or second guessing your decisions?  Would your church look at people crazy because of their tatoos or their clothes?