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Friday, February 4, 2011

Here's a PSU Park Block Riddle for you...

Q: What do you get when you cross a Pantheistic Agnostic Polytheist, Pagan, and a Unitarian Universalist with two Christians sharing their faith at PSU?

A: You get a 2 hour long conversation that moves down the benches in the Park Blocks to try and stay in the sun and talks about lots of different topics!

Ok, I'll explain where I get this conclusion; it's from personal experience!  This is what can happen any day you head over to PSU to talk with students about Jesus.  So, just how did this come about?  Well, here is a bit of the story:

Using Perspective Cards (http://perspectivecards.com/)

My friends James, Amie and I were teamed up to go out and start conversations this past Wednesday.  Amie was going to start off praying while James and I initiated a conversation.  We were using a new tool (well, at least new for me) call Perspective Cards {click the link to watch a video about them} to help start conversations and get an idea of what students at Portland State believe. 

We started talking to a guy named David, who, though our conversation with the cards said he was a Pantheistic Agnostic Polytheist (those were the cards he picked for is view of God).  While we were talking to him the sun was moving and we kept getting caught in the shade so we would scoot down the bench to stay in the sun, but there was a girl who was sitting at the other end of the bench.  While our conversation continued (and we kept getting closer to the girl) she started listening into our conversation, and actually started asking a couple questions too! 

Then shortly after she started asking questions, she was joined by a friend as well, who also would ask questions, as well as share his perspective.  The girl's name is Eva, and she said she is a Pagan, and her friend's name is Andrew and he is what I would consider a Unitarian Universalist (all religions are pretty much the same and all lead to the same "source") even though he didn't actually say "I'm a Unitarian Universalist."

The best part of this conversation was that God was really just speaking to these people, and I was able to share the Gospel with them, even though they still wouldn't believe it.  These three points of view are pretty much what I have encountered the most at PSU.  There tends to be a belief that there isn't an absolute truth and that Jesus just can't be the only way.  But I think what is really awesome is that for those two hours that James and I were talking with these three students, they were able to experience God's love and hear the message of His Son in a whole new way.  Usually Jesus is presented at PSU by the street preachers screaming and yelling at the students, but they were really excited to hear what we believe and let their opinions actually be heard.

So, here are my big takeaways from that two hour conversation:
1) I really need to continue to learn more about my faith!  Being surrounded by believers most of the time means I don't usually have to defend what I believe in, so I'm getting a bit rusty.
2) Amie's prayers were awesome!  Yes, she sat in the cold and prayed for James and I and the people we were talking with for those two hours.  Awesome job, Friend! :-)
3) There are a lot of people who believe really strange things about Jesus and the Bible, and we need to be prepared to stand firm.

Well, this is a long post, but it was a long conversation that went in every direction, but still it was awesome!  Please pray for David, Eva and Andrew as the Lord works in their hearts.
Gotta Love Portlandia! ;-)

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