Thursday, July 11, 2019

The Interview

Friday, July 12, 2019

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:8

In 1990 I was called to serve as pastor to a church in Jacksonville, Florida.  That first week I got a call from a local Christian radio station asking for an interview.  My answer was ME?  The voice on the other end of the phone assured me they wanted to interview the city’s new pastor; I shrugged my shoulders and went to the station the next morning at 5:30, wondering if God was even up at that hour.
I didn’t find out until after the interview that the station had made a mistake.  The church just up the road from us was North Jacksonville, and we were North Main Street.  We had about 60 in worship, they had about 5,000.  Mega Church leaders are much more of a media choice than pastors of smallish, struggling churches.  But neither I, nor the show host found out there had been a hiccup in their choice until after the live segment took place.  The radio folks were expecting the dynamic new preacher from North Jax; they got me.
There was no way I was comfortable in this situation.  The thought of me being in the center-ring of a live show that had a potential audience of more than a million people was terrifying.  I was from a small town, grew up on a dirt road, and played with toy trucks in our back yard with my best friend, Tommy Stubbulo; what did I have to say that would mean anything to a million people?  My one redeeming hope was that, along with God not being up at that hour, most people would still be snoring, and I could remain anonymous.
Now, I don’t know if anyone was impacted that day by the nerve-induced stumbling, stammering word of testimony I gave on that radio show, but it was a total act of faith that compelled me to drive to the station and actually go in.  And, I think, that may be the central point of what Jesus meant when he told his disciples with the last words of his earthly ministry, guys, YOU are the ones who are going to tell my story everywhere, to everybody, in every place, whether there is opposition from people, or even from within your own nervous stomachs; YOU - ARE - MY - WITNESSES!  What Jesus said to James, John, Peter, and the rest of the bunch was also meant for Russell, and every other believer.  Preacher, baker, butcher, or candlestick-maker, those who have trusted Christ as savior are also those called to share His story with others.
Back in 1990 I didn’t even have a recorder, so I have no idea what I said on that show.  I remember quite clearly the circus going-on in my stomach, and the fear that I was going to mess it up so bad we’d have to move to Australia, where they’d never even heard of Tommy Stubbulo.  But, somehow I survived, and we didn’t have to leave town to avoid the lynch mobs. 
I’m glad that I went to the station, because even if I did mess it up, that unsolicited call from the station was their mess-up…my job as a Christian believer is to be obedient, responding to the call of Christ to be his witness, any time, any place, to any person, simply sharing what Jesus did for a boy brought up on a dirt road on the rougher side of town.
For You Today
If you’re an introvert like me, your stomach has this roller coaster inside, and at the mere thought of taking the initiative to share your faith you feel that churning, incredible insecure smallness when the opportunity arrives.  It’s like the roller coaster car you’re in has just crested the top of the tracks, and you’re about to fall twelve-thousand miles into the abyss below.
And then, if you’ve become a follower of His, you remember…it’s not really about you…it’s all about what HE has done FOR you.
Friend, do the interview!
You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

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[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com        Unless otherwise noted, Scripture used from The New Living Translation©

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