What is "it"?

Beginning June 1 we are doing a series called "Takin it to the streets." The idea comes from a old Doobie Brothers song by the same title(That's right I get to say the word "doobie" in church).

Anyway, we are also taking a stab at producing our own videos for the series. We are going different places asking people to tell us what they think "it" is. We are also doing a video to use the first week with the song in the background (when we get it done you will be the first to see it).

In this video I am walking through the streets of Akron carrying big red "it." What an experience that was. It was quite boring, just people staring. Finally a guy came running after us in a suit. He was probably 17-18 years old. He asked us what "it" stood for. I asked him if he would like to answer that for us as we recorded it. He declined.

Then he started, he pulled out a tract and handed it to each of us inviting us to his church. When I saw the churches name and address I knew exactly where it was. It is in a part of Akron I happen to be familiar with. Everytime I drive by this church I mumble to myself the name I have given it, "The you are not welcome here First Baptist Church." The reason is the church is surrounded by a high barbed wire fence. It is like a gated community of believers.

We told him we were working on a video for a sermon series I was preaching. He went on to invite us to his church. I told him that would be hard since I would be preaching. He then turned to the others who were with me and said well you could come. I told him that would be hard since this is our family minister and our student minister.

Think about this, there are thousands of people who are far from God in the city of Akron and this guy really tried hard to get three ministers from another church to come to their community. Now that's is evangelism at it's highest level.

To close out the video, I take the "i" off and carry just a cross. I know it may be somewhat cheesy, but it makes a point. So now I am carrying a big red cross one block to where I parked. I have to go by this bar that have people sitting on the patio. I am fully prepared to have to defend my faith looking at the crowd in front of me.

As I pass the crowd a guy looks at me and smiles. I said, "How are you doing?" He puts his hand on my shoulder and says, "I am thrown off by the cross." I was just about to engage him in a conversation about the cross and another guy starts flipping out because of the camera. The guy I was talking to runs into the bar not wanting to be seen on camera. So I keep walking to the car as they film me leaving.

What happened out of my sight explains a lot. As one guy is going nuts about the camera another guy sitting on the patio said, "Are you ashamed to be gay?" He then said, "I'm not!" and danced in front of the camera. I had just walked by a gay bar with a red cross. Not even knowing it.

It is pretty telling to me though, that I can walk down the street not ashamed of the cross, while there are some who are ashamed of their lifestyle. But isn't that what sin does, it makes us ashamed just like Adam and Eve when they disobeyed God. It makes us want to run and hide. The only thing I wish is that I had more time to talk with those guys about what we were doing. That we were "Taking "it" to the Streets."

I am going to ask you the same question we are asking others, "What is the 'it'?"