Without Prejudice

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Without Prejudice
Then Peter replied, "I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism."
—Acts 10:34

Some fifty years ago there was a pastor named Charles, known by his friends as Chuck, who felt God had called him to teach the Bible in an understandable way. He became the pastor of a small church in Orange County, California, known as Calvary Chapel.

The counterculture revolution was in full swing, and kids were collectively losing their minds. Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll was the mantra of the day. Parents thought an entire generation was lost.

Chuck looked at these hippies and, for the most part, didn’t want that much to do with them. But his wife, Kay, one of the unsung heroes of the Jesus Movement, had a real heart for these kids, and she prayed for them.

Then one day their daughter brought home a living, breathing hippie. It turns out this hippie was a Christian, and he talked about how his friends were coming to faith in Christ. Chuck and Kay wanted to open up Calvary Chapel to these hippies, and Chuck shared this with his board of elders.

The elders, however, didn’t want hippies in the church because their bare feet would soil the new carpet. So the next Sunday morning, Chuck was at the front door with a basin of water and a rag, ready to wash the hippies’ feet so they could come to church.

Chuck won that battle. The hippies started coming in, and this became part of a modern revival known as the Jesus Movement, the impact of which continues to this day. Chuck Smith was willing to overcome personal prejudice and say, “Yes, Lord.”

Is there someone in your life who is different from you, someone you don’t necessarily want to reach out to? Are you willing to overcome personal prejudice? Are you willing to say, “Yes, Lord”?

Copyright © 2017 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
 
Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Without Prejudice
Then Peter replied, "I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism."
—Acts 10:34

Some fifty years ago there was a pastor named Charles, known by his friends as Chuck, who felt God had called him to teach the Bible in an understandable way. He became the pastor of a small church in Orange County, California, known as Calvary Chapel.

The counterculture revolution was in full swing, and kids were collectively losing their minds. Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll was the mantra of the day. Parents thought an entire generation was lost.

Chuck looked at these hippies and, for the most part, didn’t want that much to do with them. But his wife, Kay, one of the unsung heroes of the Jesus Movement, had a real heart for these kids, and she prayed for them.

Then one day their daughter brought home a living, breathing hippie. It turns out this hippie was a Christian, and he talked about how his friends were coming to faith in Christ. Chuck and Kay wanted to open up Calvary Chapel to these hippies, and Chuck shared this with his board of elders.

The elders, however, didn’t want hippies in the church because their bare feet would soil the new carpet. So the next Sunday morning, Chuck was at the front door with a basin of water and a rag, ready to wash the hippies’ feet so they could come to church.

Chuck won that battle. The hippies started coming in, and this became part of a modern revival known as the Jesus Movement, the impact of which continues to this day. Chuck Smith was willing to overcome personal prejudice and say, “Yes, Lord.”

Is there someone in your life who is different from you, someone you don’t necessarily want to reach out to? Are you willing to overcome personal prejudice? Are you willing to say, “Yes, Lord”?

Copyright © 2017 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

Yes, one of those hippies at Chuck's church years later was my pastor. He's retired now. And Yes, I am willing to overcome personal prejudice and say yes to who God brings into my life. Jesus gave us the perfect example when he told Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector, (who was so short (small stature) he climbed up a tree to see Jesus)..that he would come to his house that night. Keeping in mind that Tax Collector's were very much disliked among the people.
 
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Coffeedrinker, I corrected my spelling and a couple of other things on my post and see you read it before I did that so you might want to take another look. Thanks and God bless you for starting this thread. sandpiper :)
 
Yes, one of those hippies at Chuck's church years later was my pastor. He's retired now. And Yes, I am willing to overcome personal prejudice and say yes to who God brings into my life. Jesus gave us the perfect example when he told Zacheaus (who was so short (small stature) he climbed up a tree to see Jesus)..that he would come to his house for dinner that night.

Such a small word how things intertwine. That's very interesting. Thank you for telling me that.
There is a local diner down the road from where I live. My niece and I eat there a lot. The waitress is a throwback hippie. I kid you not. It's hilarious. We call her Mrs. Willie Nelson because she has Willie Nelson hair in long braids. She makes us laugh every time we go in there. She is still a hippie today.... but she is happy.
 
Yes, one of those hippies at Chuck's church years later was my pastor. He's retired now. And Yes, I am willing to overcome personal prejudice and say yes to who God brings into my life. Jesus gave us the perfect example when he told Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector, (who was so short (small stature) he climbed up a tree to see Jesus)..that he would come to his house that night. Keeping in mind that Tax Collector's were very much disliked among the people.

Tax collectors are still very much disliked among our people.... lol
 
Such a small word how things intertwine. That's very interesting. Thank you for telling me that.
There is a local diner down the road from where I live. My niece and I eat there a lot. The waitress is a throwback hippie. I kid you not. It's hilarious. We call her Mrs. Willie Nelson because she has Willie Nelson hair in long braids. She makes us laugh every time we go in there. She is still a hippie today.... but she is happy.

My pastor was part of the Jesus movement and back then dressed as hippies did; but as my pastor (in in his late 60's) he became very conservative. He dressed casually but short hair. Loved his shoes though..they were brown and white oxfords. A little flamboyant but mostly more conservative. Great preacher. Some of the ways in which God used him changed my life.
 
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