Well, apparently you folks like stories about me being invited to "talk in tongues", as the number of people logging on the past couple of days has hit new heights. I talk some more about that, and faith-healing for that matter, after returning to states. It's been a long day, and we'll be flying all day tomorrow, I'd better get some sleep.
Sorry too about the lack of photos. Right now Blogger refuses to download the pictures from my digital camera, so I always have to go through a third-party to get those things posted.... which takes forever. Once again, give me a few days, and I promise you pictures with witty comments. I won't let you down.
I will tell you one story before I hit the hay...
We had a free day today, so after a morning at the new Churchill Museum (fantastic!!!) and the Tower of London (if you like nasty stories about gore and death, weapons, castle towers, and want to see the royal families jewels.... don't miss it. It was right up my alley), stopped off down at Piccadilly Circus (there are no animals, clowns, or acrobats.... yeah, I was disappointed too) to find some noodles, and egg roll, and a refreshing beverage (ethos statement legal.... I think). When the two couples sitting next to me heard my "accent" (although my English accent is getting better... it's spot on, mates), they asked if I was from America, which led to them asking what I do for a living.
Now, if you answer that you are a Methodist Minister, and you are under the age of 193 years old, people in London look at you like you're made out of neon. Pretty soon, I found myself answering questions about God, Jesus, the Church, why American pastors only seem concerned with money, and why I'd dedicate myself to a "myth". In the course of our conversation, I found out they had lived all their lives in London, and only one of the four had ever been in a church... and that only one time.
And, here's the crazy thing, the more I tried to just kind of cap the conversation (I had to hit the Underground for an evening engagement with my BP mates), the more curious they became. Finally, needing to leave, I offered to pray for them all before I left.
"Here? In a Chinese restaurant? In public?", they replied.
And, then we did. I advised them all to look into an Alpha Class at HTB (which, given the size and scope of the church.... one of the Spice Girls took an Alpha Class recently.... they had never heard of), and I think they were all really interested.
Which leads me to this...
In the states, people are wary of evangelistic preachers. They either think they just want their money, or want to control them, or want to convert them to some other brand of Christianity, and so the whole idea of having a conversation about God in a Chinese restaurant just seems (in the Midwest, anyway) unlikely. But over here, where people have only heard vague things about Christianity (kind of like how most Americans know almost nothing about other world religions, and thus think their all the same), their curious. They ask questions. And somehow, as faith has disappeared in this country, the baggage the church once had seems to be fading too, which is encouraging, and the English people can approach the issue of faith like, well...
children. I seem to remember Jesus saying something about that.
Interesting... very interesting.
I do promise an update, either tomorrow or the day after, but I've never experienced jet lag before, so I guess I'd better not promise anything.
Until then.... Good Night, Mates!
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