Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Meet Laz...
You need to know the story of my friend Laza Razafimanjato. He is one of the 26 or so Madagascar students studying at ACU. These students were hand picked by their nation's leaders to come and study at ACU. That in itself is pretty neat and makes Laz special. Most of these students have made Southern Hills their church home for the last 2 and 1/2 years. Before coming to ACU, I doubt any of them had ever even heard of the church of Christ.
It was not long until they began to have questions about what we believe and why we worship the way we do. I had the priviledge of having Laz (and sometimes others) in our home over the course of three months to study the Bible together. Laz was convicted about the Christian life to the point where he even talked to his parents back home about what he was learning and how it made him feel. He became convinced that he needed to make a decision about Jesus but did not want it to be a cultural thing, or an American thing.
He spent over one year praying, thinking, and wrestling with his decision about Jesus. And I appreciate that. Several of you have been praying for Laz. You see, it is a much bigger deal for Laz than for most of us. There are no Southern Hills in Madagascar. It won't be the thing to do back home to go to church. He will face persecution; some will see it as "American" or as an ACU thing. Some will even see it as a rejection of his roots. But in the end, none of that mattered. Laz wanted to know Jesus and to die with him.
So last Wednesday night I baptized Laz into Christ. It was emotional, joyful, and spiritual.
And what an odd way for God to work in Madagascar. Because I believe that is what he is doing. I can only imagine what God has in store for that country. God bless you Laz... and go God go.
It was not long until they began to have questions about what we believe and why we worship the way we do. I had the priviledge of having Laz (and sometimes others) in our home over the course of three months to study the Bible together. Laz was convicted about the Christian life to the point where he even talked to his parents back home about what he was learning and how it made him feel. He became convinced that he needed to make a decision about Jesus but did not want it to be a cultural thing, or an American thing.
He spent over one year praying, thinking, and wrestling with his decision about Jesus. And I appreciate that. Several of you have been praying for Laz. You see, it is a much bigger deal for Laz than for most of us. There are no Southern Hills in Madagascar. It won't be the thing to do back home to go to church. He will face persecution; some will see it as "American" or as an ACU thing. Some will even see it as a rejection of his roots. But in the end, none of that mattered. Laz wanted to know Jesus and to die with him.
So last Wednesday night I baptized Laz into Christ. It was emotional, joyful, and spiritual.
And what an odd way for God to work in Madagascar. Because I believe that is what he is doing. I can only imagine what God has in store for that country. God bless you Laz... and go God go.
