The Luthers (pictured here in their home with our team from Memphis) are a living experiment in the power of contrast communities. When asked to describe the spiritual state of those living in Bacolod, Nathan said that most have a kind of built-in resistance to the Gospel. Woven into the deep fabric of the city is a rich Catholic heritage. But rather than serving to sensitize the the citizens to God and Scripture, it appears to have done the opposite. Religion, in the minds of many, has become reduced to a few holy days/holidays and some ritual and regulation.
There is a sense, then, in which many believe they need nothing else. What religion they truly require they believe they already have. Yet there is a desperate absence of a living relationship with the Father and a faith that transforms every aspect of life.
The Luthers believed the best step forward was to find a way to get into the lives of the people and to live out in front of them a truly Gospel-infused life. This, in part, led to the establishment of the Shiloh Christian School. Besides providing an education of excellence in a city whose education system is grossly overburdened, the school provides the Luthers an opportunity meet and interact with children, adults, and families whom they would never have touched as traditional missionaries. And as the Luthers live out a transformative faith in front of these people, amazing things happen.
Lenny is a perfect example. Lenny came to Shiloh as a teacher. She had a nominal faith in Christ but longed for something more authentic. Over time, as she watched the Luthers, discovered their genuineness, and saw how Christ affected everything they did–from how they taught, to how they interacted as a family, to how they spent their moments and money–she was moved. Eventually, she committed her life to Christ through baptism and is one of the most hard-working and faithful members of the local church which meets in the Shiloh auditorium each Sunday morning.
Are you part of a contrast community? How have you seen this power at work?
