A lesson in Shalom

We eat all our meals with JPUSAns (aka someone who lives with Jesus People) and since there are about 450 people living in this intentional community, we never really know who will end up at your table.

During the first week when the JPUSAns still didn’t really know who this large group of people was staying in their “youth flat” we got asked a lot of questions. (Apparently, being here for a month is abnormal. Usually groups only stay here for a week or two). Since we were so “odd” (which is a weird word to use when comparing us to JPUSAns – ha), people frequently asked us who we are and what in the world we’re doing. On one occasion, someone asked me what Mennonites believe.

Uh…

Okay don’t get me wrong. I know what I believe. After I did go to a Mennonite university (even if it was Bluffton – okay that was a poor joke. Sorry Bluffton). Yet, for some reason I was at a complete loss for words when I was asked this question. And no Radical Journey people at my table seemed willing to jump in. I was on my own.

I did manage to muster up some lame response about being a peace church. Yet, I walked away from the conversation completely frustrated at myself. Yeah, Mennonites are against war but it’s so much more than that. I couldn’t remember what I was leaving out – until these past few days.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, James Krabill (who works for the Mennonite Church) came to speak to us about peace and all its implications. Together, we discussed how peace and evangelism cannot really be separated.

Wait? What?

Yeah, peace and evangelism really cannot be separated, which blows my mind. I had never thought of it like that before. Thinking about both of these things in a dualistic way really puts a new, more positive spin on evangelism. Before hand, the term “evangelism” really had (and still has) negative stigma thanks all the terrible things people have done “in the name of Jesus.” That or evangelism makes Christianity appear pushy, forceful, insensitive, aggressive, and imposed.

Yet, Jesus is the gospel and the gospel is peace. Thinking about peace in that way makes it impossible to place peace in a tiny pacifist box when peace is all encompassing. Peace is not just the absence of violence. In fact, shalom is more about all creation being restored to God.

Although this wasn’t all completely new, it was really good to remember all of this.

God and God’s shalom are way bigger than I give God credit. Thank goodness.