Are We Ready and Willing?

Pastor Chuck Smith, as portrayed in the new movie, The Jesus Revolution, was initially unwilling to love the hippies streaming into southern California in the late 1960’s. His response to them was: “They need a bath!” But when he was introduced to hippy evangelist Lonnie Frizbee, Lonnie persuaded him that these young people were searching for the right things, just in all the wrong places, as he had done in his recent past until he was introduced to Jesus.

The well-known story is that Pastor Chuck opened up the doors of the small church and hippies began flocking there. They brought with them a lot of baggage—physical, emotional, and spiritual. They were young, immature, and had some “far out” ideas. But they were also deeply dissatisfied and hungered for something more out of life. This hunger was what led to much of the experimentation with drugs, communes, and sex.

As this movement spread across the nation, it became obvious that few in the American Church were ready for these young people to descend upon their churches. Many rejected them because of their looks and lifestyles. Others interpreted their music and clothing as irreverent and inappropriate for a church service. Given the general informality of churches today, it’s difficult to comprehend such things being such a barrier. But they were tests of fellowship with these crazy-looking young people. Many churches wanted them to “clean up” before truly accepting them.

Reflecting on the Jesus Movement, so much of what we do now in our churches found their birth in this revival—contemporary worship music, informality of worship services, and small groups outside of Sunday School, just to name a few. I think many Christians of that era pushed back on something that God was doing. It didn’t matter; he found a way and a generation of young people were impacted and transformed.

When I think back of what was happening in the late 1960’s, it is seems eerily familiar to today. The culture was roiling. Viet Nam was growing unpopular with protests on many college campuses, including Kent State where four people were killed by National Guard troops. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated within two months of one another. There were bombings on several university campuses. The world seemed to have gone crazy, which was the perfect opportunity for the Lord to begin moving among the people. And people like Chuck Smith began to see this and, instead of resisting what was going on, put their energies into what the Lord was trying to do—which is what he is always trying to do—to draw people to himself.

Now let’s look at what is happening today. The nation’s politics are roiled with many Americans staked out on opposite sides of issues, leading to protests and often violence (Viet Nam?) There is once again racial tension around the shooting of black men by police (the Civil Rights Era?). Mass shootings have become common place (university bombings?) Various lifestyles of mostly young people have challenged the norms of culture (hippies?). I think we would be remiss not to recognize the core issue here: people are searching for meaning and purpose, and as Lonnie said to Chuck, they are looking in all the wrong places. But just as the hippies became dissatisfied by what they were not finding—true peace, love, and freedom—so I think people in our culture today are approaching the same wall. Politics is not doing it; alternative lifestyles are not doing it; anger and bitterness towards others is not doing it; wealth and fame are not doing it. Religious practice is not doing it. They are weary and heavy-laden. Jesus is inviting them to come to him for rest (Matthew 11:28).

Asbury may have been the first indicator that many are wanting to take him up on his offer. If so, then the question we must ask is: Are we ready and willing to engage in what the Lord is doing? Are we willing to do “church” differently in order to meet the needs out there? Or will we insist that things must stay the same? Are we prepared to welcome into our lives and churches the transgender young people who want to know Jesus? Or the homosexual couple? Or the far left or far right activist? What will be our instinctive reaction? Will it be to love them and show them what it looks like to follow Jesus? Or will it be to tell them how they need to change before they are acceptable. Are we prepared for their lack of belief in absolute truth? Or their acceptance of abortion? Will these things stand in our way of loving them and accepting them into our midst?

And if we are willing to accept them into our midst, are we ready to disciple them? And, if so, do we know how to do that? Remember, the hippies coming to Calvary Chapel (Chuck Smith’s church) were not spiritually mature. Far from it. Like babies, they had to be nurtured in order to grow up. Have our churches prepared us to do this?

Our society is flailing about right now looking for meaning and purpose. They are hungry and thirsty for satisfaction in their lives. Yet, few are finding it. We believers in Jesus have the answer and, as the Lord declared, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” (John 4:35b)

May we see through the same lens as Jesus and be willing and ready for the harvest that appears to be at hand.

© Jim Musser 2023 All Scripture references are from the New International Version, 2011.