St. Patrick ~ Tragedy led to His Mission for God
He was Briton by birth, raised in a well-to-do family, and his first language was Latin. He was kidnapped at age 16 by Celtic pirates and sold into a slavery in Ireland. His captors thew him out into the fields to tend to the livestock. During many lonely days and nights, he thought back to his Christian heritage and practiced the presence of God by worshiping Him as he saw the works of God in nature. He prayed a lot, recommitted himself to God out in the fields, and even his captors saw a noticeable change in him.
While in captivity, this young man came to know and love the Irish people and their culture. He also saw their desperate spiritual need for reconciliation with God through Christ.
Six years later, after a dream, he escaped from slavery. The next 25 years of his life were lived in obscurity, but somehow he received theological training and spiritual formation to serve as a priest. God then called him to take the gospel of Jesus to the barbarian Celtic people of Ireland. He set out for Ireland in 432 A.D. with a small team of priests and helpers.
His goal was gargantuan: to accomplish what the dominant Roman church thought was impossible - to bring the message of Jesus to the barbarians. At that time in history, no one was reaching out to that tough people group. Most of the Roman church thought the barbarians had to be civilized before they could possibly become followers of Christ.
Yet, the Celts were reached for Christ! Before he died 28 years later, this man and his team planted 700 churches, ordained 1,000 priests, and almost 40 of Ireland’s 150 tribes became Christian. The slave trade was also abolished before he died, due to his efforts. After his death, his followers reached most of the Celts and Scots, and within 100 years re-evangelized all of Europe.
Today is a holiday named for that priest - some of you recognize him as Patrick, or Saint Patrick.
What characterized his strategy? First, he and his pals worked as a team. They engaged people in conversation, prayed for the sick, fed the hungry, listened to people’s questions, and answered them from Scripture. Second, they invited the Celts to join small groups to experience the presence and power of God. People were allowed to belong before they had to believe. Third, Patrick and his team practiced hospitality.
What can we learn from Patrick and his mission to the Celts? The Christian faith has to be transferred and interpreted into other cultures. Evangelism is about helping other people to belong so they can come to believe.
Serve globally. How will your faith in Christ extend to others this week on campus? How can you make a difference in God’s global plan?
Mike
P.S. To learn more about St. Patrick, I recommend The Celtic Way of Evangelism, by George Hunter.
