God Uses Unsuitable People

 In his brilliant book on Marketplace Christianity, Ed Silvoso tells the story of a newly converted Filipino taxi driver.

He felt the leading of the Holy Spirit to personally go and evangelise in a pub. The pub was called "Sweet Moments".

"Every day he visited the pub, ordered a soft drink and prayed for blessings and peace for everyone in the pub, the staff and the customers.

After a few days, he became friends with Brian, the manager. Brian was a drug addict and a drug dealer. He was also a pimp with 35 prostitutes.

The friendship became closer. After a few days, Brian became a convert and the newly converted taxi driver baptised him at a nearby beach.  

When Brian emerged from the water, the power of God came upon him and he experienced an instant transformation.

He was instantly freed from gambling, drug addiction and all his vices. He was no longer a pimp either. He had previously done this to finance his vices.

Soon the 35 prostitutes were also converted and the lawyer who owned the pub was also converted.

The pub became a dynamic Christian church and the newly converted taxi driver was the pastor and church leader."

But can that be biblically okay? Can a newly converted Christian plant a church? Can a non-ordained preacher baptise? For many, this is unthinkable.

But Jesus is our role model, isn't he?

Jesus chose disciples who had no theological training.

He drove demons out of a raging possessed man who had terrorised an entire region.

Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.

When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him.

With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!”
For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.” Mk 5:5–8 NLT

The man was completely set free. And what did Jesus do then? Did he refer him to a good rehab centre?

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him.
But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” Mk 5:18–19 NLT

And what did the man do?

So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them. Mk 5:20 NLT

The man became the evangelist for an entire region, just like the newly converted Filipino taxi driver who evangelised in a brothel and planted a church.

When it comes to totally crazy projects with unqualified preachers or missionaries, Jesus is the specialist par excellence.

Jackie Pullinger was a young unmarried English woman who God chose to be a missionary, but no missionary organisation would have her.

She went on a sea voyage and disembarked in Hong Kong with virtually no money.

She started missionary work in the dirtiest place in Hong Kong. There were no policemen and no toilets in the walled city, but there were many drug dealers, many prostitutes and many brutal pimps. 

She had no sponsor and no financial support, but with God's help she founded a mission that transformed the worst place in Hong Kong.

When it comes to totally crazy projects with unqualified preachers or missionaries, Jesus is the specialist par excellence.