When God Shows Up During an Interview

Feb 12

Sometimes I am unraveled by my own interviews. I sit there amazed at the goodness of God. How he works through ordinary people to extraordinary things. I’m stunned.

I can’t stop thinking about my interview with Don Waybright. I was riveted by the story of Iesus (Jesus), eighteen years in maximum security, solitary confinement, freed by the gospel and learning to follow Jesus. The Mexican gang members turning and believing, risking retaliation for leaving their gang and being baptized. The women in Mumbai, freed from prostitution and walking with Christ.

If you listened to the podcast, but didn't watch the video, fast forward it to the last few minutes and watch Don as he baptizes Iesus who is shackled hand and foot.

Isn’t this what we signed up for?

This discipleship movement is spreading behind bars, it’s spreading among prostitutes in Mumbai, is spreading in some of the darkest places in Houston.

Don Waybright won’t mind me saying he’s just an ordinary guy. He’s been on this journey for almost twenty years. He has an extraordinary ability to take other people with him. His church is on board, they’ve trained 1,600 of their people in the basics of connecting, sharing and discipling. A few years ago Don brought a team from his church for a week of mission on the streets and in the neighborhoods of Mosside, Manchester in the north of England. Mosside is a tough neighborhood. Michelle and I were there. That’s Don and Michelle in the photo above.

Don is the missions pastor of a church of over four thousand. You wouldn’t expect the senior pastor, Mark Hartman, to have time for a week of mission in Mosside. He’d send Don and the team and cheer from back home. But Mark was there, out on the streets sharing the gospel, living what he teaches. Sugar Creek is a “both/and church”. They love being a church of thousands and they love multiplying disciples and churches anywhere they can.

I get tired of having “missional conversations”. It’s all too abstract for me. I want to hear stories of people set free by the gospel and the life of Christ in them. This a work of God. It’s the fruit of surrendering to his living Word, depending on his Holy Spirit and focusing on the core missionary task of making disciples.

That’s what I signed up for.

If this story has moved you, what will you do next? I’m if we asked Don he’d say,