Get 'em, Akeem

I have this friend from my days in Wallace Hall named Akeem. He's a tall, deep thinking guy, and he really loves the Lord. I don't really know how I met him, he works really hard on his schoolwork and kind of keeps to himself. Here's the thing that kind of sets Akeem apart: every Saturday, technically Friday sundown through Saturday sundown, he takes a Sabbath. A full on, do nothing but read the Bible, Jew-esque Sabbath. He said it's something his family started back in Davenport.

Akeem's obviously got strong convictions. He has his Jesus space, and he's willing to sacrifice for it. The thing that makes me scratch my head a little bit is that he isn't in any sort of Christian community. I'm kind of the only Christian he knows at Iowa State, which is kind of sad. I challenged him on this, partly because he would benefit from being plugged into the body, and largely because the body would greatly benefit from having him. But since I'm his only Christian brother here, I was the one that he called up to share his new conviction:

Share the word.

He said it was burning on him, that all his private study couldn't end there but needed to go forth. I said, yep. I'm in. We have had trouble meeting up because he doesn't have a cell phone, but we finally intersected on Tuesday afternoon. So we headed to the MU, not entirely sure what it would look like. We walked in, surveyed the food court for a moment, and then Akeem said simply said "let's go." Haha, he went.

"Hey you guys got a minute?" he boldly asked this table of three trendy looking guys who are finishing up their french fries. Not my first choice of people to share with, these guys seem really self assured and comfortable. But Akeem is on fire. The guys look up from the fries and are like, "yeah, sure, what's going on?" So Akeem just gives it to them. A full gospel presentation, talking for about 2 minutes about how Jesus was born 2000 years ago and died for their sins and rose again from the grave.

I'll admit, I was somewhat squirming. Akeem's style wasn't smooth or deft or pleasant. Not that it was unpleasant. It was just straightforward. Very straight. Very forward. His tone was really good, I gotta mention that. Not forceful, but confident that these words have power. His altar call at the end wasn't to pray a prayer or anything, but mostly to get plugged in to a ministry, Salt or Cru or something. Which is kind of ironic since he's never been to any of those ministries.

Of the three guys there was still one that looked like he was mostly listening. He said he used to teach confirmation class back home, and had been to Salt a couple times. The other guys said they were catholic, lutheran, something like that. Akeem told them they were on the right track, and then moved on to the next table.

More confession time, I felt really awkward. With Akeem's style, I didn't have to say anything, but I should probably look confident and receptive to what he's saying. And I'm not convinced I was giving a vibe of confidence or unity with his words. Lord, have mercy.

After a second table, I told Akeem I could better serve our team as the prayer support, since I wasn't really needed to say anything. Give the air support while he's the boots on the ground. He agreed. So I pulled out Isaiah 42 and journaled and prayed up and down that place, while Akeem kept going table to table with his 2-3 minute commercial for Jesus. It worked pretty well from there. I prayed through every verse of the chapter and then some. Akeem was soon out of sight around the corner. The moment I felt like I should end the prayer Akeem showed right back up, saying "that's all of it." I believed him.

What was most compelling about Akeem and his sharing style was that this guy has no fear of man whatsoever. And an obvious love for the word and for Christ. But seriously, he didn't care what people thought or if there was awkwardness. He marched right in and said his piece. Then marched on.

Now a brief snippet of what I would change. I won't say much because, well, he had the guts to do it. First, a more obvious love for the people. It sounded a little like a commercial. Second, a little more creativity. He was walking out 1 Corinthians 2:2 -- For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. Akeem's delivery just started with "Two thousand years ago Jesus came to the earth, both God and man." True. Just, not an instant audience connector. All in all though, I'm proud of my boy Akeem and compelled by his example. Hopefully I get up the guts one of these days to just ask for a table's attention and just preach the word.

Lord may you use the efforts of Akeem and I today to change hearts and impact lives. It's but a few loaves and a couple fish, but Lord you can multiply it. May you bless Akeem and give him true fellowship. May you make us into powerful witnesses for your Name.