Sunday, April 03, 2005

Let Me Tell You About Dirk

Dirk Wood, pictured below, is one of the missionaries our church supports. Dirk and his family have been coming to our annual Missions Conferences ever since I can remember (I've been at the church since 1991). Dirk met my pastor at Bible School, and they've kept in touch ever since. Anyway, Dirk is a missionary with Globe Missionary Evangelism, and you can read more about his ministry HERE.

Dirk is kinda hard to describe in just a few words, but I don't think he'd mind being described as "excited for Jesus"...better yet, EXCITED FOR JESUS!!! Dirk is what you might call an "unconventional" kinda guy. Everything about Dirk points others to Jesus. He's got a pinstripe suit and the pinstripes spell "Jesus". Or look at the outfit he has on in the picture with me (below)...it tells the whole Gospel message. Dirk has been known to "talk to God" on his daughter's play phone (he just so happens to be in a large crowd when he does this, and the Lord inevitably tells Dirk how much He wants those listening in on the conversation to know of His love for them). He loves to stand up on a ladder and preach to crowds on the street corner, or walk down the street wrapped in a ball and chain demonstrating how Jesus set him free from the bondage of sin. Dirk would have to be the epitome of the whole idea of being an evangelist.

But I'm not writing about Dirk tonight because of the cool things he does...ok, not JUST for the cool things he does. I'm writing about Dirk because I admire him. I think he has everything I lack in the area of boldness. I know his brand of evangelism is not the only way to do it, but if God had given me a different personality, I would want one like Dirk's.

When you are as outspoken about Christ as Dirk is, you can imagine there are a lot of people who do not like him and give him a hard time wherever he goes. He's been yelled at, cussed at, spit on and arrested while trying to tell others about Christ. I guess you should expect that if you are going to be as bold for God as Dirk is, but I guess another reason Dirk is special to me is because of the flak he takes from other Christians. He'll tell a "funny story" every now-and-then about some Christian who has gotten upset with his style of evangelism, but I also know there are some churches who won't support him because he's too "wild". I just admire the guy. I don't have the guts to do what he does, but he is ALWAYS thinking of way to present a witness for Christ. I would dare to say that most Christians/pastors/churches who criticize Dirk have not witnessed to as many people as Dirk has led to the Lord (let alone the THOUSANDS he has been a witness to).

God gives us all different personalities and gifts, and I've finally learned to appreciate the way God shaped me. We're all unique, but God definitely broke the mold with Dirk...and I just want to say "thank you Lord for Dirk Wood!" I really enjoyed spending time with Dirk and his family (along with our other missionaries) during our conference this year. Dirk is always good for a laugh and a HUGE challenge to me in the area of being a witness for Christ. God bless Dirk!

-Rob

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