Confessions of a Bounty Hunter

Confessions of a Bounty Hunter

From the series, "Escape to Freedom: Diary of a Battered Preacher's Wife"

Previous chapter: "The Art of Goofy-Stupid"

By: Susan McKenzie A.K.A. Tender Lily

The Preacher's name was Ron, and he called himself a Bounty Hunter for the Lord. Prior to preaching and becoming a businessman, Ron had been an entertainer and a pilot.

After "getting lit by God" as he calls it, Ron practiced preaching on unsuspecting passengers. He would invite people to fly with him and then practice radiating his passion for God, believing with all his heart that they would "catch the fire" and give their hearts to God. He always began by asking them to share their own story with him.

Here's a part of Ron's story, in his words, transcribed with his permission to share with you:

It puts my heart in a place, I ask God, how do I love them?  “I want to be a bounty hunter for Jesus,” I told myself. 

I found the best way to teach is to listen. You teach in spirit. All that time you sit there listening to them, they feel what is in your heart, they feel the unconditional love.

I didn’t try to convince them to join my organization.  I prayed, Lord, let them stay right where they are, because they can be a light right where they are. It’s my job to be a light. It’s God’s job to convert.

It’s my job to show them that God tastes good. It's God job to taste good.

I have to realize it’s ALL A GIFT FROM GOD. So there is no room for me to boast. Only to rejoice.

You can’t be a Light to a world you are condemning. You are probably a road block."

As I listened to Ron speak, I realized he had used the same strategy with me. He asked me to fly with him, and then he asked me to share my story with him. And then it opened the door for him to share his passion, through storytelling.

As I meditated on what Ron was teaching me, I thought about "radiation treatment" for the cancers of hatred and violence. You simply "radiate". You listen from your heart, not with your head. You listen with one ear open to God. Which means you are deeply concerned about the PERSON in front of you. They are not just someone you want to convert. They are a child of God in their own right, with their own unique beliefs and perspectives.

Ron taught me that listening opens the door to their hearts and they invite you to be their friend. As a trusted friend, you then have the privilege to speak what you believe and perhaps challenge each other back and forth about certain points.

I asked Ron what kind of response he was getting to his "bounty hunting," and he told me that most Christians in the United States don't get it quite yet, but that he had a 100% success rate.

In general, people are so used to bringing people into buildings to hear some music and then listen to a person speak on a stage. If it's a high tech church, there will be multimedia and special effects. Good graphics and a great sound system. Many people haven't realized the importance of relationship, even though Jesus demonstrated as he simply spent time with people… eating and drinking and sharing stories.

There are lots of church potlucks and picnics happening, but that's only a great beginning… where Jesus ate and drank was not in a church building.

I saw Jesus in Ron's life, in April 2011. He calls it the power of the "people in the pew", which he says he learned at "Jesus Touch," a church in the Philippines. It all began with a pretty Filipino church leader picking her nose followed by a game of musical chairs. But we'll save that story for another day!

From the series, "Escape to Freedom: Diary of a Battered Preacher's Wife" Part 4

Previous chapter: "The Art of Goofy-Stupid"

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Choosing love today,

Susan

Tagged as: Choosing Love Today, Deborah White Dove, Getting Your Life Back, PTSD - post-traumatic stress disorder, Unbuckle Your Christianity, Writing a Life Story