Contagious Prayer
Em Griffin
Effective ethical influence is best served by giving the group plenty of space. It's okay to try to persuade. But never short-circuit the other's freedom to respond.
—Em Griffin
We met the train at three o'clock Sunday afternoon. I went in my official capacity as president of our university chapter of InterVarsity. Joyce, our vice president, was with me. We'd received word that our new IVCF field rep would visit our group that night. We'd been told to pick her up at the train station and spend time with her until the meeting.
To say we were apprehensive is putting too heavy a cast on the situation. But our executive board was used to flying solo. We hadn't seen a staff person for six months, and we weren't sure exactly what it was we were supposed to do with "our leader" until seven o'clock. It turned out that our vague unease was well founded.
As she stepped off the train, she announced, "My name is Angela Thompson. Please call me Angie because we're going to be very close. I'm ready to give you the counsel and advice you've been needing this past year."
We took her to the student union for coffee. She told us she felt Christians shouldn't purchase anything on Sunday so she'd pass. But, she said, we could feel free if we wanted some. As we sat down at the table, she leveled me with an intent gaze and asked, "How's your quiet time?"
Angie meant well, but it was a long four hours.
It would be easy to read these paragraphs and conclude that I see any attempt to influence someone else's devotional life as misguided, foolish, or wrong. Not so. I've told the story of Angie because it introduces the topic of a leader's legitimate attempts to persuade others. As I recall my own spiritual journey, I can see the influence others have had ...
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