Where Are You Going?

God desires for us to be an example of His love and character, and through the power of the
indwelling Spirit, He gives us the ability to live in that way. Colossians 4 says:
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

A challenge for us each day is to recognize that we are to live as ambassadors of the Most High King. It's a heavy responsibility, but I believe that through Christ, we are up to the task.  People and opportunities will come our way, and we can be sensitive to the Spirit to see and know that God is working and that He has something specifically for us to say or do in a particular moment.  He is active in our lives, and equips us to do His work.

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Paul presents some wise words to Timothy about following the Lord and walking in his call.  In 2nd Timothy 2, we read these verses:
2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Later in the chapter, we can read:
5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

These principles - being ready to share and being watchful, actually come into play in today's Front Room.

It was just released last week, but a new augmented reality app is making a dramatic impact - it has resulted in some rather odd behavior as people use their smartphones to go in search of...Pokemon monsters!

USA Today describes the phenomenon:

Pokémon Go is an augmented reality game in which users can hunt and catch Pokémon in real time and in the real world. The game provides a map that is linked to your phone's GPS and camera -- meaning you could find a Charmander in your backyard. It notifies you if there's a Pokémon on your map, allowing you to travel to it and try to catch it by swiping a Pokéball on your phone screen.

The story says that, "The app also indicates where the nearest 'PokéStops,' areas where you can pick up items such as Pokéballs, and gyms, where you can do battle with other Go users."

A Religion News Service story points out that the app causes these virtual monsters to appear on your phone screen.  It states:

The app has become a viral sensation among teens and young adults, overtaking Tinder on Android and on course to beat Twitter in daily users. Millennials are walking around with their phones, finding “PokeStops” and “Gyms” at local places of interest: libraries, parks, art galleries, subway stations, zoos and more.

And, as the article points out, some of the Pokemon are showing up at churches.  And, it goes on to say:

If your church is designated as a PokeStop or Gym, The Wardrobe Door blog now has an eight-step guide to ride the wave.

Unfortunately for churches trying to draw in youth, it doesn’t look like there’s a way to register a location as a PokeStop or Gym yet. But turning your church into a “charging station” for players, like Maine’s Columbia Street Baptist Church did, might do the trick.

The Wardrobe Door article references pastor Chris Martin of the Millennial Evangelical website, who noted how he saw several young guys sitting on the steps of a downtown church because it was a Pokemon Gym.   Martin writes:

...Walking aimlessly around your town square, your city parks, or other places will give you and/or your congregation opportunities to talk to people you don’t normally see.

Pastors, you have plenty of very important matters with which to be concerned, so many of you may not have time to try to catch them all. But, you should care about Pokémon Go, because it may very well bring the unreached to your church’s doorstep.

 But, there are unintended consequences, too, and the app may take participants to places they really don't want to go.  Again, from RNS:

Some players have warned about racism and suspicion people of color may face while exploring their neighborhoods for Pokemon, while others have found the game to help with weight loss. There are reports of armed robbers using the game to lure victims, and a 19-year-old Wyoming resident said she found a dead body while looking for Pokemon.

The Daily Caller reports that, "Frustrated users of the app have now reported Pokemon locations in the center of the Pentagon and the White House, which of course they cannot get to, reports WJLA."

The Daily Caller article states:

Authorities are asking people playing the game to remember it is not an excuse to break trespassing laws, whether at a government building or on private property. Police have noted an increase in emergency calls reporting, “trespassing and suspicious activity events recently due to the new Pokemon Go app.”

So far, I don't know if Faith Radio's studios are a PokeStop or a Gym, and I haven't noticed people wandering aimlessly around our parking lot.  But, this is a phenomenon, and it raises some questions for us as believers.

For one, I appreciate what is being written about the evangelistic possibilities here.  The app is actually bringing people into church parking lots and churches.  And, as The Wardrobe Door encourages, you can be welcoming.   That blog states:

Pokemon Go is providing churches with an opportunity to meet new, unchurched people from their neighborhood. You can form relationships with non-Christians just by walking outside your church.

Don’t miss out on this because it’s not something you are interested in. Paul said he became all things to all people so that some might come to Christ.

Pastors and church leaders can make fun of Pokemon Go and the players walking right outside their doors. Or they can take Paul’s advice and become a gamer to reach the gamers for the sake of the gospel.

An augmented reality app is bringing people to church.  And, apparently these PokeStops and Gyms are based on user submissions, according to RNS.

The app is resulting in some unintended consequences, and I think there is a spiritual issue here about direction.  We have to be so careful what or whom we are following.  What we allow to lead us may actually be leading us where we do not wish to go.  Fortunately, we have God's Word and the Holy Spirit to lead us - to show us God's will for our lives, to guide us with reliable criteria for our decisions, and to equip us with discernment so that we make wise choices.   Real life is not a game, and we have to always make sure that we are being guided by spiritual reality, consistent with God's truth.