It’s all about Jesus. Nothing added; nothing taken away. It’s not Jesus plus something or Jesus minus something. It’s Jesus. Always has been; always will be. It’s just that sometimes in history we wake up to this because we go through long periods of being lulled to sleep by a cultural or folk religion that begins to take on agendas other than following Jesus. This happened 50 years ago when a youth generation discovered that the institutional church was rolling along quite fine without Jesus, and yet they were finding Him alive and well in the streets where they were crying out for peace, love and justice.
“Spirit in the Sky,” “If I Had a Hammer,” “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “Jesus Is Just Alright with Me” — these were not Christian songs, they were secular songs attesting to a Jesus invasion that had nothing to do with Christians or the church. It’s happening again.
We had a guest on our BlogTalkRadio show last night and you must listen in to the podcast of our interview with Raymond De Silva, Program Specialist for Multnomah County Department of Human Services in Portland, Oregon, and Vice President of a union that protects 3,387 workers in his hometown from discrimination and injustice. Ray is a millennial who gets it.
In a city recently famous for an uprising of anarchy, Ray attests to a surprising spiritual awakening going on. Guess who he’s giving credit to? Jesus. That’s right. In a completely secular, godless, hostile environment, Jesus is working. Outside the church; outside the subculture. And as a government worker, he is aware of this. Even the division we see in the nation as a whole is echoed in the millennials, but he is seeing a move towards reconciliation, both racially and politically.
People want the truth. They want deeper relationships. They want justice for all — what he calls a Justice Quake. Ray has coined his own term for what he sees going on in the public square — he calls it a “youthful righteousness.” And they are finding what they seek in Jesus. What they are lacking is patience and wisdom. That’s where we come in.
If you are a millennial and you are reading this either as an email subscriber or visiting the Catch online, I urge you to write me and let me know. We know you are out there, and we want to connect with you. We want to come alongside you and help you reach your generation with the truth about Jesus. We have 50 years of experience and we know at least some of the pitfalls. Of course it’s different now, but some things stay the same.
If you’re reading this on a Catch email, you can write me with a simple reply to the email. If you are reading this online, feel free to email me at john.fischer@mac.com.
After reading today’s Catch, you must listen to our interview with Raymond De Silva. This is not the last we are going to hear from him. There’s something in the wind. Like Bob Dylan sang, “the answer is blowing in the wind,” and like Jesus said, the Spirit moves like the wind and we see its effects. It’s happening.
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John Fischer The Catch 
“There’s a Voice in the wind that calls your name – If you listen you’ll never be the same…”
Voice In The Wind / Petra
“There’s a Voice in the wind that points the way – Gently beckons to follow and obey.”
Voice in The Wind/Petra
I sent this to Pastor John in an email as he requested, yet thought I’d also share it here:
If you agree with Raymond De Silva, that the burning, looting and stealing the goods in the stores that have been BROKEN into and have been shut down for over many and many days going on in Portland, OR – I think close to 90 last I heard a can’t function & do Biz b/c of what’s going on, yet he calls it: “youthful righteousness.”
I refer to that has as the Bible say’s calling evil good!
PS Please consider talking to your son the Police Officer and see if he agree with complete lawlessness going on at night in Portland as: “youthful righteousness.”? It’s called breaking the law!!!
Yet again this is ANOTHER GREAT example of your inability to watch another News channel other than CNN or MSNBC…
You misunderstand. He’s talking about what God is doing in the midst of all the lawlessness you are talking about. The righteousness he’s talking about is truly righteousness. Don’t you think God could also be at work in that city? Or did God just up and leave Portland? The news you’re talking about may not be the only news in Portland. There is a Kingdom of God there and people like Ray are seeking to do God’s work. Pray for them.
Check this out: https://www.pdxincityworship.com/ Evidence that God is in Portland too.
Mr. De Silva is not condoning lawlessness, or the evil that breeds it. Rather, I think he is working where he can to turn the tide away from it. He is finding the Light where it shines, and it may be shining dimly, but shining nevertheless. And he is doing what we all should be doing…encouraging it, counseling it to bring it in the open where it can shine more brightly.
I am a rebel of the 60’s and 70’s. Maybe not drugs or alcohol, or breaking the law, but bigtime rebellious. An elder from a local church saw something in me and my husband, and many others in the submarine (USS Navy) community. Ever so quietly and gently he spoke to that small spark in us and helped fan it into a flame. Over weeks and months, one by one, we all came to Jesus.
The Light is always there, the Spirit is always there, no matter how horrible the situation is. We need to be there too.
Trying to find a reason to agree, yet don’t remember read one sentence saying the rioting, looting and stealing is not the way to go about it!
I seriously think / believe if Raymond De Silva & Pastor John owed a business and could NOT open it to support their family & make a living b/c of what’s going on Portland – I highly doubt they would call it: “youthful righteousness.”
I’ve gotten over a dozen emails or text from Facebook friends & even one from an ex-stripper that read the about Catch twice to try to understand it and she agrees there’s not one sentence condemning the rioting, looting and burning of the business, yet trying to open a line of communication w/ them, which is cool, yet it’s selling the message of Christ a bit short… One NEEDS to admit their sin to become a follower of Christ – Not doing the damage their doing to private property and it being called “youthful righteousness”!
PS love to read Pastor John son, the Police Officer feedback about the lawlessness going on in Portland b/c already have heard from 2 and their completely dumbfounded after reading this Catch!