A true story from Mark Phillips' Love Notes subscription.
It started with a whisper and ended with a roar.
Last fall on the campus of Purdue University, strange messages began to appear. They were printed on flyers and scribbled on sidewalks with chalk. The messages asked a simple question: "Do you agree with Matt?" Soon the campus was buzzing with talk about this mysterious Matt and what he might believe.
A few days later, more than 900 students began showing up for class in neon-green shirts which said simply, "I agree with Matt." Students who asked about the meaning were told the story:
Matt is a senior Engineering student at Purdue who believes that Jesus Christ is the son of God. All week long, students were invited to a Thursday night meeting on campus where they could learn more. At that meeting, more than 700 people gathered to hear students and former students share their faith in Christ. And it all happened because one young man decided he wanted to share his faith with an entire campus, and began asking God how he might do it.
Maybe we've made the whole evangelism thing too difficult. Maybe we've leaned too hard on our own creativity, and we need to let God do some of the hard work. Maybe it's time for us to start simply praying like Matt obviously did: "Lord, I want to share the good news. Help me see the opportunities that you create."
I agree with Matt. Do you?
This sad postscript was received the next day:
Last Thursday I wrote a message about Matt Cahill, a Christian at Purdue University who worked with a friend to launch the "Do You Agree With Matt?" campaign there last year. Most of you received this message yesterday morning.
Late yesterday I learned that Matt Cahill and his good friend (and partner in the campaign last year) were killed in a car wreck last Friday evening. Services are this morning at 10:00 a.m. in Lafayette, Indiana.
Today is your gift from God.
What you choose to do with it is your gift to Him.
