Well, I'm back from my short vacation, and it was right back into the thick of things for me yesterday, as I participated in a "World Religions Conference" at UNBC, an event hosted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Society.

Ostensibly this event is a promotional tool for this Islamic group, but regardless of the organizers' intentions, it was a good opportunity to proclaim the gospel. There were restrictions on the speakers - we were expressly told to present the viewpoint of our own faith without comparing it to others. I did my best to present the full message of the gospel (on the topic, "Life after death: Myth, or Reality?") while remaining within the parameters set by the organizers. Other participants didn't appear to feel as bound to these restrictions, but like last year, the message of the other participants was completely incoherent; while affirming pantheism, monotheism, and non-theism, they tried also to affirm that all of these beliefs form a unity, while, of course, denying many of the central teachings of Christianity.

I was very thankful when someone from our congregation asked the question, "Can good Hindus and Muslims get to heaven?" When I answered, "There's no such thing as a good Muslim or Hindu," the negative reaction from the people in the front was palpable. I went on to add that there is also no such thing as a "good" Christian or Sikh, that no one can stand before a holy God and claim to be good.

One person I spoke to after the evening was over commented that my message was very different from all of the others, and I'm thankful that this difference was apparent. Another person commented that she was "shocked" that I spoke ill of John Lennon (whose song, "Imagine," I used as a foil in my introduction).

In my very short missionary career, this was one of the most nerve-wracking events I've ever participated in. Looking back, I see weaknesses in my presentation, and there are some things I would say differently, but I pray that a seed was planted despite the shortcomings of the messenger.