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about the author...  Jacob Birch Rev. Jake Birch is pastor of the Erin Village Alliance Church in Erin, Ontario, Canada. Jake is always looking for a reason to sing the odd Elvis tune or parse the occasional Greek verb. He enjoys Basketball, dancing with his daughters, discussing his septic tank and reporting for the local paper The Erin Advocate. He is a graduate of Ontario Bible College, The University of Waterloo and is a VERY part time student at Tyndale Seminary where he used to serve on their Board of Governors. Jake has written for Next Wave, ChristianWeek, Alliance Life and Channels. He is currently working on a book with the working title "Not On Our Watch: The Rise, Demise and Reprise of the Local Church in Canadian Evangelical Social Action 1850 to 2050". He is married to his Highschool sweetheart Heather and has (count 'em) four kids...Wilson, Clara, Ella and Daisy. They do not have any pets.
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In-autoero Spirituality: Meeting God in the Car by Jacob Birch
Did you know that the Canadian Association of Automotive Journalists have awarded the totally redesigned 2005 Ford Mustang their prestigious Car of the Year award? Did you also know however, that it is not just beautiful design and fine engineering that can make your car a “divine” experience In fact, I recently let myself believe that despite the gridlock on the highways around the Greater Toronto Area where I live and work, and despite the spike in the price at the pumps, God is at work in your car and those cars around you on a regular basis. Let me share with you how God has worked in the lives of some folks I know while they were in their cars recently...Ann - The morning after an Alpha meeting, Ann prays the Lord’s prayer for the first time since she was a child. She has been resisting Jesus for years because all churches want is “her money”. Her husband started to follow Christ two and a half years ago and finally she has decided to take the Alpha course to “see what this God thing is all about”. The morning after the Alpha session on “How and Why do we Pray”, she recites the Lord’s prayer. She then reports to us that a “a light” filled her body and as tears stream down her face, she receives forgiveness and filling of the Holy Spirit in her 2001 Plymouth Voyager. Doug - After being evangelized by Muslims at work, Doug decides to give Christianity one more chance and attends our Alpha program. After 7 weeks, Doug decides that Jesus is the Son of God and finally admits to himself, “It really is true.” He audibly admits this while limping along in his ‘89 Corolla. He then reports that joy like an “orgasm” wells up within him. His words, not mine. Brenda – She is a bit annoyed by our church’s asking for money to buy a 5 acre parcel of land. However, she decides to pray for direction on whether or not to give while bumping to work in her 2002 Focus. She reports that the moment she says “Amen” to her prayer grudgingly asking for financial direction, a “warm” peace flows across her body assuaging her reluctance. What do I learn as a church planter from these automotive encounters? That all the tapes, radio programs and resource CDs we flood our people with, are no substitute for sitting alone with yourself, your prayers and the Holy Spirit. Also that asking for people to make any number of different types of decisions on Sunday morning is a good way of priming the pump for their silent times alone with God on the highway throughout the week. Lastly, that even though the transmission and rust proofing costs are exorbitant, you can still have a divine experience in a ’89 Corolla. Print-friendly version of this page Mail this article
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