The young yet long-time drug, sex and self-worshipper that had lived there simply died. And now my life was "hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). If this was a shock to me, my friends and family found it an even greater surprise. I know now that it was like that for many thousands of people who in those days also came to follow Jesus, eventually claiming the Church as their family. By the time most of those "Jesus People" or "Jesus Freaks" received the Gospel, a fair number in established traditional churches had already decided that this motley band of radicals couldn't possibly be genuinely converted!

The idea of such long-haired, spaced-out irresponsibles actually being "accepted into the beloved" was just too much. Many churches had ushers who had either been given instructions, or simply on their own individual authority, refused to let any of "that sort" in the door on Sunday mornings. To their surprise and in some cases dismay, those that held Sunday evening services found the Jesus People had come back trying to gain entrance again.

It must be noted a good number of local churches that at first couldn't decide if these young "street Christians" were truly converted or simply embracing a spiritual fad, graciously opened their doors to them. Years later, many of those very fellowships are served by pastors, elders, deacons and Sunday School teachers, as well as missionaries and others, who first came to Christ during the Jesus Movement.

In every generation we see a repetition of something long-known by thinking churchmen and women. God moves by His Spirit, powerfully and remarkably reaching the "dregs" of a society with the Good News of salvation through Jesus to "anyone who will." And while many in long established fellowships welcome the new believers, others either ignore them when they file in the door, or actively fight inclusion.

I would argue that the gospel of Christ is exclusive only in the sense that those who do not believe will not and cannot be a part of God's eternal family. I would also assert that it is fully inclusive in that God does not wish for any to perish, but for "all to come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9 nrsv).

We see in the gospels the ongoing racism and prejudice of God's chosen people toward various gentiles. Jesus shows mercy and consideration to many such people, and His own followers don't "get it" either. Later, in the Book of Acts, the apostles seem to wrestle with the same issues until the Holy Spirit is clearly poured out upon gentile believers. Finally, the "establishment" realizes that God's love is not bound--not by the culture, traditions, ignorance, nor even hard-heartedness of His people. Yes, even as He clearly said in the Old Testament, the "stranger" must be welcomed by the people of God, for they themselves have been strangers. These things are also clearly spoken of by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians and elsewhere.

Remember. Call to mind what it felt like to be warmly accepted as well as clearly rejected by a group of people (if you have ever been so). Perhaps some can also recall the powerful embrace of the Father in those first moments of finally realizing that Jesus had in fact paid a personal visit to their house. What a wonder, that God came down and in all the wide world, He called me!

More than a few of us were amazed that God bothered with such outsiders as we had been all our lives. We had finally come to realize that God actually cherished us as His personal favorites. "For we are His masterpiece" (Eph. 2:10). His prized possession. Whew!

The night I prayed and received Jesus into my life as my personal Lord and Savior, I actually told Him in those first moments that He was making the worst exchange, the most ridiculous deal that anyone could make. I knew that He had distinctly told me that if I would give Him my life, He would give me His. I literally told Him in prayer, "You're getting ripped off! This is a lousy deal for You. I get You and you get me?! Yet, the longer I live and study His Word, the more I realize that transaction was exactly what He had in mind.

But as it was with me, so it is with many strangers and outcasts who long to fellowship with other Christians around the risen Christ. A lot of folks, for whatever reason (study Church history), find it very difficult to extend the same grace and kindness to the newcomer that Jesus extended to them. I don't believe I have ever in such a public manner stated this before now, but there are those in the churches who _still_ don't accept the fact that many thousands of people worldwide actually repented responded to God's call to salvation, and are actively serving in the local church and missions as a result of the mercy of God at work among young people in the late sixties and early seventies.

I believe that history will reveal that the "Jesus Movement" or "Jesus Revolution" as it was called in various countries, was one of the most significant revivals of the Twentieth century. A sovereign move of God. Why? Because of the eternal fruit it produced.

We need miracles. I mean the miracle of local churches truly loving one another, evangelizing, opening their doors and (gasp!) homes to new, immature, strange Christians. After God, I owe the most to those in the Jesus Movement and those in traditional churches who actually took me in and taught me the Word, discipled, fellowshipped with, corrected, encouraged, and challenged me.

I have both seen and heard of powerful, genuine miracles in my lifetime. But in truth, the most amazing miracle I have ever experienced is the one that God did in my own life. He accepted me because of Jesus' sacrifice. Impossible . . . but true!

But if that wasn't mind-blowing enough, He led me to people in the churches that accepted me, too.