How to Share Your Faith Using Red Lake School Shooting
It's hard to imagine your life being turned upside down and changed in an split second. For many, it is far too difficult to even comprehend the thought of a life altering event such as a car accident, an illness, or even losing someone close to you. What is even more incomprehensible is the thought of violence in your own community which threatens yourself, your family, and innocent school children. However, this nightmare became a reality for the Chippewa Native American Community in Bemidji , Minnesota as 16 year old Jeff Weise opened fire on Red Lake High School , killing five students and four adults, including his grandfather and his grandfather's companion. When all was said and done, young Jeff turned the gun on himself. Sadly, we have seen this become a reality too often in our society. Time and again we hear the same scenario being played out in schools across the nation. An outcast, alone, picked on their whole lives, resolving to seek vengeance through deadly attacks on their schools. Many of us know people just like Jeff Weise, we live next door to them, we go to school with them, we even go to church with them. They are troubled young people who feel as though they
have very little to no value. They are the people who cry out for help through odd behavior, but no one seems to notice or seems to care. We have even created a society where violent behavior is encouraged through movies, television, video games and music. We shake our heads wondering why something so terrible can happen, but we are allowing it to fester right under our noses.
Many parallels have been drawn between this senseless attack, now known as the second school shooting in history on American soil, just behind the brutal massacre at Columbine High School almost six years ago in Littleton Colorado . I am a survivor of the shootings that fateful day of April 20th 1999 at the school. At age sixteen the unimaginable happened to myself and our small suburban community. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris approached Columbine with the intent to destroy all who stood in their way. The library became a bloodbath- the scene of the most intense killings. Ten alone were murdered and countless others wounded inside the library. Myself and two of my friends crouched under a table as the rampage unfolded. I vowed to serve God if He got me out alive. Just minutes later I escaped and lived to tell my story.
Over the last six years God has done a tremendous healing in my life, and I can look back on that
experience as a catalyst to greater things for building God's kingdom. However, one thing God has specifically done, is given me a heart for our broken world. When I learned of the most recent shootings, my heart sank at the thought of so many now faced with the same pain and tragedy. I felt my heart breaking because of their loss, knowing personally the torment they are going through. Immediately memories began flooding my mind of the fear, confusion, sadness, anger and guilt I encountered years ago. But more than anything, I was overwhelmed with sadness knowing the people of Bemidji and the students of Red Lake High will struggle with questions of how and why for years to come. They will be plagued with the what ifs and if onlys, because they will never be able to undo what has been done, but can only choose where to go from here. From experience, it is safe to assume that some will choose to give up on life and succumb to bitterness, depression and addiction to drugs and alcohol, and perhaps even to suicide. Yet there will be others who may use this as a turning point in life to build character and make an impact on the world around them. All must choose which path to take from here, and we pray that many will find Jesus as a result of this horrible tragedy.
Most of all, we pray that this becomes a catalyst not just for the people in Bemidji , but for people all
over the globe to look inside themselves and see what they are living for and yield their lives to Jesus. We pray that it causes people to look to Jesus for answers and comfort instead of being angry toward Him. Events like this should cause each and every single one of us to remember that our lives are short- a mere breath compared to eternity. We have seen that this world will fade away and
nothing else seems to matter other than knowing Jesus Christ personally. Life makes no promises to us and is not fair. There is only one thing in this life that is true and will last forever - that is the salvation of our Lord and Savior Jesus through His death on a cross and His resurrection. He offers eternal life to all who trust Him as their only hope of salvation. Every day Satan desperately tries to distract us with the world and blind us from the truth, but we know that when we are God's children nothing can ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39). We must cling to the promise that although this life is hard, no matter what happens we are not alone and God is with us. If you trust in Him, He guarantees you a home in heaven someday and a new sense of purpose and meaning on the earth right now.
As I learned at Columbine that day, and as the students at Red Lake High School learned, a lot can happen in just a few minutes...good or bad. If you just put your faith in Jesus Christ, then the last few minutes that it took you to read this can change your life forever. If you have already trusted Christ as your only hope of salvation, you have a Friend and a Father who will be at your side from now on.
If trusting Christ for eternal life is something you have never done and you would like to do right now, here is a sample prayer: "Dear Father, I know that I'm a sinner. I realize that my good deeds will never get me into heaven. Right now I believe that Jesus died in my place for my sins. I trust in Him alone to forgive me for all of my sins. Thank you for your free gift of eternal life." Remember, it is not the prayer that saves you, but the fact that you have placed your trust in Jesus' death and resurrection as your only hope of salvation. If you trusted Christ today, please let us know! E-mail information@dare2share.org. We will get you some free material and help you in your life as a new believer.
This event has shaken us as individuals and as a ministry, and it has reminded us how important our mission is to "energize a generation to evangelize the world," but we can't do it alone- we need your help. It is our prayer that as you read these words, they would shake you like never before and awaken you to a new found urgency to share the gospel message with those around you. We challenge you to join us in reaching out and live each day with the urgency to share Jesus with the lost. We pray tragedy does not strike before taking a stand, and boldly proclaiming the life altering message of Jesus Christ with friends, family members, neighbors and strangers. Everyone is seeking worth in this life, but none will find true value and purpose until they find Jesus. If you don't share, who will?
Finally we ask you to take on our challenge to share the gospel with at least one person within the next 48 hours of reading this email. Watch and be amazed as you see God work in hearts of people everywhere!
Join us also as we pray for the community in despair and the families who lost loved ones.
If there is anything we can do to help please don't hesitate to call or drop us an email at information@dare2share.org. Also we would love to give you more information about our student training conferences that give you and your students the tools to fight the good fight (2 Timothy 4:7).
