It amazes me that anyone around here comes to Christ at all. And it is no surprise that less than 2% of my fellow citizens of Marin County, California, attend church services on Easter Sunday. From the Newspaper Here are the thumbnail sketches of items I read in theSan Francisco Chronicle recently [originally meaning pre-2000]. Two teenage brothers in Redding, California shottwo homosexuals to death, because it was their “Christian”duty to do so. An ex-Protestant minister was in town to pro-mote his new book on Tibetan Buddhism. A Catholic priest in Santa Rosa was arrested for molesting altar boys over the course of fifteen years and made a plea bargain with the district attorney’s office. A Baptist pastor in the South Bay, con-victed of embezzling church funds, was sent to state prison.The daughter of a Protestant minister, after recovering lostchildhood memories, sued her now retired father for sexualabuse. A professional football player, active in Christian min-istry, received three years probation for drug use and sales.An archaeologist made fun of the Bible’s account of Noah’s Ark in a lecture at a local college. A school board in a southern state passed a resolution prohibiting fundamentalists from displaying the Ten Commandments in schoolrooms. An Alabama judge’s decision that evolution cannot be taughtin the schools was overturned. The pastor of a Pentecostal church in Oakland disappeared with the money raised to get the congregation ready for Y2K. A local radio preacher announced that Jesus would not return on 1 January 2000, but on 1 January 2001. You don’t even want to hear about the previous week!It amazes me that anyone is ever converted around here.But, once in a while, someone is. I know this is California, but what is reported in the Chronicle often makes newspapers across the country. And what I reported about the news paper items is nothing compared with the crazy things shown on“Christian” television and radio. (I won’t discourage you by describing them.) Then there are the surrounding churches themselves. When I talk about it to others in different parts of the country, they think I am making it up or am at least exaggerating. Well, believe me or not, here is some of it.Local Churches First, let me tell you how I know. Some people around here, although very few, are church shoppers. That is, they shop around for a church to belong to. Or, they attendchurches for short periods due to some special lecture seriesor concert that is given. Or, a disgruntled former member returns with tales to tell. These people pass through our own church and sometimes talk about their experiences elsewhere. I therefore get a good idea of what is happening.I also know most of the ministers around here and occasionallymeet with them and compare notes. Several pastors of local churches do not consider themselves Christians and say so from the pulpit. One is a Hindu, another is a self-described agnostic, and a third is a post-modern seeker after truth wherever it might be found. I am not telling tales here, nor am I passing on negative information.These pastors are proud of their spiritual attainments. Their churches are the largest and wealthiest in southern MarinCounty. The Homeless Then there are the homeless. One wears a red-hooded sweatshirt so that he will always be covered in the blood ofJesus. I have seen him recently in front of the 7-11 store withthe hood pulled closed across his face. Many local people know he does this to keep the demons out (he has made thisclear himself and does so as a “witness”). He imagines thathe is a glamour expert and frequently approaches women with tips on how they can make themselves look beautiful for Jesus.Another is continually running for various local politicaloffices, and on the ballot he lists his occupation as “minister.”On television interviews, panel discussions, and debate she makes a mockery of Christianity and the Bible with his strange and deranged comments. He is widely known forcarrying around a huge copy of a Bible that was printed inthe early 1500s. I am not proud of telling of the peculiar nature of our area,I am not trying to raise money to combat the evil around me,and I do not consider myself to be a better minister than any other. It is simply that given it all, I am amazed that anyoneever becomes a Christian.Blind and BoundAnother reason why I am amazed anyone ever trusts in Jesus is that Satan has blinded the eyes (the mind) of the unconverted, as described by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:4.6. Satan, the god of this age, blinds in ways we do not understand. Jesus said Satan uses pretended signs and wonders in order to deceive (Matthew 24:24).Our sin also keeps us from Christ. Because of this, we hate the light of Jesus and will not come to him out of fear that our sins will be exposed (John 3:19-21). Paul says thatsin produces spiritual death, so we cannot know anything ofJesus and his truth (Eph. 2:1; 1 Cor. 1:18; and 2:14).It is Amazing GraceThat anyone is ever converted both amazes and somewhat discourages me. And I do not see things getting any better (barring an awakening). However, even without revivals and awakenings, some are being converted. I see it in myown church at Miller Avenue. In fact, God is constantly calling to himself those he has ordained to eternal life. I take great courage, hope, and confidence from Acts 13:48, which states,“All who were appointed for eternal life believed.” ThoughPaul’s fellow Jews often rejected the gospel, Gentiles plussome fellow Jews, did come to Jesus in this case and others.Jesus “came to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke19:10). He searches for us like the shepherd does for the lostsheep and the woman does for the lost coin. Those who arefound are like those received as the father does his lost son.It is not my practice to wring my hands and lament over the lack of success of the gospel. My task is to preach the gospel and know that God will save those whom he will. No one can come to Jesus unless he or she is drawn by the Father.But by the preaching of Jesus, the Father does just that.“Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word ofChrist” (Romans 10:17).What God did for me, he will do for others. Despite my deadness, blindness, fear, and error, he saved me. Yes, it amazes me!