Be Bright
One of the goals I had on this recent Zambia trip was to reinvigorate our Fire Teamhome visits and community outreach rhythm. As our work continues to develop from a collection of great programs and projects, toward operating more like a. church plant, I wanted our team to start wearing basic uniforms on church service and community outreach days that would further unify our team and quietly communicate: We’re serious about this.
I almost ordered a batch of polos from Amazon. Most packages consisted of black, gray, and navy-blue combos – very professional, albeit muted. I was literally hovering over the Purchase Now button, and I paused.
Something didn’t feel right.
Later that day I was at Walmart picking up supplies for the trip when I saw a rack of the brightest, boldest golf shirts you could imagine! Wild and vibrant color combos that could be seen from space, and instantly I knew…that’s us. I bought a stack, took them to our trusted local printer, and had our lion logo and “ROAR Church” etched on the chest.
When I delivered them to our Zambian team, they absolutely loved them.
Bright colors are pretty normal in Zambia. Everywhere you go you’re immersed in color. Beautiful chitenge fabric fills the markets and is worn by women across the country. Many men have suits and shirts made from the same vibrant materials. But we didn’t choose bright shirts just to blend into the culture. We chose them because we are meant to be bright. We are meant to shine. We are meant to carry light. We are meant to be seen from a long way off. We are meant to walk into neighborhoods bringing vibrant hope and joy right along with us.
Those bright shirts reminded me of one of my favorite heroes of the faith: Apolo Kivebulaya. Before his conversion, Apolo was living far from God. One night he passed by an event where a Scottish missionary was preaching from Matthew chapter 5, about being salt and light, and something pierced him.
You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16 (The Message)
Apolo realized his life wasn’t leaving the kind of impact it was meant to. He surrendered to Christ, and what followed was extraordinary. Apolo became a foundational figure in revival across western Uganda, the Ituri rainforest, and the Ruwenzori region of what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. He preached, discipled, and planted churches. Apolo was known for rising early and reading the Bible by candlelight for hours in his tent; for singing loud songs with pygmy communities, for playing with children in every village, and for planting beautiful flowers wherever he went! He was an expert at being bright.
That’s what our Fire Teams are doing. Every month they step into our neighborhoods with balloons, kazoos, laughter, prayer, and joy. When they show up at your house, you know it! And now you’ll see them coming from an even longer way off with their bright pink, orange, turquoise, and blue polos flashing through the streets of Chifubu! A smile-inducing sight to behold!
We don’t look like any other church, and we’re proud of that. We may not look boardroom-ready. But we are a city on a hill. We are a lamp on a stand. We are light in the darkness.
Lions, Be Bright. Shine with your life. It’s what you were made to do. When you do, you bring glory to the God who deserves it. And someone, somewhere, will see your light from a long way off.