There's a popular misconception that you cannot bring people to Christ in 2009 using techniques from the 1st Century. We tend to think of First Century evangelism as being much too direct and "in your face" for sophisticated Americans of the Twenty-first Century. Think again.
In Acts 17, we find Paul ministering in Athens. Historians tell us that 1st Century Athens is a cosmopolitan place; people value higher education and consider themselves very hip and well informed. They like nothing better than talking about the latest fads and ideas. And they have absolutely no background in Judaism or anything that might prepare them for the teachings of Jesus Christ. If you're familiar with Paul's ministry style, his approach here is surprising.
Read the text and you find that Paul begins his presentation to intellectuals at Mars Hill with what seems to be a compliment- at least in their minds. He mentions that it's apparent these folks are extremely religious because they have so many idols. Now you and I know (v16) that Paul has been extremely troubled by the pagan idols and icons that are everywhere in Athens. But he doesn't blast the Athenians and warn them they're about to bust Hell wide open!
Paul has learned a lesson that many 21st Century believers have never grasped: you don't have to say everything you know. He begins by building on common ground he shares with these pagans. First, he believes in a Creator God, just like they do. They even have a statue to an unknown God. Second, he agrees with their idea that such a God has clearly invested the universe with design and order. Then he adds a third point they haven't considered: that such a God must have surely done all this creative work for a specific reason- perhaps that men and women everywhere might seek him out and find him. He proposes to introduce them to that purposeful God whose existence is affirmed by their monument to the Great Unknown.
In his first 20 minutes with the Athenians, he tells them who Jesus is without ever mentioning the Lord's name. He begins with shared ideas and then leads them to conclusions they've never drawn before. He understands their culture and actually quotes pagan Greek poets to support the Gospel he is sharing with them. And the result is that several pagans become followers of Jesus Christ that day, and others move forward in a spiritual journey that will require a little more time.
Sometimes we assume that we must share the Gospel "at all costs." That's not really true. If the cost is offending someone so badly that he will never again consider the claims of Christ, that cost is too high. Our priority should be sharing Christ "in the most effective manner." You can share the Gospel without ever mentioning Hell, abortion, gay rights, evolution, the role of women, or the wiles of Satan. Don't misunderstand: you may well have the most accurate biblical position on all those questions, but they still aren't part of the Gospel.
Once a lost co-workers becomes a believer, we can hope he will have years to get all his doctrines right. However, we aren't saved by systematic theology. We are saved by trusting Jesus Christ and relying on His grace. So I never try and "water down" the Gospel. But like Paul, I do attempt to find common ground with lost people, and tailor my presentation to the way my lost friend thinks.
There is no such thing as a magic Gospel outline. The best way to share the Gospel is the way that gets a particular person saved. Think about it.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Creating a God Space
Imagine chatting with a friend or co-worker who mentions an amazing jazz vocalist you absolutely have to see. You're interested and ask where you could catch the act. Your friend names a club downtown. When you ask "Where is that," he explains it's a gay bar on Wisconsin Avenue. Then he adds, "Why don't you meet me there for the concert Friday night at 8:00?"
Of course you'd smile and continue polite conversation. But your mind would be racing! "I'm not gay! They'll be doing strange things down there! They will try to recruit me! What would other people think if they saw me there?" And although you might politely accept the invitation to meet your friend on Friday evening at that club, by Friday evening you'd have a terrible cold! Or you would have suddenly discovered you sister is coming to town on Saturday and you need to vacuum!
Imagine the way you or I might feel about visiting a gay night club for a jazz performance, and you'll understand how most urban Americans feel about showing up in a church for Sunday worship! They don't think they need it. They fear they won't understand it. They suspect they will be pressured to do something uncomfortable. They are terrified they will feel like a fish out of water. So if you invite 15 people to be your guest in worship sometime, they odds are that at least in big cities, 14 are likely to decline or politely fail to show.
Now this doesn't mean that we shouldn't invite friends and acquaintances to church. Even if one or two show up, we're that much closer to reaching their families as well. But when you realize that most secular prople would not consider visiting a strange church, you understand why we have to be intentional about creating God spaces outside the Church. A God space is a time and place in which you can talk about Jesus Christ and faith in a friendly conversation with unchurched people.
It's interesting that Jesus characterized his mission this way: "I have come to seek and save those who are lost." That passage in Luke 19:10 follows the story of Zaccheus and explains Christ's odd behavior. You remember the story: Zaccheus is a notorious tax collector living in Jericho who wants to see Jesus. On the day Christ arrives in town, the streets are too crowded for a short guy like Zaccheus to find a vantage point. So he climbs a tree and watches Christ's approach.
Christ looks past all the religious people lining the streets to cheer, and spots the little outcast perched in the sycamore tree. He urges Zaccheus to come down and invites himself the the tax collector's house for lunch!
Zaccheus becomes a follower of Christ! His life turns around instantly. He gives back fortunes to people he has wronged. But significantly, the Bible never details what it was Jesus has taught him over lunch! We have no idea whether a parable or a scripture verse became the turning point in Zaccheus' life. All we know is what Jesus did- he took unconventional action to create a God space for an outcast who would never, ever darken the door of a respectable Jewish synagogue.
Jesus not only came to save the lost. He explains he came to seek and save them. And in case you're wondering, he didn't have to look far to find lost people. They were everywhere. Apparently, he was seeking those who were ready to walk away from their old lives and follow him. As people who call ourselves "followers of Christ," that's obvious our job as well- seeking and saving.
We have to be deliberate in creating spaces outside of church in which we can talk about Christ. You can do it by offering to pray for people, and then asking: "Why don't we begin praying now?" You can do it by making an appointment: "Some time I want to tell you what my faith in Jesus Christ has meant to me. Can we sit down over lunch next Tuesday?" You can do it by mentioning a great Christian book you've just read, and offering to pass it along. Books that come to mind are Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis; the Reason for Christ by Tim Keller; Where is God When it Hurts? by Philip Yancey.
Don't be impatient. You may well have to repeat this process 14 times with 14 different people before you see results. So don't think of it as evangelism. Think of it as practice. You are practicing so that when God brings a motivated lost person along, you will be ready to share.
Of course you'd smile and continue polite conversation. But your mind would be racing! "I'm not gay! They'll be doing strange things down there! They will try to recruit me! What would other people think if they saw me there?" And although you might politely accept the invitation to meet your friend on Friday evening at that club, by Friday evening you'd have a terrible cold! Or you would have suddenly discovered you sister is coming to town on Saturday and you need to vacuum!
Imagine the way you or I might feel about visiting a gay night club for a jazz performance, and you'll understand how most urban Americans feel about showing up in a church for Sunday worship! They don't think they need it. They fear they won't understand it. They suspect they will be pressured to do something uncomfortable. They are terrified they will feel like a fish out of water. So if you invite 15 people to be your guest in worship sometime, they odds are that at least in big cities, 14 are likely to decline or politely fail to show.
Now this doesn't mean that we shouldn't invite friends and acquaintances to church. Even if one or two show up, we're that much closer to reaching their families as well. But when you realize that most secular prople would not consider visiting a strange church, you understand why we have to be intentional about creating God spaces outside the Church. A God space is a time and place in which you can talk about Jesus Christ and faith in a friendly conversation with unchurched people.
It's interesting that Jesus characterized his mission this way: "I have come to seek and save those who are lost." That passage in Luke 19:10 follows the story of Zaccheus and explains Christ's odd behavior. You remember the story: Zaccheus is a notorious tax collector living in Jericho who wants to see Jesus. On the day Christ arrives in town, the streets are too crowded for a short guy like Zaccheus to find a vantage point. So he climbs a tree and watches Christ's approach.
Christ looks past all the religious people lining the streets to cheer, and spots the little outcast perched in the sycamore tree. He urges Zaccheus to come down and invites himself the the tax collector's house for lunch!
Zaccheus becomes a follower of Christ! His life turns around instantly. He gives back fortunes to people he has wronged. But significantly, the Bible never details what it was Jesus has taught him over lunch! We have no idea whether a parable or a scripture verse became the turning point in Zaccheus' life. All we know is what Jesus did- he took unconventional action to create a God space for an outcast who would never, ever darken the door of a respectable Jewish synagogue.
Jesus not only came to save the lost. He explains he came to seek and save them. And in case you're wondering, he didn't have to look far to find lost people. They were everywhere. Apparently, he was seeking those who were ready to walk away from their old lives and follow him. As people who call ourselves "followers of Christ," that's obvious our job as well- seeking and saving.
We have to be deliberate in creating spaces outside of church in which we can talk about Christ. You can do it by offering to pray for people, and then asking: "Why don't we begin praying now?" You can do it by making an appointment: "Some time I want to tell you what my faith in Jesus Christ has meant to me. Can we sit down over lunch next Tuesday?" You can do it by mentioning a great Christian book you've just read, and offering to pass it along. Books that come to mind are Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis; the Reason for Christ by Tim Keller; Where is God When it Hurts? by Philip Yancey.
Don't be impatient. You may well have to repeat this process 14 times with 14 different people before you see results. So don't think of it as evangelism. Think of it as practice. You are practicing so that when God brings a motivated lost person along, you will be ready to share.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Give Me Liberty or Give Me... Healthcare Reform
Patrick Henry expressed the deepest convictions of thousands of other American colonists when he spoke those legendary words, "Give me liberty or give me death." For the patriots of 1776, the blessings of liberty were worth any sacrifice. Voting would be a privilege, not a responsibility. The true responsibility of living in a free land would entail defending that freedom- even at the cost of life or health.
American Colonists risked life and limb to purchase our freedoms. Many died in agony on bloodied battlefields. Others died instantly only to be buried in unmarked graves miles from their homes. Still others returned home missing eyes or limbs. But if they survived the war, they went home as free men and women. And if they died, they had secured the blessings of liberty for their children and grand children.
Over the centuries that have followed, tens of thousands of courageous men and women in the US Armed Forces have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Places like Normandy and Iwo Jima come to mind. There are tranquil hillsides in France that are laden with row after row of white crosses marking the tombs of American heroes who gave everything for a free country.
So tell me, when did the idea of healthcare reform become so important that it can trump liberty? If the health of all Americans is our highest ideal, then we should stop asking brave men and women to sacrifice their health and their lives for something as esoteric and old-fashioned as liberty. In a nation obsessed with the right to health, there is no greater evil than dying of a bullet wound on a battlefield. But if liberty is still the driving force in American life, we should never, ever trade it away for something as lame and utterly failed as socialized medicine.
Even now, the politicians who have given us so many expensive bridges to nowhere are debating a radical intrusion of the federal government into our personal lives. The vague language of House bill 3200 allows for government access to all Americans' bank accounts; individual appointments every 5 years with government agents to discuss whether or not you should save the country money by dying; policies that will ultimately cost you your ability to choose your insurance company, your doctor, your method of treatment. The only way the government can offer free healthcare to everyone is through rationing. We are not living in a sort of Heaven where anything is possible, and the government is broke.
As far me, I refuse to drink the poison Kool-Aid. With Patrick Henry and tens of thousands of Americans whose bravery lines the pages of history, I say "Give me liberty or give me death." If keeping me healthy requires the government tresspassing into our God-given liberties, I prefer to be sick. And if keeping me alive requires the sacrifice of our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, please let me die. It is the height of selfishness to demand that patriots and heroes must go to their graves so that I can go to the hospital for free.
American Colonists risked life and limb to purchase our freedoms. Many died in agony on bloodied battlefields. Others died instantly only to be buried in unmarked graves miles from their homes. Still others returned home missing eyes or limbs. But if they survived the war, they went home as free men and women. And if they died, they had secured the blessings of liberty for their children and grand children.
Over the centuries that have followed, tens of thousands of courageous men and women in the US Armed Forces have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Places like Normandy and Iwo Jima come to mind. There are tranquil hillsides in France that are laden with row after row of white crosses marking the tombs of American heroes who gave everything for a free country.
So tell me, when did the idea of healthcare reform become so important that it can trump liberty? If the health of all Americans is our highest ideal, then we should stop asking brave men and women to sacrifice their health and their lives for something as esoteric and old-fashioned as liberty. In a nation obsessed with the right to health, there is no greater evil than dying of a bullet wound on a battlefield. But if liberty is still the driving force in American life, we should never, ever trade it away for something as lame and utterly failed as socialized medicine.
Even now, the politicians who have given us so many expensive bridges to nowhere are debating a radical intrusion of the federal government into our personal lives. The vague language of House bill 3200 allows for government access to all Americans' bank accounts; individual appointments every 5 years with government agents to discuss whether or not you should save the country money by dying; policies that will ultimately cost you your ability to choose your insurance company, your doctor, your method of treatment. The only way the government can offer free healthcare to everyone is through rationing. We are not living in a sort of Heaven where anything is possible, and the government is broke.
As far me, I refuse to drink the poison Kool-Aid. With Patrick Henry and tens of thousands of Americans whose bravery lines the pages of history, I say "Give me liberty or give me death." If keeping me healthy requires the government tresspassing into our God-given liberties, I prefer to be sick. And if keeping me alive requires the sacrifice of our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, please let me die. It is the height of selfishness to demand that patriots and heroes must go to their graves so that I can go to the hospital for free.
Monday, August 3, 2009
So Thick You Can't Cut it With a Knife
Sunday morning during worship, I noticed that several long distance members were back for the week-end; from places as far flung as Florida, Arizona, and Nevada. Their ages range from twenty-something to sixty-something. They were all beaming with joy. They were all surrounded by old friends who miss them and love them. They all made it a point to find me and express their joy at being back. And I could only think: there is something amazing and wonderful about this church family!
I understand that all churches are "friendly" and it's not so uncommon for any church to have former members return for a visit. The difference here is that most Providence families never become "former" members- they stay in touch, they read the e-letter religiously, they care about what's going on, and they never stop missing Providence! Many of them wish they could return if only jobs and other circumstances would allow!
Friday, my wife and I joined three other couples to drive to to Richmond to visit a family who became long-time members over a year ago. Another family who moved away 5 years ago drove up from Williamsburg to meet us. We talked and laughed for hours. When things at church came up, the two families who live far away and attend other churches could talk intelligently with us because they still keep up with goings on at Providence. When it was time to go, there were tears.
Most churches refer to themselves as "family." But for large numbers of Christians, there are friends, and then there are "church friends." Church friends are nice people you greet in passing a couple of times a week. Real friends are an integral part of your life. And even when they move away, the sense of "family" remains. Friends are the people you could call at 3 AM with a problem. "Church friends" might just check Caller ID and not answer.
One of our new members passed along a thank you note on Sunday after several Providence folks helped move her family out of an unsafe public facility and into their own place last Thursday. Her letter said "You all have taught me what a church family really is...!" She's bringing homemade desserts next Sunday for her new friends.
Don't ever take true friendship for granted. Many churches and many people have little or no idea what that really is. Here at Providence, it's in the air and the water. You don't have to try very hard. The love rubs off on you. There's something supernatural about all this. And for this I thank the Lord God Almighty.
I understand that all churches are "friendly" and it's not so uncommon for any church to have former members return for a visit. The difference here is that most Providence families never become "former" members- they stay in touch, they read the e-letter religiously, they care about what's going on, and they never stop missing Providence! Many of them wish they could return if only jobs and other circumstances would allow!
Friday, my wife and I joined three other couples to drive to to Richmond to visit a family who became long-time members over a year ago. Another family who moved away 5 years ago drove up from Williamsburg to meet us. We talked and laughed for hours. When things at church came up, the two families who live far away and attend other churches could talk intelligently with us because they still keep up with goings on at Providence. When it was time to go, there were tears.
Most churches refer to themselves as "family." But for large numbers of Christians, there are friends, and then there are "church friends." Church friends are nice people you greet in passing a couple of times a week. Real friends are an integral part of your life. And even when they move away, the sense of "family" remains. Friends are the people you could call at 3 AM with a problem. "Church friends" might just check Caller ID and not answer.
One of our new members passed along a thank you note on Sunday after several Providence folks helped move her family out of an unsafe public facility and into their own place last Thursday. Her letter said "You all have taught me what a church family really is...!" She's bringing homemade desserts next Sunday for her new friends.
Don't ever take true friendship for granted. Many churches and many people have little or no idea what that really is. Here at Providence, it's in the air and the water. You don't have to try very hard. The love rubs off on you. There's something supernatural about all this. And for this I thank the Lord God Almighty.
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