If you poke around missional circles very long, one of the threads that bind these folk together (and, incidentally, I consider myself very much one of them) is their understanding of "sharing the Gospel" in today's culture.
Part of the complaint has to do with the difference between Modern and Postmodern understandings of the world in which we live. For example, to the average Modern, the Four Spiritual Laws make a great deal of sense. They're very logical, to the point, and hard to misunderstand.
Postmoderns, on the other hand, find them entirely unconvincing precisely because those very positive qualities to Modern ears make them altogether impersonal to Postmodern ones.
But there's more than that going on...
One of the biggest gripes missional folk have with what is considered "traditional" expressions of the Gospel is that it seems to always start with bad news. Right off the bat, we are told that we must inform people of their status as sinners.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not denying that we are all vile sinners, thoroughly and completely depraved to our core. But why must every "presentation of the Gospel" start with this truth? Consider the following hypothetical conversation between two co-workers who are just now meeting:
Joe: Good to meet you! How long have you been with the company?
Chris: Nice to meet you, too. I've been here about a year now. By the way, is that a picture of your wife there on your desk? Dude, she's ugly!
Now let's pretend in our hypothetical situation that Joe's wife really is hideously ugly. So what? Is this any way to start a conversation with someone? Is it possible he doesn't know she's ugly? Sure. More likely, he knows but has chosen to ignore the truth.
Okay, it's a silly analogy. But I think you get the point. In "polite company" these days it's simply not acceptable to start off a topic of far more importance than the relative beauty of one's wife with such a harshness.
Consider a real example I just witnesses on the telly. Survivor started tonight, and I'll admit to being a fan. So here are these 10 perfect strangers on a beach. They've known each other not even one day, and one walks up to another and says (I kid you not):
"So, your homosexual, right? Or do you prefer 'gay'? I'm not even sure what term to use..."
This lady wasn't trying to be mean. On the contrary, she said it in the nicest possible way. But come on! Is this any way to strike up a conversation?!
Here's all I'm saying: let's not water down the Gospel by trying to deny or hide the total depravity of people. But let's be far more kind, gentle and loving in the way we approach the issue. I'm sitting here running through the examples in the life of Jesus, and I'm struggling to think of a time He "presented the Gospel" anything like we so often do today...
If you followed the so-called Friendship Evangelism methodology back in the day, you might be hearing echoes in your mind. But only to a point, please. I'm not advocating that we befriend people solely and only in an effort to be able to share the Gospel with them. If that's the whole goal of your friendship and they refuse Christ, what then? You likely abandon them and create even greater bitterness in your wake... Aren't we commanded to love like Christ loves? Doesn't He love those that He knows will never accept His sacrifice for them? Doesn't the Father send rain on the just and unjust alike?
Love people because ... just because. Let your conversations about God and Christ flow as naturally as your conversations about a hard day at the office and whether the weather is likely to change soon. And by all means, don't ever start another conversation with "so, you're a wretched and vile sinner completely separated from God ... want to hear more?"
Hatushili
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Bad news?
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2 comments:
You really hit the nail on the head ! That extreme harshness is why I eschew the label of Fundamentalist--because that's the first association that most people have with that word. It's really a shame that a perfectly good English word which was originally used to describe ones theological beliefs has become so thoroughly corrupted by the actions and attitudes of those to whom it applies.
I forget the origin of the following quote, but it caught my attention a long time ago and it influences my attitudes and actions very greatly: "You may be the only Bible which your neighbor ever reads." And if all they are "reading" is negativity, judgmentalism and self-righteousness, what are the chances that they will have any desire to know Christ.
I forget exactly where, but the scripture says "He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment." Well, if it's clear that it's His job, then it isn't mine.
I'm also a Survivor fan and was watching last night. If the lady in question with her "bull-in-a-china-shop" approach to social interaction had not been fortunate to happen upon the first immunity idol, she would most certainly have been the first one voted off. Several of them said so, I don't expect her to last too long there. As you said, she wasn't being purposely mean---just totally clueless.
On a related note--what did you think of the last season incident where the Christian talk show host walked out on the welcoming ceremony (NOT worship ceremony) with the Buddhists because she said that she wouldn't participate in idol worship--mainly because they were all supposed to bow politely--which is such a pervasive part of many Asian cultures with people bowing to each other on an everyday basis. It's kind of their equivalent of our handshake. They certainly aren't "worshipping" each other, just being polite in the manner in which THEIR culture dictates.
She didn't last too long either and I think that incident played a part. So, what would any of us have done had we been her? Interesting question.
re: Survivor - yes, I saw the bit from last season about the gal not wanting to participate in "idol worship"... somewhat tragic, really. Too many Christians are more interested in keeping up appearances than developing deep relationships and real community. I'm sure that gal genuinely believed she was doing the right thing, but I'm convinced she was not only making a mountain out of a mole hill but was actually doing harm to the reputation of Christ ...
Hatushili
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