Cyberspace is very quiet! Where is everyone, are there no travelers on the information superhighway? Since I posted my first each ONE REACH one blog, no-one has replied! I thought blogs were about conversations, not monologues!!!!
Maybe the questions I have been asking are not unique?
Someone leant me a book a while back - a short one ‘cos otherwise I’d probably not have read it! It was by Mark Greene, and called “Imagine - how we can reach the UK.” [It is usually the titles of books that do the most for me - when I left the NAO to move here, my old pastor gave me a book called "The art of pastoring - without the answers!"] The idea of being imaginative and creative got me thinking - with such a creative God, such a fantastic role model to follow, how can we be creative with the timeless truths we’ve been entrusted?
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church to “set forth the truth plainly for God has made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.” (2 Cor 4:2 & 6 paraphrased). When I think of this, I think of Aesop’s fable, of the wind and the sun competing and battling to get a traveler’s cloak off. The wind battered the individual, and the traveler pulled his cloak tighter; the sun sweated, and the traveler voluntarily took his cloak off.
The message of Christianity is true! Jesus really lived, really died and really rose again, it was an event in history. It is an event that gives real hope for a hurting world, and when we realise what we’ve been rescued from and for what, we should be the happiest people on the planet (or at least in Preston!!!) In fact we should be so happy, that we shine infectiously so people see something attractive in us that makes them want to know more.
And this is what excites me now, that we are seeing this happening. each ONE REACH one was an idea I began to develop into a missionary approach last year from the idea “Imagine - what if we each reached one person?”
- If you could reach one person, who would it be?
- If you could reach one person, what would you have to do differently to what you do now?
- How can you invest in someone’s life over the next 12-months to walk with them towards Jesus?
It was from this that the creative thinking sprang. Christianity, and being part of an incredible family should be attractive, it should be fun, yes fun! It should also be natural, not forced, pressurised or heavy, but an integrity that says this is real, it’s the best thing you could ever do, but it’s your choice.
That’s not to ignore the battles of life - but as that great philosopher Adrian Plass wrote, “you need the joy to bear the pain and sorrow!” And that’s why each ONE REACH one is about intentionally journeying with people toward Jesus, something that we’ve developed and still are developing here at FFMC, and something that I’ll talk about more in my next blog!
But for now, how can you shine with an attractiveness that makes being a Christian the best choice anyone can ever make?
January 24th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
To whom this may concern
In the interests of constructive and meaningfull evangelism, how do you as a church propse that we meet a need to reach people whose opinon of church is very negative due to people(s) unfriendly and negative reaction to meeting new people.
I recently took a group of guys along to a community garden project near where I live and attached to my local church. unfortunatley they recieved a negative reaction. Is this because as a church today we are not good at welcoming new poeple or is it that we may need to change how we do church, not our message but the way we get out an meet new poeple. Was not Jesus counter cultural and even subversive in his dealings with the pharisees and other people he me during his life time. When looking at the way jesus met people, should we not be doing the same?
I can only suggest that we need to reach out in a non judgemental way and accept people for who they are not what we think they may have done.
January 24th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
I think that “Little Brother” has a good point. How do we reach out. The power of personal relationships is still key to the way that we do evangelism, but I there comes a point where that personal relationship need to meet “the church”. We need to make sure that the meeting is as fantastic as it can be.
I’m not sure Jesus was counter cultural, it depends on what you think defines the culture of his day. Was the culture defined by the elite, or by the people that Jesus met with every day.
January 24th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
In response to your first question: In order for it to be a conversation then you need to comment elsewhere too. Where else are you commenting? I’d be interested to find out.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Thanks Little Brother, great question and one I guess we are not alone in having to answer!
Jesus encouraged the Disciples to “go” and make disciples of all nations, yet so often as Christians our message is “come” (and before anyone says, I know Jesus told a parable of a banquet where he said come as well!) In evangelism there are two general philosophies - “centripetal” and “centrifugal” evangelism. One pushes everything to the centre (internal to the church) the other pushes everything to the edge (outside the church).
Personally I think we need to balance our approach between inviting people to come to us, and going to meet them. Both are important. But when you go and meet people where they are, as Jesus did being counter culture, you say to people that you value them enough to give them your most precious gift - time. As you do this, and people meet you on their turf, barriers get eroded. What we are finding is that as we do this, people say I want to know more and begin to journey with us. And that is important – journeying with people, not asking them to take a leap on their own.
So in answer to your question I’d respond with each ONE REACH one. If we take responsibility for our friends so that we journey with them, we bring them into our circle of friends; if our friends know what we are trying to do I believe because they value us and share our heart, there is more chance of a warm welcome for the new person.
But have fun as well - nothing puts people at ease quicker than a joke and a laugh, seeing that being a Christian doesn’t mean having a sense of humour bypass!!! No Christian lobotomies here!!! Ask Graham C - I know he loves my jokes!!! Mind you, no-one bought me a new joke book for Christmas……..
January 26th, 2007 at 8:41 am
Perhaps no-one bought you a new joke book because they were hoping that the jokes would stop
January 26th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Stop telling the jokes? Have you heard the one about…….
January 30th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Well the responses from my comments about Jesus being counter cultural appears to have had some response!
I believe that Jesus was not only “counter cultural” but also “subversive”in his dealings with (eg The samaritan woman Jesus dealings with the Pharisees on regular occasions) I belive both of these are good examples of Jesus being “counter cultural” and “subversive”
I also belive strongly that there are lessons we can learn form this “perhaps thinking outside the nice christian box” would be a start.
I guess there are many ways in how we reach out to people and the way that works for me, may or may not work for you!
As such I have only made comments on “big brothers” (Chris Drury) sermon as it gave me cause for thought!
I look forward to hearing any other comments and or sermons in the future!
Little Brother
February 5th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
I’m leaving a message here just to see if you receive the email notification.