RABBONI...which is to say, Master

Communication is difficult. We know what we want to say, we understand the message we want to convey, but if what was understood should be repeated to us we would often be shocked.  When I hear some of the things that are said about Christians it simply blows my mind. Terms like born again, fundamentalist, conservative all take on a meaning of their own, dependent upon who uses them.

Have you ever wondered what “they” understood we said to come to the conclusions they have about “us”? Brian McLaren, in his book, “More Ready Than You Realize” gives an overview from “their” perspective through the years.

“For the other team, the game has gone like this: First, the opponents (that is us) tried to gain ground on slavery, but our valiant defense rushed and sacked them on that one. Then, they tried to score on the continued disenfranchisement of women—first not allowing them to vote, then not allowing them to make personal decisions about reproduction, and also refusing to pay them fairly as compared to men—but we managed to sack them again. Then, they tried to maintain their religious privilege and dominance over us through “blue laws” (laws restricting Sunday activities) and school prayer, but again we penetrated their front line and they lost yardage. Now, they’re still trying to defend immoral and outdated ways by treating homosexuals in the same unjust and uncompassionate ways they used to treat blacks and women and Jews. They’ve been defeated in their injustice in the past, and we can’t let them turn the tide now.” Page 30, 31.

What is ironic is that many of those issues came as a result of our lack of understanding the communication to us from God in scripture. It should be evident that if we are going to get the message of “Good News” to a hostile world, we are going to have to do something differently. Shouting messages from a distance has not worked and will not work today. The message of Christ will best be communicated with a visual display of it lived before those we want to touch with the message of Jesus. But this will require rubbing shoulders, establishing relationships, and most important of all, being a servant first and foremost.

I would really be interested to know what you think about the messages in these short videos. On target? Not! What do you think?

Biblical knowledge is probably at an all time low for the general population of our nation, but opinions about God, sin and a host of other religious topics are on the tip of most people’s tongues—just ask a question and see what I mean. They think they know what Christianity is all about and they have decided that they don’t want it. I wouldn’t want it either. There is nothing all that appealing about intuitionalism, or a Bible banging ultra conservative with an in your face attitude. I wouldn’t want anything to do with a closed minded, legalist hard head either. I too would be turned off by a judgmental, holier than thou attitude. The real problem? Those are misconceptions of what Christians and Christianity are all about.

Communication doesn’t take place without a mutual understanding of the terms that we use. When you say God, what picture comes to mind? Your picture is your perception of God, but it may not actually be the same as the person you are talking to. You could be expressing that you love God to a person whose picture of God is a tyrant with lighting bolt in hand ready to zap you the moment you step out of line. :”You would be crazy not to fear a God like that”, your friend might think, all the while you are speaking of Him in glowing and loving terms.

We are going to have to do two major things if we are going to reach today’s post modern world. First, we are going to have to ask questions and listen more than we speak. We will have to develop some mutual understanding before we can teach. Second, we are going to have to develop opportunities to bring people into “community” before they believe, to help them believe. Years ago, someone would be converted and then introduced to the fellowship of the Body. Today, the Body is instrumental in the conversion process. A sense of belonging becomes the context for conversion today. Small group gatherings, seeker functions, coffee shops, or even Christian Tattoo Parlors are ways that people can and are being reached for Christ.

Jesus was so aware of this! How many times do you see Him at small group functions that were not religious services? Dinner meetings, encounters on the road to somewhere, sitting at a well, and on and on. He would ask questions, challenge accepted beliefs of the day. Jesus made people think, and take a second look at what they believed.

What really gives authenticity to all of this is the transparent life of the Christian that identifies with the struggles of the person that they want to reach for Christ. A life that is seen as “in process” toward Jesus, which says, “join me in the journey, I haven’t arrived”. Reaching people for Jesus today is all about Story Telling, yours and His.