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I came across an excellent video/blog post/comment thread over at Rethink Mission today. Here is the video:
Christians Trying to Convert Non-Christians from Rethink Mission on Vimeo.
This video (and the ensuing conversation in the comment thread) immediate brought to mind a scene from one of my favorite movies of all time (mentioned here many times before), “The Big Kahuna”. Let me set up the scene:
In this scene we meet three industrial lubricant salesman- Larry (Kevin Spacey), a brash, but honest veteran of sales; Phil (Danny Devito), Larry’s friend and a tired, seasoned salesman; and Bob (Peter Facinelli), a young evangelical Christian, a rookie in sales.
At one stage in the film, Bob is sent to connect with a potentially > major client, while Phil & Larry wait in the Hospitality Suite. When he returns, he reveals that he, indeed, met with the client, but rather than discuss industrial lubricants, shared about Jesus. Before long, Larry and Bob’s argument over this turns physical, with Larry storming out of the room.
The line between being agenda driven and moved by genuine love can be hard to distinguish at times. As Evangelicals we have largely failed at this in our culture. Take some time and consider the wisdom in the two videos above.
What can you learn from them? What will you change as a result?
In the first video I appreciated the fact that he mentioned some evangelism will push folks further away from Jesus. THAT needs to be a major part of our conversations.
Hey Ed,
Totally agreed. So often people defend poor forms of evangelism using obedience as a defense, failing to see that obedience to love must be first.
Peace,
Jamie
This video brings a few things to mind for me.
Whenever we seek to convert someone to our way of life we are talking like a pitch man. Too many people market Jesus as if he were a health and wellness product or a type of stress-management tool.
If we were pitching some kind of lifestyle salvation and trying to get people to sign up for “your best life now” then presenting our lives as prime examples of success and happiness makes sense. Getting people to desire/lust after what we have is the key to success in this scheme. That’s exactly how Amway and all of those companies operate.
If we initiate a relationship with the intent of cultivating it to the point where we feel the time is right to introduce them to Jesus then, to use another marketing concept, we’re just doing a type of ‘bait and switch’ with them. “If you really like me because I’m such a nice person and do such nice things then just wait until I tell you about Jesus”. This seems disingenuous to me.
Well said, Bob. Thanks!
Peace,
Jamie
So what should we do?
How should we do it?
Great question, Bob. I am still wrestling through that. I suspect, on some level, the “what” will be largely shaped by the “where” and the “who”. In our context it has meant creating a place for genuine relationship, where weakness is acknowledged and supported. As people have gotten to know our community, seeing us (warts and all) loving each other, supporting each other, celebrating each other- they are drawn to that community. That is why it is critical that we link the nature of the Trinitarian God to the nature of our community as part of the Gospel message we proclaim. It is a process which takes time (most often, but not always).
What are your ideas?
Peace,
Jamie
Not too sure about answers but there are certainly a lot of ways to get it wrong.
I found this interesting and it relates to the topic at hand.
http://www.ccwblog.org/2009/10/corrupt-root-and-bitter-fruit-of-altar.html
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“The line between being agenda driven and moved by genuine love can be hard to distinguish…” I think this is very true. Although, it would seem to me that when we care about someone and they are aware that we care about them the line is allowed to be blurred. In that situation we have more permission to share about who we are and what makes us tick and it can come as a natural flow of our conversation and as our lives intersect. I also believe that if you do truly care about someone you will share your faith with them, it may be offensive to them, but surrounded in love and care it is more likely not to be.
Hey Trevor,
That is a great point. I think we can get impatient and expect the line to be blurred without that relationship. However, we must be willing to genuinely care for people (as well as allow ourselves to be genuinely known). Thanks!
Peace,
Jamie