I have never been to the Grand Canyon. However, I used to envision it a lot when I would think about how far my sin had separated me from God. I remember being 12 and praying a prayer at a conference and "accepting Jesus" and then being shown this diagram of a canyon. God was on one side, and "I" was on the other (represented by a rather plain stick figure). In the middle was "SIN." As I flipped through the book, a cross appeared as the bridge over the canyon. Now I had a way to get to God.
The problem was, I wasn't even sure I wanted to get to God.
Don't get me wrong, I liked God. I didn't have anything against him at all. I believed He was real, had created the world, and I think I even believed he loved me (as much as a twelve year old brain can understand "love"). But, the little booklet seemed primarily concerned with being with God after I died, so I didn't think I needed to be in any hurry.
Now, I believe that our sin jacks up our relationship with God, no doubt. It also screws up the whole created order. However, my issue with the canyon diagram is that it makes it seem like Jesus saves us from God. God made the mess and Jesus comes to clean it up. It also makes it seem like God is distant. It's tough to make a strong case for the canyon imagery using scripture (where it repeatedly talks about just how near God is to every one of us). The greatest irony, though, is how urgently people will use booklets or tactics like this one to get people "saved" into a life that consists of a surprisingly low level of urgency for living out the life God desires for us. They have to get us saved now! But once that happens...then what?
This is the problem (one of the many) with "witnessing" using tactics. First off, most of the stuff Christians come up with is outdated ("The Four Spiritual Laws"), corny (too many Christian T-shirts to list here), deceptive (free food...if you listen to me talk), or even obnoxious (bullhorns and sandwich board signs). In a world where we just saw a very misguided man spend millions of dollars convincing people that the Rapture was going to take place this past weekend (it didn't, just fyi), it is time for Christians to take a long hard look in the stained glass mirror and evaluate our "tactics" for "spreading the Good News."
So, let's move on to a little exercise called, "Would that have worked on you?"
Fire Insurance:
Insurance. Most people have it and would agree it is a good idea. You can get insurance for everything from your house to your life to your pet's RV. For many people, getting on board with Jesus is glorified eternal fire insurance. "Don't want to burn in Hell for all eternity? (cue James Earl Jones with an evil laugh: "mwah hah hah") Then pray this prayer, join our club, etc." And if people don't take you seriously enough, then you have to make the fire even more terrifying. I went to a summer camp once where I am convinced the goal was to scare the hell out of everyone...literally. I think one of the speakers may have even said that. Each night, different scare tactics were used to transform a basketball arena full of teenagers into sniveling, weeping, terrified new followers of Jesus. I remember the first night the speaker said, "I'd rather be saved twice than lost once." (I have no idea where in the Bible he got that from). Then the second night, a pastor man would talk about Hell for 45 minutes and it was as though he thought Jesus never used a metaphor. I have never heard so many references to maggots in a sermon. If you hadn't run down for the altar-call the night before, you definitely did this night. And if you had the night before, you did it again. Because I'd rather be saved twice...just saying.
The thing is, most people don't think about insurance on a daily basis. So, if you scare people into accepting Jesus so they won't burn and then tell them they have to live that out daily, you're going to wind up with a very strange breed of religious person. Jesus never scared anyone into following him. God is not in the intimidation business. And seriously, are you involved in a loving, awesome, life-giving relationship with God right now because someone "scared the heaven into you"?!? Would that have worked on you?
Sandwich-board man
This kind of goes along the same vein as the scare tactics, but due to personal experience this one holds a special place in my heart. The same place a recurring nightmare holds. Basically, when I was in college a man would come wearing a sandwich board sign (he had clothes on underneath) that would say something about sin or hell or repentance on it, set up shop in the center of campus and begin calling down judgment on everyone else. One tactic was to belittle anyone who asked him questions (just like Jesus, no?). Another tactic--my personal favorite--was to yell out various sins while pointing at random passersby. Once I was pegged as a "fornicator"--which couldn't have been further from the truth...trust me, you could check with every man and woman on campus (or the planet for that matter) to verify my innocence. I wonder if that had worked on him; if he was a Christian because a man with a sandwich board once unfairly accused him of fornication. Would that have worked on you?
Fake Money Tracts
Have you ever seen these? Folded in half, they look like someone has misplaced some serious cash and you are lucky enough to find it! I mean, who doesn't love finding money? Then there's the ensuing ethical debate: Do you keep it? Do you give it away? Do you take it to the front and see if anyone has reported losing money? (who hasn't?!?) How much of that do you tithe? Then, as you pick it up, you realize it isn't a 1 million dollar bill after all (I know, should have been my first clue). It's a piece of paper which on the inside goes on to tell you, "You know what's better than a million dollars?!?" The answer is, of course, Jesus. And I know, I mean I really know that Jesus is better than a million dollars, but this tactic drives me crazy. It's trickery. It's passive aggressive evangelism. What if the person picks up the fake money and--instead of punching the closest person in the face when they realize it's fake--decide they want to know Jesus. Who are they gonna talk to? The fake money evangelist is probably long gone. Did this work on you? Is this what Jesus was referring to when he said he would make Peter a "fisher of men?" Did Peter and the other disciples use giant fake fish? You'd find it on the beach, take it home to cook it, and as soon as you cut it open, it would say, "[Something in Aramaic that roughly translates, "You know what's better than a great big fish?"]" Would this have worked on you?
YouTube/Amazon comments
If I want to weep over the state of the American church all I have to do is read the comments posted on youTube videos or on Amazon.com reviews. Anything that even remotely pertains to church or Christianity will have a slew of comments from people bashing Christians, bashing nonChristians, expressing racism, debating theology. People who probably have a genuine heart to follow the Lord just come across looking like total, holier-than-thou, morons. I really doubt anyone has ever come to Christ because someone replied to their youtube comment with a loving, "Well, you think it's hot here? Get ready for Hell!" Let's make a pact as Jesus-followers, ok? No posting comments on youtube, period. And if you don't have anything nice to say, don't type! Would this have worked on you?
I could go on, I am sure we have all seen some bad tactics in our time. I have even used some--much to my everlasting shame. But they didn't work on me, and I know that they won't work on anyone else.
So what did work?
Watching people witness to the resurrection of Christ with their lives. Watching my parents live out their faith. Watching one of my youth leaders guide me through the book of 1 Timothy and pour into me. Or a guy named Johnny who never gave up on me in college when I was not living full-out for Christ. Because of him, I am doing what I do. Because of his witness, and others, I wanted to know Jesus. The real Jesus. And then, when I met Him, when I encountered Him, it changed everything. I realized the way I was living broke His heart and I didn't want to do that anymore. I repented, I was baptized, and I started living for the first time. I didn't give myself to God because I didn't want to go to Hell, I did it because I couldn't live without Him...right now.
Maybe that's what worked for you too.
If you want to save people and introduce them to some lesser jesus, some god in your own image, then get out the sandwich boards, run off more fake money, and tell everyone about it with a youtube comment. But if you want to introduce people to the Truth, to the Jesus who gave his life for humanity, then just do what He asked: Be a witness. [See Jesus and the Book of Acts for more on what this looks like.]
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Witness
I know, you are all thinking this post is going to be about that movie with Harrison Ford from the 80's with the scene of risque Amish bathing. (I have only watched 43% of it due to always catching it on TV at the same point in the movie.) To be honest, I've heard the movie is quite good and the bathing is, well, awkward. And while I'm sure we could get into a lively discussion regarding the portrayal of the Amish in American cinema (or even in Mexican cinema)*, that is (sadly) not the focus of this post. I had jury duty recently and it sparked a thought in my head regarding the word "witness" and why Jesus uses it in the first chapter of the book of Acts.
Now, when I say I had jury duty, I didn't actually get picked. I did, however, have to sit through two different selection panels (we were later informed that the court hasn't used the same group for two selection processes in 11 years...we felt very honored to break the drought). Both cases were civil cases. In the one, an elderly woman was suing a circus clown who had allegedly eaten her dog's raincoat...I'm just kidding! You know I can't talk about the case with you! Had you going, though, didn't I?
Anyway, being in a courtroom got me thinking about the word "witness," as in: "and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8b). Jesus sends his disciples off with the charge to be witnesses. Witnesses for Him. Witnesses in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth. As a follower of Jesus, this idea of witnessing should be central to what we're all about.
I can remember growing up in youth group, even in college, and being at an event or outreach where we were given a crash course in how to witness to someone. Or perhaps it was how to witness at someone. Basically, we got tools on how to convince them to join our "team" and follow Jesus. You could use your testimony, but only if you had sold drugs and harbored terrorists before coming to Christ (and then stopped doing those things as a result). If you had a "boring" testimony you had to spin it in a way that you had a "hook." The "hook"--I think someone thought this is what Jesus meant when he said he would make them "fishers of men"--was designed to reel people in (were we trying to trick them?) and get them to the point where you sealed the deal, they prayed the prayer, and you could put another notch in your WWJD Bible cover. I never found this overwhelmingly effective. {Side note: a telltale sign that this was not the best approach was when someone actually said, "Ok, yeah I want to do that," the person "witnessing" would respond with, "Wait, are you serious?!?"} For me, it was a challenge because it seemed forced. I mean, the story in the little pamphlet wasn't my story; I'm not sure it was anyone's story. I felt like I was selling something that I didn't buy into; what made it more frustrating was the fact that I really did buy into it, I just couldn't sound convincing as a "witness." When I would read through Acts, it didn't seem like the disciples needed all of this extra "help" to be witnesses, they just did it.
A witness, simply put, is someone who reports or testifies to what they have seen. Now, there are people who use the courtroom example--as I used to--and state that a witness only gives testimony when they are asked to report in court. I used this as an excuse to not have to talk about what I believed for a while, unless of course, someone asked me ("You there, talk about what you believe"). However, the disciples seemed to be witnessing all over the place, and they were frequently asked to give testimony in places that were not court. I think the courtroom witness picture isn't always the most helpful (remember those movies where the witnesses get killed?!?).
What about someone who witnesses a baby being born? Or someone who sees a dolphin jump out of the ocean firsthand (not on TV)? What about someone who witnesses the beauty of the Northern Lights, or the sheer devastating power of a tornado? You can't shut any of these people up. They talk about what they have seen. It changes them. They are never the same after witnessing these moments. Much like the disciples--who gathered on that mountain top, having witnessed the resurrection of their crucified, dead, and buried teacher--when we witness something powerful or amazing, it affects us in a deep way, far beyond what we say.
And witnesses don't need to convince anyone of anything. I don't need you to verify for me that seeing Mt. St. Helens is an amazing sight--I know it is! The disciples did not need anyone to convert anyone to vindicate their faith in Christ, they were testifying to what they had seen. Sometimes, it even cost them their lives. In fact, martys, the Greek word for witness, shows up all over the book of Acts and it is almost always translated as "witness" or "witnesses" except for Acts 22:20, where it is translated "martyr." Stephen, who is referenced in the verse, witnessed to the life of Christ even in his own death. The book of Acts is an account of how the followers of Jesus did what he asked them to do: they witnessed to the ends of the earth. Sometimes they witness by preaching, other times by responding to questioning, sometimes in philosophical discussion groups, and other times by singing songs in jail. When people saw them, how they lived and how they spoke, they believed because of their witness.
When we witness, then, there must be something greater at work than human strategy and clever packaging. Witnessing is not a passive, selective activity. Witnessing takes up our whole lives. We are witnessing all the time; our behavior is always an indication of whether or not we have encountered the resurrected Jesus. Are we always ready to give an answer for the hope that we have? (1 Peter 3:15) Do we show enough hope that it begs the question? Are our lives helping others gain a truer understanding of Christ, or are we simply muddying up the waters?
In my next post, I want to take a look at some of our methodology for "witnessing" or "sharing our faith." Until then, I leave you with this story. While at jury duty, thinking about being a witness (again, not about the movie, Witness), one of the potential jurors stood up and said that he needed to be excused from jury duty because of religious reasons. This really piqued my curiosity, and I was tempted to ask the man what religion he ascribed to, before the judge beat me to it. When the judge asked which religion the man followed that prevented him from serving on the jury, the man replied, "Christian." I couldn't believe it. I had just gotten excused from duty by playing my "It's too close to the birth of the baby my wife and I are adopting" card (which was true). But had I known I could have played the Jesus card and gotten off, well I could have saved the baby card for another time! I had no idea you could throw Jesus under the bus to get out of jury duty.
Please don't misunderstand me, everyone is entitled to their opinions, and this man clearly did not believe he could sit in judgment over someone else. That opinion is fine, it may even be valid, but I don't think it's Christian. I am pretty sure that we are the type of people Jesus would want on a jury. People who value justice and mercy should be on a jury. The New Testament writers urged their brethren to submit to the governing authorities, and jury duty is a part of our duty as Americans. Wouldn't it be a far greater witness to serve on a jury than to use Jesus to get out of it? Sadly, I think we are too quick to shirk our witness for the sake of getting out of anything difficult or inconvenient. I, honestly, would have been honored to represent Jesus in that courtroom (as a jury-member mind you, I have committed no crime), I think it would have been yet another opportunity and venue to live out a faithful witness. However, I would have never come to this conclusion if I hadn't sat in that courtroom that day and thought about what God expected of me as a witness. So now, I look forward to any opportunity to faithfully witness to what I have seen, heard, and experienced from God...even if it means jury duty again in a year or so.
But I'd be lying if I said I'm not thankful that I don't have to miss the birth of my son because of some raincoat-eating clown.
*Actually, as of this posting, I have found no record of the Amish in Mexican Cinema. Google, however, directed me to a movie about a Mennonite who lives in Mexico. Seriously, Google?!? Not even close!
Now, when I say I had jury duty, I didn't actually get picked. I did, however, have to sit through two different selection panels (we were later informed that the court hasn't used the same group for two selection processes in 11 years...we felt very honored to break the drought). Both cases were civil cases. In the one, an elderly woman was suing a circus clown who had allegedly eaten her dog's raincoat...I'm just kidding! You know I can't talk about the case with you! Had you going, though, didn't I?
Anyway, being in a courtroom got me thinking about the word "witness," as in: "and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8b). Jesus sends his disciples off with the charge to be witnesses. Witnesses for Him. Witnesses in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth. As a follower of Jesus, this idea of witnessing should be central to what we're all about.
I can remember growing up in youth group, even in college, and being at an event or outreach where we were given a crash course in how to witness to someone. Or perhaps it was how to witness at someone. Basically, we got tools on how to convince them to join our "team" and follow Jesus. You could use your testimony, but only if you had sold drugs and harbored terrorists before coming to Christ (and then stopped doing those things as a result). If you had a "boring" testimony you had to spin it in a way that you had a "hook." The "hook"--I think someone thought this is what Jesus meant when he said he would make them "fishers of men"--was designed to reel people in (were we trying to trick them?) and get them to the point where you sealed the deal, they prayed the prayer, and you could put another notch in your WWJD Bible cover. I never found this overwhelmingly effective. {Side note: a telltale sign that this was not the best approach was when someone actually said, "Ok, yeah I want to do that," the person "witnessing" would respond with, "Wait, are you serious?!?"} For me, it was a challenge because it seemed forced. I mean, the story in the little pamphlet wasn't my story; I'm not sure it was anyone's story. I felt like I was selling something that I didn't buy into; what made it more frustrating was the fact that I really did buy into it, I just couldn't sound convincing as a "witness." When I would read through Acts, it didn't seem like the disciples needed all of this extra "help" to be witnesses, they just did it.
A witness, simply put, is someone who reports or testifies to what they have seen. Now, there are people who use the courtroom example--as I used to--and state that a witness only gives testimony when they are asked to report in court. I used this as an excuse to not have to talk about what I believed for a while, unless of course, someone asked me ("You there, talk about what you believe"). However, the disciples seemed to be witnessing all over the place, and they were frequently asked to give testimony in places that were not court. I think the courtroom witness picture isn't always the most helpful (remember those movies where the witnesses get killed?!?).
What about someone who witnesses a baby being born? Or someone who sees a dolphin jump out of the ocean firsthand (not on TV)? What about someone who witnesses the beauty of the Northern Lights, or the sheer devastating power of a tornado? You can't shut any of these people up. They talk about what they have seen. It changes them. They are never the same after witnessing these moments. Much like the disciples--who gathered on that mountain top, having witnessed the resurrection of their crucified, dead, and buried teacher--when we witness something powerful or amazing, it affects us in a deep way, far beyond what we say.
And witnesses don't need to convince anyone of anything. I don't need you to verify for me that seeing Mt. St. Helens is an amazing sight--I know it is! The disciples did not need anyone to convert anyone to vindicate their faith in Christ, they were testifying to what they had seen. Sometimes, it even cost them their lives. In fact, martys, the Greek word for witness, shows up all over the book of Acts and it is almost always translated as "witness" or "witnesses" except for Acts 22:20, where it is translated "martyr." Stephen, who is referenced in the verse, witnessed to the life of Christ even in his own death. The book of Acts is an account of how the followers of Jesus did what he asked them to do: they witnessed to the ends of the earth. Sometimes they witness by preaching, other times by responding to questioning, sometimes in philosophical discussion groups, and other times by singing songs in jail. When people saw them, how they lived and how they spoke, they believed because of their witness.
When we witness, then, there must be something greater at work than human strategy and clever packaging. Witnessing is not a passive, selective activity. Witnessing takes up our whole lives. We are witnessing all the time; our behavior is always an indication of whether or not we have encountered the resurrected Jesus. Are we always ready to give an answer for the hope that we have? (1 Peter 3:15) Do we show enough hope that it begs the question? Are our lives helping others gain a truer understanding of Christ, or are we simply muddying up the waters?
In my next post, I want to take a look at some of our methodology for "witnessing" or "sharing our faith." Until then, I leave you with this story. While at jury duty, thinking about being a witness (again, not about the movie, Witness), one of the potential jurors stood up and said that he needed to be excused from jury duty because of religious reasons. This really piqued my curiosity, and I was tempted to ask the man what religion he ascribed to, before the judge beat me to it. When the judge asked which religion the man followed that prevented him from serving on the jury, the man replied, "Christian." I couldn't believe it. I had just gotten excused from duty by playing my "It's too close to the birth of the baby my wife and I are adopting" card (which was true). But had I known I could have played the Jesus card and gotten off, well I could have saved the baby card for another time! I had no idea you could throw Jesus under the bus to get out of jury duty.
Please don't misunderstand me, everyone is entitled to their opinions, and this man clearly did not believe he could sit in judgment over someone else. That opinion is fine, it may even be valid, but I don't think it's Christian. I am pretty sure that we are the type of people Jesus would want on a jury. People who value justice and mercy should be on a jury. The New Testament writers urged their brethren to submit to the governing authorities, and jury duty is a part of our duty as Americans. Wouldn't it be a far greater witness to serve on a jury than to use Jesus to get out of it? Sadly, I think we are too quick to shirk our witness for the sake of getting out of anything difficult or inconvenient. I, honestly, would have been honored to represent Jesus in that courtroom (as a jury-member mind you, I have committed no crime), I think it would have been yet another opportunity and venue to live out a faithful witness. However, I would have never come to this conclusion if I hadn't sat in that courtroom that day and thought about what God expected of me as a witness. So now, I look forward to any opportunity to faithfully witness to what I have seen, heard, and experienced from God...even if it means jury duty again in a year or so.
But I'd be lying if I said I'm not thankful that I don't have to miss the birth of my son because of some raincoat-eating clown.
*Actually, as of this posting, I have found no record of the Amish in Mexican Cinema. Google, however, directed me to a movie about a Mennonite who lives in Mexico. Seriously, Google?!? Not even close!
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