sides
I’m starting a new seminar this week at church called “Speaking Jesus.” This whole idea started because of my ongoing conversations I’m having with my LDS friends. (We meet tomorrow, by the way.)
As a youth worker, I’ve been forced to constantly re-examine how I present Jesus. For the longest time, I sold him like a vacuum cleaner - to steal a phrase from Donald Miller. A commodity, a piece of a pyramid scheme which if you act now, you can get in on the bottom level. I’m not sure what is more shocking - the failure rate of that approach or my cluelessness for continuing to use it for so long.
Of course, everything changed once my relationship with Jesus was an actual relationship. You know the kind that has conversations, arguments, fights, accountability, and vulnerability? Once that happened, I immediately found myself in a tight spot.
I knew there was no way in 15 minutes and 4 easy steps could I explain how complicated, beautiful, wonderful, confusing, and deep my relationship was with Jesus. But wasn’t that exactly what I was supposed to do as a follower of Jesus? Witness! Defend! Persuade! I couldn’t in good conscious use the “read the pamphlet and pray the prayer” method but I really didn’t have anything else in my toolkit.
I think that’s when I heard Jesus laughing at me. It was almost like he was saying - “I’ve got a novel idea for you. Why don’t you let me speak for myself. You be you, keep growing and allowing me to change you. I’ll start with that.”
So that’s what most of this seminar is about - learning to allow Jesus to speak for himself. The whole evangelism thing I think we’ve made a lot more complicated than it ought to be. Heck, the only instructions Jesus gave was - “Teach ‘em what I taught you. And you WILL be my witnesses wherever you go.”
Of course that’s not to say that Jesus is all nice sound bytes and loving language. But that’s a much longer post.
Tag: Jesus
9 responses so far ↓
1 loren k // Nov 14, 2007 at 4:17 pm
man, wish i could get a ticket to that seminar… it is a constant struggle to let Jesus do the speaking…
2 Chris // Nov 14, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Great point, Grant. I recently read Jim Henderson’s book “AKA: Lost…” It has really helped me to flesh out what you just said…
3 MikeS // Nov 15, 2007 at 6:42 am
G - will you post points and thoughts related to this seminar?
I have often found myself in the same boat - things change when we get out of the “it’s just praying the prayer and going to church” boat and start trusting Jesus, a.k.a. having a relationship with him.
I wonder how many graduating seminary students are just now or haven’t yet realized what you and many of us eventually realized? It’s about a real relationship with all the struggles, misunderstandings, learning, and growing, instead of the 3 points and a poem with a video thrown in.
Hmmmm. . .just something to think about.
Thanks for the thoughts. Looking forward to hearing more.
4 kris // Nov 15, 2007 at 7:56 am
me too
5 wayne // Nov 19, 2007 at 2:16 pm
I’ve been struggling to write a post on my blog that I’ve tentatively entitled “Drinking the Kool-Aid no more”. The general point is that I’m sick of drinking and sharing the kool-aid of what has become “church” and “christianity.” The biggest problem is that once you’ve stopped drinking that kool-aid, often because you’ve been burned once to many times, and your head clears you wonder if there is anything worth drinking of at all — and that’s kind of where I’m at right now. Call it a faith meltdown, faith redux, whatever — but I am not drinking the Kool-Aid anymore. I’m tired of it and the headache/heartache it brings.
6 MarkE // Nov 19, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Wayne:
At the last men’s retreat I attended, I was part of a small group of 4 men who met to debrief from the talk. Pretty much out the blue one of the guys who shall remain nameless, but you know, said the following.
“Sometimes if feels like there’s a bowl of s*** in front of me and people keep giving me different dressings to put on it. And each time I try it, it still tastes like s****. Maybe the problem is not the dressing but the fact that its a bowl of s***.”
I was astounded by his word picture!
Don’t eat the s**** or drink the koolaid.
7 Mike R. // Nov 20, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Wayne,
What are some examples of Kool-Aid in the church?
8 wayne // Nov 20, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Mike — is that a rhetorical question?
I guess since I opened my mouth I will have to finish that post…unfortunately it’s a bit too raw right now. Give me some time.
9 Mike R. // Nov 21, 2007 at 9:30 am
No, it wasn’t rhetorical. I think I probably agree with you but was wondering what some examples of “drinking the Kool-Aid” are.
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