"I lived many years of my Christian life trapped in what I call the motivation-condemnation-rededication cycle. From the earliest years of my Christian life, I had a mental picture of what I thought I should be. In this picture there was always a wide gap between where I ought to be and where I was. Sometimes when I was especially motivated, I would feel the gap had narrowed a bit. When I was winning people to Christ or spending a lot of time praying and studying the Bible, I felt that I might actually one day be able to bridge the gap and be a victorious Christian.
But inevitably, my motivation level would diminish and my fury and fire would die down. That decline always led to a sense of condemnation. Even when I had done nothing wrong, I would feel guilty for not doing all the things that I believed I should be doing. The devil had a field day with me during this phase. Sometimes I would become spiritually indifferent. Other times I would wonder if I would ever be consistent in my Christian life. I would wallow in my misery until I couldn’t stand it anymore; then I would finally rededicate myself to God, confessing my spiritual slothfulness. With genuine contempt for my inconsistency, I would ask God to help me be more consistent. I would promise to read my Bible more, pray more, win more souls, whatever I thought it took to get back on course. I resolved to try harder than ever to live for God. Yet no matter how hard I tried, I never experienced real peace about my Christian life." Grace Walk, McVey
Sound familiar. This vicious cycle isn't God's plan for you. Interested in learning what is? Ask me...
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Background Noise
Throughout the centuries it has always been difficult to hear that, "still small voice." What with, sin, stubbornness, arrogance, and the list goes on and on. Us humans think we have better things to do than to sit with God and listen to Him. Humans have always had an uphill battle to clear the clutter and obstacles keep him in front of his Father's throne to hear that, "still small voice."
Today, it's no different. In fact, I argue that today maybe now more so than ever, it might be the most difficult time in human history from a societal standpoint to hear that, "still small voice." It is a test of time-management and finding the time to put the ol' hammer down on the amount of time spent in front of the T.V., video games, and at the mall. Why do we need to do this? Is T.V. from the Evil One? No, but it becomes a distraction if it prevents us from adequate time to spend alone with God to hear that "still small voice."
The remedy? Where are you with God right now? Close, far? Either way. Stop and pray.
Today, it's no different. In fact, I argue that today maybe now more so than ever, it might be the most difficult time in human history from a societal standpoint to hear that, "still small voice." It is a test of time-management and finding the time to put the ol' hammer down on the amount of time spent in front of the T.V., video games, and at the mall. Why do we need to do this? Is T.V. from the Evil One? No, but it becomes a distraction if it prevents us from adequate time to spend alone with God to hear that "still small voice."
The remedy? Where are you with God right now? Close, far? Either way. Stop and pray.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Thinking in new categories in how to get action from an audience
I've been thinking creatively, trying to work out a deeper understanding of the interchange, interplay, and exchange between communicator and audience. In a book I'm currently reading, "Communicating for a Change," it teaches that the number one goal should be to prompt change in the congregation, which in turn brings everybody closer to God.
I say, good starting point, and a number of other things in the book are helpful as well. However, I find myself uneasy and left wanting. I've been spurred onto deeper thinking along these lines the past two days to put my finger better on the issue. I naively thought in the past all a preacher needs to do is to preach the Bible, and as long as he exegeted the Bible properly, and threw in some good modern day hermeneutical offshoot applications, job well done. However, I've come to realize that is woefully not enough. I could go on about this, but there is a larger issue I need to address.
Where is the modern day error in successful communication? Further on down the line we can find part of the answer simply by watching successful communicators. Part of the answer lays in audience engagement. This is where you see the communicator thinking, and when you look into the eyes of the audience, you see the audience tracking and thinking exactly along the same lines. This is crucial, they are thinking together! A perfect communicator-audience connection. They are thinking through the topic together. The communicator then is charged with guiding and directing the group's thoughts as the move through the journey together. Unfortunately for many communicators today, we fail not just in getting the audience to think with us, but we actually fail in getting the audience to think at all!!
Alas, I digress. The point, ah yes, the point. Now that I have you engaged I can tell you the point. The reason for failure in communicating for change or action is because we do not yet have a thorough understanding of what causes a human to act. If our goal is to elicit action from our audience, we first must have an understanding of what shapes the way in which they choose to act, and then play on this as we think through the topic together with our audience. We'll be hit and miss in our communicating if we don't understand the root issue of the process of human decision making.
We can't communicate for action effectively when we don't know what causes action. Tell me what is involved and what goes in a person's mind, body, and soul in the process leading up to action, and then I can start being able to communicate with the goal being action. But as it stands now we still cannot figure out why humans decide to do what they do. What is a robust theory of action? I'm out on the horizon looking for a philosophy of action, and I still can't find one. What causes humans to change, or to act in a particular manner.?
Do we act in a certain way when we become rationally convinced? Are we creatures of reason? Experience should definitely rule out this possibility for Christians. I say this because we as Christians sin a ton, and we know rationally this is the most absurd thing to do! Reason dictates that to sin against God is far from being smart. Yet, we still do it! Christians, therefore, are certainly not foremost creatures of reason, because if we were, we would never sin again. Therefore, a sound, logical, convincing argument alone usually will not serve to spur change or cause action. And a sinning preacher should realize this if he gives purely intellectual messages, because his very sinful lifestyle proves a sound Biblical rational message isn't the ultimate key in causing appropriate holy action and noteworthy change.
On the flip side of us building rational connectivity with our audience, is us building emotional connectivity. This line follows, if I can get you to feel a certain way, I can get you to act in a certain way. But is this true? Alas, I'm stumped and tired. Therefore, my action is now to stop. ;) (So what just exactly caused this action?)
I say, good starting point, and a number of other things in the book are helpful as well. However, I find myself uneasy and left wanting. I've been spurred onto deeper thinking along these lines the past two days to put my finger better on the issue. I naively thought in the past all a preacher needs to do is to preach the Bible, and as long as he exegeted the Bible properly, and threw in some good modern day hermeneutical offshoot applications, job well done. However, I've come to realize that is woefully not enough. I could go on about this, but there is a larger issue I need to address.
Where is the modern day error in successful communication? Further on down the line we can find part of the answer simply by watching successful communicators. Part of the answer lays in audience engagement. This is where you see the communicator thinking, and when you look into the eyes of the audience, you see the audience tracking and thinking exactly along the same lines. This is crucial, they are thinking together! A perfect communicator-audience connection. They are thinking through the topic together. The communicator then is charged with guiding and directing the group's thoughts as the move through the journey together. Unfortunately for many communicators today, we fail not just in getting the audience to think with us, but we actually fail in getting the audience to think at all!!
Alas, I digress. The point, ah yes, the point. Now that I have you engaged I can tell you the point. The reason for failure in communicating for change or action is because we do not yet have a thorough understanding of what causes a human to act. If our goal is to elicit action from our audience, we first must have an understanding of what shapes the way in which they choose to act, and then play on this as we think through the topic together with our audience. We'll be hit and miss in our communicating if we don't understand the root issue of the process of human decision making.
We can't communicate for action effectively when we don't know what causes action. Tell me what is involved and what goes in a person's mind, body, and soul in the process leading up to action, and then I can start being able to communicate with the goal being action. But as it stands now we still cannot figure out why humans decide to do what they do. What is a robust theory of action? I'm out on the horizon looking for a philosophy of action, and I still can't find one. What causes humans to change, or to act in a particular manner.?
Do we act in a certain way when we become rationally convinced? Are we creatures of reason? Experience should definitely rule out this possibility for Christians. I say this because we as Christians sin a ton, and we know rationally this is the most absurd thing to do! Reason dictates that to sin against God is far from being smart. Yet, we still do it! Christians, therefore, are certainly not foremost creatures of reason, because if we were, we would never sin again. Therefore, a sound, logical, convincing argument alone usually will not serve to spur change or cause action. And a sinning preacher should realize this if he gives purely intellectual messages, because his very sinful lifestyle proves a sound Biblical rational message isn't the ultimate key in causing appropriate holy action and noteworthy change.
On the flip side of us building rational connectivity with our audience, is us building emotional connectivity. This line follows, if I can get you to feel a certain way, I can get you to act in a certain way. But is this true? Alas, I'm stumped and tired. Therefore, my action is now to stop. ;) (So what just exactly caused this action?)
Saturday, January 12, 2008
You Should Listen too...
One of the most gifted communicators I've ever heard. Entertaining, inspirational, informational, you name it, he had it. Sir Ken Robinson talks on nurturing creativity.
I've heard people talk about his book...but I know very little about this man and his material. My only real encounter with Rick Warren is right here, presenting at the TED conference. Good message here, I cannot comment on anything else of his. May our money, influence, and position be used to help others! Fantastic message, appeals to both Christian and non-Christian audience base.
I've heard people talk about his book...but I know very little about this man and his material. My only real encounter with Rick Warren is right here, presenting at the TED conference. Good message here, I cannot comment on anything else of his. May our money, influence, and position be used to help others! Fantastic message, appeals to both Christian and non-Christian audience base.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
A Christian Book Cover?
What comprises a good Christian book cover?
So I'm currently writing a book myself. Therefore, I think about what makes a book pop off the shelf. People taking casual strolls in bookstores pick up books with eye-catching, interesting, or thought provoking covers. Find a good cover, and we hope we also find a good book inside. Immediately below are my thoughts on the most ironic and therefore probably most popular design of a pop Christian book cover as our contemporary American Christian evangelical audience would articulate it.
The front cover would be a businessman sitting on a wooden bench on a dock watching the sunrise over the morning's colorful waters. The man is pictured as being in a relaxed, reflective state as he gazes out over the waters and gets lost in the beautiful scenery. The man has on an expensive business suit, ready to go to work. He holds in his hand a cup of Starbucks or perhaps Caribou coffee, which of course costed him an ungodly amount of money. In his other hand he holds his gold trimmed Bible. Now of course his Bible is leather bound and has his full name written on the lower right hand corner of the front cover. This too obviously necessitated forking out an ungodly amount of money.
Doesn't the scene created start to paint the picture of a man, a successful businessman, moving places, but taking a little time to relax before God, prior to embarking on the rest of his hectic work day? Of course it does! And there is an attempt so that the average Joe Christian can connect with this peaceful image in some way, in hopes that he picks up the book thinking, "this man seems to be relaxed, peaceful, and have it together, I want some of that." So we pick up this book and other such books who inner pages match up to the ideals that this front cover depicts. These texts skyrocket to number one on Christian bookstores bestsellers lists.
But I ask you a scandalous question, "What's so Christian about, "this man seems to be relaxed, peaceful, and have it together, I want some of that."? This may be Christianity, but this could also be a whole lot of other philosophies as well!
Here is my version of a Jesus type of cover. Here is a man worn out. Here is a man with dirty feet. This man doesn't have gelled and slicked back hair, in fact, quite frankly, this man flat out smells and could use a shower. Here is a man who has bags underneath his eyes. Here is a man who has no place to lay his head. This is Jesus. And as if a cover could say this much....but I'll continue anyways. Jesus walks past the finely dressed businessman sitting on the dock. Jesus gestures back to you, the businessman and woman who has picked up this book and says, "I want you to walk on these waters today. I want you to stop just looking at them. I didn't create you so that you could sit on a dock and peer out across the waters. I created you to walk on the waters with me. No sitting on the bench with a silly reflective hazy gaze out across the morning waters. Come walk on them with me. Put down the $4 coffee, come after me. If you're truly crazy about me you'll follow me on these waters."
So I'm currently writing a book myself. Therefore, I think about what makes a book pop off the shelf. People taking casual strolls in bookstores pick up books with eye-catching, interesting, or thought provoking covers. Find a good cover, and we hope we also find a good book inside. Immediately below are my thoughts on the most ironic and therefore probably most popular design of a pop Christian book cover as our contemporary American Christian evangelical audience would articulate it.
The front cover would be a businessman sitting on a wooden bench on a dock watching the sunrise over the morning's colorful waters. The man is pictured as being in a relaxed, reflective state as he gazes out over the waters and gets lost in the beautiful scenery. The man has on an expensive business suit, ready to go to work. He holds in his hand a cup of Starbucks or perhaps Caribou coffee, which of course costed him an ungodly amount of money. In his other hand he holds his gold trimmed Bible. Now of course his Bible is leather bound and has his full name written on the lower right hand corner of the front cover. This too obviously necessitated forking out an ungodly amount of money.
Doesn't the scene created start to paint the picture of a man, a successful businessman, moving places, but taking a little time to relax before God, prior to embarking on the rest of his hectic work day? Of course it does! And there is an attempt so that the average Joe Christian can connect with this peaceful image in some way, in hopes that he picks up the book thinking, "this man seems to be relaxed, peaceful, and have it together, I want some of that." So we pick up this book and other such books who inner pages match up to the ideals that this front cover depicts. These texts skyrocket to number one on Christian bookstores bestsellers lists.
But I ask you a scandalous question, "What's so Christian about, "this man seems to be relaxed, peaceful, and have it together, I want some of that."? This may be Christianity, but this could also be a whole lot of other philosophies as well!
Here is my version of a Jesus type of cover. Here is a man worn out. Here is a man with dirty feet. This man doesn't have gelled and slicked back hair, in fact, quite frankly, this man flat out smells and could use a shower. Here is a man who has bags underneath his eyes. Here is a man who has no place to lay his head. This is Jesus. And as if a cover could say this much....but I'll continue anyways. Jesus walks past the finely dressed businessman sitting on the dock. Jesus gestures back to you, the businessman and woman who has picked up this book and says, "I want you to walk on these waters today. I want you to stop just looking at them. I didn't create you so that you could sit on a dock and peer out across the waters. I created you to walk on the waters with me. No sitting on the bench with a silly reflective hazy gaze out across the morning waters. Come walk on them with me. Put down the $4 coffee, come after me. If you're truly crazy about me you'll follow me on these waters."
Friday, January 4, 2008
Saying 'Yes' With Eyes Clinched Shut But With a Heart Opened Up
In Christianity the call of God, "come follow me" is to be executed with deliberate decisiveness on the human's part despite the certain unknowns and hardships that inevitably wait behind the door of conversion. In this way, we say yes to following God despite us truly knowing what grand decision we have just made, its earth-shattering ramifications, and journey for which we have just enlisted ourselves. Therefore, we say "yes I will follow," without truly knowing what obedient following entails. It is not a point of laziness or lack of researching that brings the uncertainty cloud over what following means. It is rather a message that cannot be discovered until you take the path of servanthood, journey and churn up the ground for yourself that you begin to unearth what following entails.
God gives us a puzzle, but only reveals portions of that puzzle to humanity. The portions/pieces of the puzzle God chooses to give us are sometimes joyful. But with every joyful piece there is a corresponding sorrowful piece that snuggly fits in and is the corollary partner of the joyful piece. The sorrowful pieces often mean deep discipleship and pain for the human, as they speak to the self-denial that must be established within every humans' heart that chooses to answer the call of servanthood to God. Regardless if the pieces you are currently discovering are full of the joy, discovering perhaps for the first time that you are a beloved child of God, or full of pain, hearing God's call to be a suffering servant, they are equally pieces of revelation.
Let us specifically hone in on a specific piece of the puzzle. It's the "come follow me" piece. You remember, it's the piece that Christians say "yup I will follow," without really having a clue of what they're naively jumping into. It's the part that entails faith, because we have no clue what lurks on the other side of that door. It's the part that allows your eyes to be clinched shut, but requires your heart to remain open. It's the part that requires you to say yes in faith, even though at this moment you may be too scared to open your eyes to see what true servanthood entails.
Unfortunately, it is our human nature to desire interrogate God. We salivate for the opportunity to spin God down and force Him to talk. We first want to demand, "First God you tell me what exactly we'll be doing, and then I'll decide if I'll choose to follow you or not." But God will not play nice is my interrogation room, I don't know about yours. He's always breaking my chains, throwing chairs around, and just throwing a real hissy fit.
What I think God is saying is that there is an element to all of this that cannot be known before being journeyed. That element involves faith. That element involves commitment while our eyes still cannot see, while they are still clinched shut. God has plenty of room to operate when our minds cannot yet fully see, God will work in the room of faith. What I wish to say in conclusion is, God can work while our eyes are still clinched shut, but has no place if our hearts are not yet opened up.
God gives us a puzzle, but only reveals portions of that puzzle to humanity. The portions/pieces of the puzzle God chooses to give us are sometimes joyful. But with every joyful piece there is a corresponding sorrowful piece that snuggly fits in and is the corollary partner of the joyful piece. The sorrowful pieces often mean deep discipleship and pain for the human, as they speak to the self-denial that must be established within every humans' heart that chooses to answer the call of servanthood to God. Regardless if the pieces you are currently discovering are full of the joy, discovering perhaps for the first time that you are a beloved child of God, or full of pain, hearing God's call to be a suffering servant, they are equally pieces of revelation.
Let us specifically hone in on a specific piece of the puzzle. It's the "come follow me" piece. You remember, it's the piece that Christians say "yup I will follow," without really having a clue of what they're naively jumping into. It's the part that entails faith, because we have no clue what lurks on the other side of that door. It's the part that allows your eyes to be clinched shut, but requires your heart to remain open. It's the part that requires you to say yes in faith, even though at this moment you may be too scared to open your eyes to see what true servanthood entails.
Unfortunately, it is our human nature to desire interrogate God. We salivate for the opportunity to spin God down and force Him to talk. We first want to demand, "First God you tell me what exactly we'll be doing, and then I'll decide if I'll choose to follow you or not." But God will not play nice is my interrogation room, I don't know about yours. He's always breaking my chains, throwing chairs around, and just throwing a real hissy fit.
What I think God is saying is that there is an element to all of this that cannot be known before being journeyed. That element involves faith. That element involves commitment while our eyes still cannot see, while they are still clinched shut. God has plenty of room to operate when our minds cannot yet fully see, God will work in the room of faith. What I wish to say in conclusion is, God can work while our eyes are still clinched shut, but has no place if our hearts are not yet opened up.
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