Category — Communication

For the longest time I sought to shout my way into the lives of many who didn’t know Jesus.

We’ve become like the culture around us. We’ve toned our message up so loud we too yell when something far quieter would do. We’ve lost the ability to listen. I suggest we tone it down a few notches. Why don’t we become people who come alongside those we seek to win and whisper to them the message of God’s love. Whispering in a world of shouting will pique their attention. In a world of shouters we’ll stand out of the crowd.

The world is in constant motion. It seems the Church isn’t always aware of this basic fact. If we aren’t careful we can flog a dead horse, so to speak, that isn’t going to get us where we hope to arrive. This truth is especially accurate today with the ubiquitous presence of technology. Things change at an amazing speed all over the globe. The contrary point is also true. What worked long ago, then didn’t work for a time, now works once again. Outreach is like that. Things run their course, they pass away, then are resurrected at a later time. Sometimes God reinvigorates approaches to ministry. If we are wise we will pay attention to what he is doing instead of criticizing things out of hand simply because they once were ineffective.

Pastor David Cho of the world’s largest church, in Seoul, Korea, has a practice with his new church start ups, of asking his planters to spend two years in their new community just getting to know people before doing any official church work. As he puts it, “Having tea and cookies” with folks. If you don’t first know folks, nothing else matters much.
One of the big problems in much of what we attempt in life amounts to skipping the step of  tea and cookies. Relationship is the very core of everything you do. If you are struggling right now to succeed with someone, perhaps it is time to just sit down, clear the air, seek humility and share some tea and cookies – or a hazelnut latte in my case.

If you are Scandinavian (your name has a “dahl” or “gren” or “sen” in it) you may be a little impaired in the fun department. Just saying.
My dad, a full-fledged Swede, once told me, “Those Beatles are a passing fad. Don’t try to imitate them with your music. You want to play the accordion. Now that music will endure through the ages!” He was a smart guy, but he missed it on that one. He might have been a little fun impaired.
Jesus wants us to walk in his enjoyment in life. This is almost a direct quote from Paul, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is… fun!” If we hope to see others come into the Kingdom we must reflect the enjoyment of God that we know. Let the joy flow.

I read Romans chapter 2 for years before the light went on with an important verse one day – 2:4b. “The kindness of God leads to repentance” (NASB). A powerful force is released in the lives of others when we do a small thing – when we show the kindness of God in a practical way, even when that kindness is done in a seemingly small way.
Your acts of kindness release a desire in those served to repent. The problem we face in evangelism is we can try to talk people into changing their hearts when God isn’t initiating the change. That’s a tough sell. I love this verse because it promises that what we do leads to a “radical change” as the Message puts it.