Category — The Future

Sometimes a strong word can be overused and thus neutered.  As an American I am especially aware of this tendency in the U.S. culture.  If everything is ‘awesome’ pretty soon nothing is awesome. 

A friend of mine wrote a book with the word ‘Revolution’ in it a few years ago.  Many of his friends encouraged him not to use that word for the very reason here - it was an overstatement of the points he attempted to make.  Ultimately, his friends were correct.  The word was weakened.  Once again, a voice in the U.S. Church world printed a rally cry and nothing happened. 

IDEA: Let’s call a moratorium upon overstatements

- before we need to find a new language other than English that we have worn out…

Turns out the Beatles were onto something after all…

A gathering / summit was held the past few days in Orlando of what organizers consider the thirty most influential voices in the world of evangelism today.  (Somehow I was accidentally invited.) 

There were the people you would expect to be at such at event - from all over the planet - Africa, South America, Europe, Asia and even the U.S. 

There were some press people present but no pictures were allowed. 

The event was moving, stimulating yet a wake up call at the same time - a wake up regarding just how out of touch and ineffective the Church at large is honestly, right now. 

All in all - there was a lot of call to stop the ‘hodabadah’ (read past postings if you don’t understand that term)

- to move on

- and let the Spirit have his way with the inviting of the google of people he is massively head over heels in love with…

Let’s drop the ‘This study reveals that…’ stuff that has paralyzed so many

- observe the obvious (did Will Rogers say that originally?)

- and let the holy party commence (’Party’ is spelled R-E-V-O-L-U-T-I-O-N)

I can see the future more clearly than ever…  It has everything to do with serving leaders who are hungry for effectiveness.  Effectiveness = “I am willing to go forward come what may.” 

My part is simply being myself.  My part is also highly connected with walking in faith with the measure of faith that Jesus has provided to me – more than I have walked in thus far in life. 

Great things lie ahead as we step out to make others more successful in Jesus than ourselves.

In every major city in the world today, it is no longer possible to approach an emotionally healthy stranger and engage him / her in conversation about spiritual things. True, there are exceptions, but those are the desperate, depressed even suicidal people – or those special situations that God simply sets up in his unique way.
 
It will become increasingly vital that we establish a relationship with not-yet believers by doing exactly what Jesus did – by living the way Jesus lived – as servants of all.  We are the ones who notice the invitations of God that come our way.  Not all needs are assignments from God certainly, but if we value the noticing of our internal Holy Spirit radar, a day will likely not go by that we will not have an invitation from on High to serve.  Out of that serving, will naturally evolve simple questions from those we are connecting with.  Even a newbie in Jesus can answer nearly all of the questions that come from the curious.  This I know – I speak to several dozen not-yet believers each week – one on one.

Why aren’t the people of your church doing evangelism?
Near the top of the list is because there is no real training and no real model for them.  It is a very unfortunate truth that with very few exceptions, the pastors and other leaders of nearly all of America’s church – “Evangelical” church at the top of the list – have no freaking idea how to do evangelism.  In all honesty, we need to take all references to “Evangelical” out of the names of said places unless the lifestyle, practice and fruit is there.
 
I’m not knocking – I’m out to change.  Each Tuesday and Thursday, at 1:00, EST, I am doing FREE coaching for church launchers (Tues) and those leaders / pastors who are stuck or in decline (Thursdays) for 44 minutes.  A good part of what I will be focusing on is practical encouragement as to how they can realistically change and themselves become outward focused.  No, not put together an evangelism team – but they become evangelistic.  People won’t do what you don’t do – if you are a pastor you already know that in your heart.
 
Drop all of the “should”s from your vocabulary.  That is a shaming word. Its use will simply impede the flow of God’s Spirit in your midst.  Tell your stories of your attempts to serve, show generosity – all of which will turn into a conversation.  Tell the good and the failure stories – they will laugh and they will begin to follow your lead.

The current stat that has held steady for decades – that only 3% of the attendees of even the most evangelistic churches will even one time share their faith in Jesus with anyone outside of their own immediate family, in their lifetimes…

-  this stat will fall to pieces in the next decade.

I may be an inaccurate forecaster, but I fully believe that that percentage will rise to above 50% - perhaps closer to 70% in many cases.
Imagine for a moment.

Fully 70% of your people – not once – but regularly sharing their love for Jesus – their faith in Jesus with not-yet believers.
 
Many factors are drawing the Church of Jesus to this point, but a huge one is the demand that we as leaders drop the “magic thinking” that has existed for decades around evangelism.  I know of what I speak.  I thought this way for a long time.

“One day someone – an inspired soul – is going to get the perfect way to share Jesus… Boy oh boy, watch out then!  We are really going to be effective then.”

I call that the “Big Boom” mindset.  Waiting until we get it just right.  Or waiting until the next “program comes out.
All the while, the simple, childlike model (never a program) is right under our noses that runs through out the scriptures. 
 
“Oh God, lift the veil from our eyes that we can see the simple way you ushered the kingdom to the Earth!”
 
“Anyone can do this stuff!  Where have I been all this time?  How is it that I have been dilly dallying around with my life when I could have been seeing people change for the good for years?”  As modeled and defined by the 3.5 Church, extending the kingdom is entirely possible.  In fact, the more you live in this lifestyle, the more passionate, the more empowered you walk.
 
I hear and read these words many times a week and have for years.
At first these words were gratifying to hear / read.  Now I am almost tortured at them.  Why?  Because I see around me so much energy being invested in maintenance activity in what people have come to call “Church.”

Yet a cursory reading of the scriptures makes it so crystal clear that that Jesus launched a catalytic movement with no hint of maintenance in his model or words.
 
We aren’t the laughing stock of the media because the “world” is opposed to us.  We are our own enemy.
 
To quote Pogo’s comic line, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
 
We are the theoretical army with no bullets and with an aversion to loud noises – if, heaven forbid, someone were to actually fire a shot.
 
Jesus’ and the Twelve’s approach to changing the world was only slightly oriented toward planning.  It was more or less, “Plan on your way to do…”
 
That approach is soon to return.
 
Those hungry for spiritual reality have about had it with the “Ready, Aim, Ready, Aim” but never “Fire” approach to maintenance church (yes, that deserves a small “c”).

Somehow we clearly communicated that evangelism is for the experts only (please – let’s drop the word “outreach” – it is a false, non-biblical word that is entirely confusing – it now means advertising as much as anything – I implore you – words do make a difference – the culture around us isn’t one bit afraid of the “E” word any longer! – ask any salesman)

The Effective Early 3.5 Church saw evangelism as something – maybe the only thing – anyone could do.

“Just tell what Jesus has done for you.”  That’s a rough paraphrase of what Jesus told the Gadarene demoniac.

One feasible theory is that that man was primarily responsible for the launch of the many churches, including the seven in Rev. 2 and 3, in the crescent area of the Gadarene area.  It’s tough to beat his story after all.  “I have a ‘legion’ (that’s 10,000 if taken literally) demons.  Jesus showed up.  Now I’m close to normal.  You too can change.”

That’s evangelism at its finest.

Ever wonder “Where will things be in ten years?”  I abide by the wisdom that our greatest mistake is to overestimate what can happen in the long run (ten years say) and to underestimate what change can happen in the short haul (five years).

With that in mind, let me take a shot at what I see coming around the corner in several areas in the Church scene in the next decade in several important areas that make up the spiritual “umph."  I am basing this not on what I see happening right now, but on what I sense is the convergence of what God has obviously been up to over the past several decades.  Rivers tend to flow, not zig zag.  His progress is referred to as a river continually in the scriptures.  That direction seems to point to the following.

This week let’s look at evangelism.
 
From Complexity to Simplification
Simple does not mean nixing the message one bit.  Peter apparently thought there was great power in the Early Church in believers sharing their Jesus Story –  “be ready to give an account of the hope the lies within you…”  If it is possible to be over trained and to try too hard to be effective, we have gone that distance in many cases.  We have undermined the profound power that is present in conveying to others how Jesus has changed our lives as Peter directs us.  Keep in mind, for the first 3.5 centuries when the Church’s effectiveness was at an all time high they had not access to the printed scriptures.  What they did have was an unstoppable passion and a conviction that people mattered big time – and they were armed with their life changing story they were not one bit afraid to share once they had gained the right to convey that story.

Is the Church under attack from outside forces right now, as in the “Islamic problem,” as many Church leaders are referring to it?
 
Clearly the answer is yes.
Clearly the answer is no.
 
The big yes goes down like this – we are seeing the world turn increasingly international.  People are increasingly irrational.  People are increasingly giving into what amounts to outside influence.
Last thing – people – outsiders – are increasingly unimpressed by what we have perceived worked in years gone by – verbal arguments.  In reality, verbal assaults have never worked in converting souls to Christ.  If you consider a head conversion a true life change, then hooray.  I wonder how many will miss the kingdom by 18 inches – the distance between a head-full of knowledge and a heart that has been changed by God’s very presence.

Heart conversions are caused by the conviction of sin.  That conviction takes place as a unique story in each case if you take the time to listen to people tell the way they found their way into the kingdom.  Of course, the scriptures always play a part, but there was at some point the involvement of someone who took the time to do the deeds of Jesus – to scatter the seeds of the love of God into someone’s heart.  Make that the simple deeds of Jesus.  Once the kingdom is shown to others (proven not by words, according to Peter) they naturally ask what makes us tick.  Then, again to quote Peter, “Be ready to give an account of the hope that lies within you…”  Hope – what hope?  Our unique “Jesus story” – the reason we live differently than those around us.  
 
This “attack” – how will it be stemmed?
 
It will be turned around – and the Church will emerge in an amazing way – not in a cocky, Rocky like victory dance, as we brag about how we conquered the infidels.  It will look very much like Jesus.  We will love, come what may.  God will love with his love through us… 

Walk by love…

This week’s CBS Good Morning show focused in part upon the growing influence Islamic values are having upon the fashion industry.  One very popular magazine is dedicated to helping young Islamic girls (some included in the story had last names that were Swedish like mine such as “Nelson” – one girl’s first name was “Ingrid”)

Something is afoot in the very heartland of America.  I, for one, think God is using it to get the attention of the Church.

In the absence of a huge awareness of the strength of God, the awesomeness of God, our only response is to turn to fear.  In case you haven’t noticed lately, fear is at an all-time high in the Church scene – at least in this part of the world.
 
The solution to this culture of fear is not to form more committees, to pour vast amounts of money into programs that will deal with the “problem” of Islam, but to return to the two “weapons” at our disposal – the everlasting, unchanging word of God and a dependence upon the Spirit of the God of the Universe like we have not known until now.
 
Perhaps what the Church today in the west is facing feels remarkably similar to what the Church in Jerusalem sensed as persecution broke out against them in Jerusalem (poor comparison no doubt – they were facing the loss of their lives – we are facing the loss of our voting block and a number of other things – not to make light of the current situation – but these are lightweight times by comparison to the Acts Church’s assignment).
 
The fact remains the Church has always had the same tools at her disposal.  Try as we might to spiff things up with all the cuteness we want, but we have only had two pieces of arsenal.  Like gunslingers in the Old West – a six shooter on our right and left side.  The Word and the Spirit.

Tomorrow is a hallowed day in human history – Norwegian Independence Day. Yes that’s right. In 1863 (approximately) in a peaceful disconnection, Norway gained their independence from their oppressors – Sweden.

Having lived in Norway for some years, I always feel a bit of a disconnect on May 17. I am ethnically Swedish, but I have lived in Norway, I love Norway and the Norwegian people deeply – Janie and I started a church in Oslo which has gone on to start numbers of other churches, blah blah. But boy those Swedes – they were blood thirsty in their day.

Norway is a lot like Mayberry. The king of Norway holds a symbolic post – kind of like Andy Griffith – his son is the prince – he is a lot like Barney – with no bullets – just starter blanks.

I see the future for Scandinavia – it is an “in your face” place spiritually. There is no air of false spirituality in any of the four countries of Scandinavia. They are a step or two beyond the UK actually but wealthier for the common person and a wider, larger view of life than the UK.

If authors out there want to figure out where things are headed spiritually – move to Scandinavia for six months – travel about, meet lots of people, drink coffee, rub shoulders and meet the future of the rest of the Planet now. I saw what is happening in the U.S. in the mid-seventies when living there.