Tourism, Activism or Evangelism?

@UrbanaMissions Jesus is not a poverty tourist. #u12reminders

We so easily replace experience, or tourism, for obedience. As we watch each day unfold on news media, we are painfully aware of the injustices around the world. Out of each one springs up a cause ready to fight it. So we "like" the facebook page, sign the petition and learn about the problem, and go on the mission trip . . . but then what?

Awareness and experience is good but only the start of the discipleship process that God has for us. As we hear about the problem, we are gripped by the Savior with a realization that this is not as it should be. As God challenges us in this, He will give us opportunities to respond and bring light to injustice.

Our first answer is to become an activist as we seek to move beyond awareness. If children are dying of starvation, we respond by providing a more dependable source of food. If there is no clean water then a well must be dug. If there are no jobs then micro finance or other work opportunities should be introduced.

These are wonderful responses and very needed. They take us beyond awareness and into action. We will see some successes and some failures. And after a while, we will start to realize that the problem needs more than a human response. God is speaking into our lives and teaching us that action alone will not cure a sinful and fallen world.

It is only then that we are ready to consider Jesus as the solution. That is the moment we become evangelists. That doesn't mean we stop showing mercy but it does mean that our mercy is in the context of the Kingdom and not our own efforts. Once God gives us eyes to see Jesus as the solution and we accept His role, we have a new level of power to confront the evil that clings to this world.

So as you think about your own response to evil, are you a tourist, activist or evangelist? Remember that all of them are on a continuum and are part of our growth in Christ. So wherever you find yourself today, ask Jesus to show you the next step in your service to the Kingdom.

Short and Sweet

Sometimes sharing about our faith can be a drawn out affair. So many details, so much emotion and such radical transformations happen that we can’t find our way to a simple telling of our story. So we either respond by not telling it at all or sharing such detail that we loose our audience.

A group in the UK has found a fun way to help people share their stories of life transformation in quick and focused ways. It’s called the Toaster Challenge and the group behind it is HCJB Global UK. They run a local production company called Whistling Frog Productions and do an amazing job capturing the stories of everyday people who have been touched by Jesus.

Here’s how it works. Imagine yourself getting ready to have breakfast. You put the two slices of bread into the toaster, push the buttons down and then you start talking. You have until the toast comes up to share why you believe in God.

Go to their facebook page and take some time to listen to these amazing stories and you will be surprised by how quick they are and yet how much they are able to say when the clock is ticking.

Why Internet Evangelism Day is Important

Today is an important day in the calendar of the global Church. It is the day we focus on Internet Evangelismand draw attention to the amazing opportunities we have to share our faith online. It is growing more and more significant because the level of community and the power of the online tools are growing exponentially. Through facebook, twitter, pinterest, linkedin and other sites we have the ability to connect in truly significant ways with those that are part of our network globally.

But online evangelism is hard and we really don't see that much of it going on. Why is that. Here are a few reasons for the challenge and our thoughts on how to counter them intentionally:

1. So much of our online engagement is now mobile. This means that we are not going deep with our conversations. In fact, tools like twitter have made much of our online engagement more superficial. Compare today's online interactions to those that happened back in the days of chat rooms where people would engage in deep (and many times contentious) discussions.

Our Response: Whether you are on the go or sitting in front of a screen at home, be very deliberate about the messages you share online. See every "like," every "follow," every comment, every post as an opportunity to shine Jesus' light into that interaction.

2. While we are connected we are not enaged with those whom we know online. We have so many friends, fans and followers but we do not really interact with most of them on any given week. So we have a false sense of community based on affiliation rather than engagement.

Our Response: Start to engage. One year, Jon decided to send an individual note to one person in his facebook community each day. That created a level of engagement with people whom he hadn't talked with in months that he could have never imagined. It also opened up opportunities for significant discussions.

3. Our posture online tends to be about our agenda rather than the interests/wants/needs of others. Because social media is such a wonderful viral tool to tell people about our causes, products, services and ministries, we get focused on "using" our network to advance those things.

Our Response: While sharing about what you are up to is important, make sure that part of your engagement online is focused on the ideas, questions, thoughts and needs of those in your community.

How are you overcoming these challenges? How will you take up the challenge that Internet Evangelism Day is presenting to engage your online communities?

Don't miss the wonderful resources on their site as you plan how you will respond to the challenge.

Focusing On the Call

The job of an evangelist is to see the huge need and at the very same time see the individual right in front of them. This requires two kinds of vision doesn't it? But how do we hone this dual way of looking at the world? It requires tools that discipline our thinking and focus our efforts.

One such tool to see the big picture is a map. A map allows you to see the mega-trends and pull out data over a large area. It also allows you to zero in and get very specific with the information that you need to make decisions about ministry. It is an amazing tool for an evangelist. That is why we are so pleased to partner with GMI (Global Mapping International). This group is an amazing bunch of researchers and cartographers who create tools that empower those who are all about the great commission.

But how does a map help us see the need? Well, recently we were sharing about Patrick Johnstone's new book "The Future of the Global Church." This book lays out the past/present/future of the church along with amazing maps and stats. (If you haven't checked it out, make sure to visit the website for the book.) However, we wanted to create a very simple map that would combine all of the ideas that the readers had about how they saw the Global Church.

So we did a quick activity: We asked people to share in one word what they thought the Global Church would look like in 2050. Then we worked with a designer to create a map using those words. Take a look at the result and see how a tool like this can give you a sense for the big picture and encourage you as an evangelist and disciplemaker.

Bringing God to Life Through Art

What does God need with art? Isn't it an extra . . . a "nice to have" in a life focused on the "need to haves?" We wouldn't necessarily say that to others, but many of us believe it. Even us creatives. We think that somehow the creation process that God has birthed into us is not nearly as important as the pragmatic skills of so many.

Mindy and I are writers and we have been exploring the concept of what it means to be "On Call in Culture" through our work with Acton Institute and Russell Media. They just came out with a translation of Abraham Kuyper's writings on how God blesses the world through art and science. Read an excerpt here.

As we have been exploring this idea, we decided to have what we call a Generous Mind Conversation. It is where we bring together people around a specific topic or idea in order to allow those who participate to learn from each other and allow countless others to benefit from the interaction.

In this instance the conversation was centered around the role of art in engaging culture for God. We had a fine artist, a political cartoonist, a musician and an interior designer/organizer share their input. You can read their thoughts here.

As Mindy and I have processed the interactions the role of art in communicating God's message to the world is so clear. The act of organizing a room by Madison Wasigner to make it a place of peace where those who enter it can focus on the eternal is inspirational. The interaction that Chuck Asay has with fans and especially with those who hate the opinions that he shares through political cartooning is challenging. The power of Chris Woolley's art to move people as they experience it in a gallery is breathtaking. The influence that comes as Bart Williams takes to the stage to perform with his band is undeniable.

Art is showcasing God and all of His creativity. Are we using it to reach the lost as they experience the creations of our hands?