[real-time connections] chapter 10: stop subverting the message

As always, I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in one of Dan’s group blogging projects. Initially I had asked Dan for a different chapter assignment.  Apparently my reply to “Dan only” was against group blogging protocol and the chapter I requested was given to another.  That was fine with me as I feel that God’s hand works mysteriously at times and sometimes the message we are looking for isn’t always the message that is given to us.  Sometimes we hear it, sometimes we don’t. Heck, sometimes it hits us a month later. 

Anyways, I always look at these group blogging opportunities as a moment to stop and listen for the “personal”  message.  Stop Subverting the Message was the chapter that I ended up with.  First, let me say that I enjoyed Mr. Robert’s book immensely.  There is a timeliness to it that spoke to me.  Beyond the chapter’s message of witnessing to Muslims, the writing had a greater relevance to me. 

So on to my chapter………in Stop Subverting the Message, Mr. Roberts shares his thoughts on witnessing to Muslims and sharing the “Great Commission.”  The notion of Muslim religion, the Nation of Islam and many things in the Middle East tends to strike fear in American’s hearts.  Americans tend to think ethnocentrically and it has become instinctive for us to fear the things that we know little of. We tend to know little more than what the pundits on TV offer or the IPod teaches us.  In our world of sound bites and short attention spans, we have people who proclaim terrorists based on name and region.  McCarthyism for the 21^st century. What do you think of when you hear the word Muslim?  Terrorist?  Jihad? 9/11 attacks?  There is a certain amount of tacit fear involved with Muslims.  While nearly a third of the world professes Christianity, more than 20% of the world follows Islam.   

As the Middle East is the epicenter of many religious cultures, including Christianity, Judaism and the Muslim faith, there is a certain incongruity between the peaceful nature of all three religions and the continual turmoil and unrest between these groups.  Mr. Roberts shares his thoughts on the relationship between Palestinians and Israelis.  We are taught as Christians that the Jewish people are God’s chosen people.  Choosing not to take sides, Mr. Roberts recognizes that we are all the same in God’s eyes.  He states “God has no longer confined his redemptive work to a single nation……God wants every nation and people group to be reconciled to him…..”  It is our job to share the word of Christ and to be the witness for God to all people.  Mr. Roberts shares his vision of bringing the word of God to all cultures and people of the world.    The way to another’s heart is through understanding.  To create a dialogue with someone who has a deeply differing perspective on religion, we must work to “… resolve differences with respect and courtesy…”    

I work in customer service.  Anyone who has ever worked in customer service is familiar with the credo that “the customer is always right.”  The credo should read “the customer is always right, even when they are wrong.”  What that really means is it’s all about perspective.  To understand others, to come to an accord and open yourself to sharing ideas…..one must go about this with respect and courtesy.  In customer service, no one ever wins in an argument with a customer.  But by adjusting your perspective, you can come to a place of respect and understanding.  It’s as much about the delivery as it is about the message.  Let our actions move people more than our words.   Imagine the opportunities that perspective could afford us?  If we look at people who differ from us ideologically and write them off, are we really serving God to the best of our abilities?  Should we only save the save-worthy? 

Mr. Roberts asserts that “end time speculation about Muslims has covertly influenced American politics for decades.”   Fear based opinions that perpetuate prejudice.  To overcome prejudice and preconceived ideas, Mr. Roberts ventured to Afghanistan shortly after the 9/11 attacks, in early 2002 to perform some humanitarian work.  While traveling, he spent time with a group of Imams.  By integrating himself into their day to day living, he found himself praying alongside them and engaging them in deep conversation.  By showing respect to their ways and culture, Roberts was able to share the word of Christ.  While the words may not have touched the imams, his respect allowed him to “Live out our lives in front of them as a witness to God’s love.”    

As Roberts identifies the Muslims of his past as previously fear inspiring, but now provoking his Christian love and fellowship, shouldn’t we likewise consider the people whose ideology differs from our own and embrace them?  Imagine the possibilities?  As mirrored against today’s political landscape imagine the inroads that could be made by addressing adversaries with respect and coming to them with understanding, bringing the word of God in a loving manner.  How many times have you seen political demonstrations with signs calling for God’s wrath against sinners?  It brings to mind the protests against same sex marriage.  While I don’t advocate the sin, Christ teaches us to love the sinner but abhor the sin.  Hey, we are all sinners in God’s eyes.  While words have an impact, our actions are much more telling.  Robert’s offers the question, what is the difference between a fundamentalist Muslim jihadist calling for a holy war and a televangelist calling for the bombing of a Muslim nation?   

Shouldn’t we try to move someone’s heart with love and Christ-like actions instead of hateful signs and derision?  Imagine the possibilities?  We have Christians living side by side with Muslims?  Republicans reconciling with Democrats?  Cats living with Dogs?  McDonalds and Burger King drive-up windows intertwined.  Where it really gets difficult is moving past the specter of fear.  Fear of the unknown.  Fear of things changing and where that might carry us. 

Only understanding can overcome fear.   How can Christians and Muslims relate to each other?  The first thing that popped into my head was Rodney King.  Rodney King became the flash point for civil unrest and racial tension back in the early 90’s.  An unlikely spokesperson for peace, Rodney simply said “Can’t we all just get along?”    

Working side by side and creating an atmosphere of respect and truly illustrating the riches that God provides his people is the start.  The loving manner in which we share those gifts is the start of creating the “Great Commission” that Robert’s references.   

One of Robert’s contacts in the Middle East is Evangelical Palestinian pastor Bishara Awad.  Awad’s mission is engaging the entire Middle East for Christ.  By not focusing on a specific group, the message is spread universally.  Robert’s and Awad recognize that Christians in the Middle East are not only challenged with bringing the word of God to Muslims, but also to the Jewish who don’t recognize Christ as the son of God.  Engage all.  Engage the known, engage the unknown.  Stop subverting the message.   

When we stand up for the Lord and share our hearts with others, in spite of our fears, that is when we truly serve the lord.  Ultimately it is our role to engage ALL people for the Lord, not just the people who look like us, talk like us and believe the way we do.  Robert’s and Awad began by creating humanitarian missions together that would employ both Muslim and Christian, working together towards a common goal.  What are you going to do?   

As I juxtapose that with the current political landscape of America, I see the same culture of fear.  Are we listening to messages from false prophets?  Is the message that you are listening to perpetuating fear and distrust?  Do we discount people who don’t look like us, think like us or act like us?  As we work to accomplish things, are we driven by fear?  In all things we do, are we sending a message of love?  Do our actions convey Christ-like love?  Whatever your political affiliation, stop subverting the message!  

In conclusion, Roberts asks

Do you have friends who are of a different religion?

Look at the Non-Christian places of worship in your area…..is there a way that you can reach out to these groups?  In what ways can you serve people of other religion?

Have you seen speculative theology and political bias undermine the Great Commission?

Inform yourself.  Open yourself up to other cultures with respect and humility.

Let your witness be conveyed in not only your words, but in your respect and actions with others.   

Thanks Mr. Roberts for your inspiring words. 

Thanks Dan for the chance to share my thoughts.

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[real-time connections] chapter 9: making space for everyone

I don’t know what I expected when I volunteered to lead the discussion on chapter nine of our BibleDude group blogging project, but it wasn’t a discussion on religious freedom. With a title like Making Space For Everyone, I was thinking tolerance; I was thinking love (I like to talk about those things).

Bob Roberts, Jr. was thinking these concepts too, just from a slightly different angle. I was thinking of accepting differences inside the church–or at least showing love to people with differences. Roberts had a bigger picture in mind. Well, duh. The title of the book we are reading is Real-Time Connections: Linking Your Job with God’s Global Work. So small-minded me gets a lesson in Big Picture thinking, and I’m all the better for it.

Roberts believes that if Christians want to make a global impact, we must have a good understanding of religious freedom:

…a failure to understand who believes what and why it matters–continues to cause confusion and prevents leaders from truly understanding the problems and underlying causes of conflict. 

A Brief History of Religious Freedom

Our chapter starts with a history lesson. Roberts gives us a rundown on how religious views shaped the foundation of our country.

America’s roots in religious freedom started when a Puritan named Roger Williams was banished from Plymouth Colony in 1635. Williams was not only the first proponent of separation of church and state, he believed in something he called soul liberty–which he defined as the right of each individual to follow his own conscience in matters of faith. Williams founded the colony of Rhode Island in 1638 and established the Baptist Church in that year.

Williams’ ideas helped shape the concept of religious freedom that our founding fathers built into the U.S. Constitution. In his book Founding Faith, Steven Waldman defines the three part creed that the framers of our constitution were guided by:

1. Religion is essential to the flourishing of a republic.
2. To thrive, religion needs less help, not more, from the state.
3. God gave all humans the right to full religious freedom.

The founding faith, then, Waldman concludes, was not Christianity, and it was not secularism. It was religious liberty–a revolutionary formula for promoting faith by leaving it alone.

The Importance of Religious Freedom

But why should I care about religious freedom? Shouldn’t I be concerned only with the freedom to practice my own religion? Shouldn’t I be grateful when practicing other faiths is prohibited by law? I mean, after all, they are wrong, aren’t they?

Such thinking of short-sighted, according to Bob Roberts, Jr. Religious freedom is important, says he, because it ensures that Christianity will never be prohibited–despite a growing intolerance for it. In protecting the right of others to practice different faiths, we are also protecting Christianity. Restricting religious freedom also inhibits the impact faith has as cultural unifier, says Roberts.

At the heart of the concept of religious freedom is the recognition that the human being has a conscience, and they must have the freedom to follow where their conscience leads, even if it leads them in a wrong direction. Without that freedom, faith is forced and becomes a societal obligation imposed on everyone. When this happens, true faith loses its power and no longer has the ability to engage individuals at a meaningful level or to produce the personal transformations that will, in turn, transform the culture.

Faith matters in society for many reasons. Some of the reasons Roberts points out are:  faith is necessary to form the character of society, faith is necessary for the spirituality of society, faith is necessary for the conscience of a society, and convictions become the basis of all behaviors.

Roberts quotes an article by Brian Grimm when discussing why faith matters:

…religious freedom promotes stability, helps to consolidate democracy, and lessens religious violence. Based on our analysis, it is much more than an American pet peeve; religious freedom is a universal aspiration.

Why Does Freedom of Religion Matter In Society?

Roberts cites four main reasons why:

1. Freedom of religion allows healthy expression for diversity.
2. Under religious freedom, conscience cannot be bullied or bought.
3. Freedom of religion keeps evangelism pure.
4. Freedom of religion allows investigation of alternatives.

Roberts hits the core, I think, of the critical importance of religious freedom in the following quote:

If Christianity cannot win because of its message, winning by the sword will be futile. What we would force, we cannot hold forever. What we believe and accept willingly in our hearts will last beyond our life on earth. Christianity should be accepted on its merits, and its love demonstrated in the activity of Christians…the right of a person to choose, even wrongly, is important because in the long run, it benefits Christianity…that shows me people are granted the right to choose, and when that right is granted, the message of Jesus has a chance to prove itself.

The question is, do I believe Jesus is powerful enough to make His voice heard amidst the din of other faith voices out there?

Of course I do. He certainly has a better chance of getting the Good News heard than I.

This chapter has helped open my eyes to the smallness of my world. Here in America, we live a privileged and sheltered life. Reading the stories about the Christians in Vietnam that Roberts shared was deeply moving, but also shattering for me. I have to ask myself, what am I doing to help these brothers and sisters who struggle so tangibly to worship in their Christian faith?

It is a question that makes me uncomfortable. Embracing religious freedom requires a higher love…a higher tolerance than I have ever considered. And faith too. I have to trust God to change hearts in amazing ways.

I am so grateful that He can.

Connection Steps:

1. How are you using your religious freedom to bring about transformation?
2. Whom do you know who has been persecuted by being beaten, put in jail, or killed simply for being a Christian?
3. Pretend God is calling you to work in a place where there is no religious freedom–what would you do?

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[real-time connections] chapter 8: sweating the work

I must confess to you a scandalous secret: I have an aversion to Evangelism.

Oh, dear reader, please do not hate me! This distaste does not stem from a lack of love for my God – it’s just that my experience with evangelism has always been so – um, what’s the word? Fake.

I think it started in early childhood, when I was repeatedly pushed and prodded and terrified by various authoritative adults into “accepting Christ,” which I dutifully responded to by repeatedly raising my hand or walking down the church aisle. I did this at least six times, just to be safe.

This guilty conviction tracked right through to my youth, and later into college, when I joined an enthusiastic group of good Christians swarming the streets of our college town on Saturday evenings so that we might witness to the rowdy students making their rounds at the various drinking establishments. Our goal was to intercept these unsuspecting strangers on their way to the next bar, and strike up casual conversations about their relationship with Jesus. Awkward!

No one ever converted.

I didn’t like evangelism because it made me feel like a dope. It all felt so contrived and plastic and pushy, forcing my savior down the throats of unwilling targets with a robotic telemarketing script. And yes, that’s all those drunken students were to us: targets, not people. I might as well have worked for the Mormons, or the JW’s.

I’m afraid I just wasn’t cut out for evangelism, so I quit.

Which brings me to chapter 8 of Bob Roberts book, “Real Time Connections.” As you can imagine, I groaned just a wee little bit when I cracked open this book to face an immediate barrage of church-lingo terms and phrases like “The Great Commission,” “discipleship,” “witness,” “ministry,” and, yes, “evangelism.” But as I got into it, and especially here in chapter 8, I was pleasantly relieved to find that Mr. Roberts mostly replaces “Evangelism” with the term, “Engagement.” It would appear that our author is also fed up with the old-school notion of preaching, witnessing and generally badgering a group of people into accepting Christ without first establishing a relationship.

Roberts says, “When I speak of sweat, I am talking of engagement – working side by side to serve the common good of society. All the while we look for opportunities to share why we do what we do.” Meaning, of course, we serve the common good of society because that’s what Jesus would have us do. Now, this engagement is something I can get on board with. Real relationships, real service, real people. Nothing fake about it.

I think his take on Christians engaging with other cultures is especially refreshing, by admitting that the first order of business is to build relationships with people, so that you can “love them regardless of the religious, racial, political, or whatever differences you might have.” There is still an interest here in getting people to join the Jesus team, but Roberts presents it as secondary, almost opportunistic. Whatever work one is doing to serve the needs of the community, the idea is to meet people where they are at, respecting their ideas, beliefs and culture. The means is also the end. The process is as important as the outcome.

Roberts’ advice is simple: serve, love, get busy, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

The only trouble I had with this chapter, and the book in general, is that it emphasizes outreach to the world and community while totally disregarding the spiritual opportunities that might exist right inside our jobs and careers. In other words, Roberts hammers us with the need to get out into the world to serve all its hurting needs, but he completely blows off the idea that our workplace in and of itself might be the place that God has called us to.

Instead, Roberts invites us to discover the mystery of how to connect “your job, your passion, your skills – your call – with the work God is doing in the community.”

Wait a minute. So God is not at work in my job? My job is not my community? Can’t God’s call be at my workplace, in my current job?

Apparently not, according to Roberts. Although he acknowledges the validity of a Christian’s influence in the marketplace, he more or less skims over our workplace, viewing it as training ground, something to get you ready for God’s REAL work, which is out there in the world somewhere. Not so much at your job.

I, for one, have absolutely, positively zero interest in leaving my job to do something “more” for God than what I am doing right now, here in my career. And I believe God is perfectly happy with my decision.

Why? Because, if there is such a thing as a “calling,” (still, I am somewhat doubtful of this 21st century phenomenon), I believe I have found it right here in the suburbs of Philadelphia, doing my job at the company I am with, serving my employees, co-workers, customers, community and shareholders. This is my calling, this is my witness, this is my mission field. This is where I am planted, engaged, and where I truly believe I am doing God’s work.

Sure, I am also working with other outreach organizations, volunteering at the homeless shelter, working with my church’s youth program – but these are all extracurricular. I believe my main calling is in my work, where I can operate in excellence and integrity, and impact a significant community around me to further God’s kingdom – whatever that might look like.

All in all, there is much in this book to inspire, admire and apply. But the thought that I must escape my job in order to serve God, well, that just rubs me the wrong way. It gives me the impression that my job is just, well, fake.

And it is not.

It’s a real-time connection.

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[real-time connections] chapter 5: living as a disciple

Recently my wife and I were out to dinner and I was moved to asked her this question, “Are we serving God enough?” Our first response was no, but as we thought more about our lives and our involvement with our children, church, and school, we felt that we were serving our Lord to our satisfaction. 

Shortly after that night I began my preparation for this blog by reading Real-Time Connections: Linking Your Job with God’s Global Work. As I was reading Chapter 5: Living as a Disciple, I was reminded of my favorite quote from my pastor, “My job is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comforted”. Allow me to explain. 

The beginning of the chapter, the author Bob Roberts Jr. describes a model of ministry that his church and others around the globe use. The model consists of 3 integrated components as follows:  

1. “Interactive relationship” with God – This consists of our worship to God and it “enables us to learn to hear God’s voice in a regular daily way”. Some of the best times I have and worshiping God is when my family is asleep and I have the house to myself late at night. Because there is no music, people, or distractions I am free to pray and worship Him intimately which allows me to be more open and receptive to His voice.
2. “Transparent connections” – This consists of small group ministry that leads to accountability and community. The couples’ cell group that my wife and I lead at our church is the most rewarding part of ministry for me. Being able to be transparent and share common marriage situations strengthens our marriage and keeps us connected. Knowing that other couples face the same challenges we do helps us to be able to resolve any differences that we face. 

It was right along here where I was feeling pretty good about myself until I read the 3^rd component to the model and was reminded of my pastors quote. 

3. “Glocal impact” – Where we “use our jobs as the platform from which we serve together in our community and the world.” Honestly, I am lacking in this part of my ministry. My co-workers know I am a Christian and I live by example, but now I want to witness one on one with them. I want to be an ambassador on behalf of Christ. The key to this model is that all three components must work together simultaneously. What I learned from this is to use all three of these components in my life and not just the first two. You see, I go to church regularly and pray daily, lead a small group (components 1 & 2 of the model). But I want to use my job as an Accountant for ministry also. How do I do that? I do that by becoming a “true” disciple.

The last part of the chapter defines 7 characteristics of what a “true” disciple is. 

1. A true disciple is Broken. Being broken brings repentance and gets ourselves out of the way of what God wants to do.
2. A true disciple Obeys. One needs to be willing to take up our cross and follow the Master no matter what.
3. A true disciple is a Learner. Not only should we be in the word of God, but we must also be aware of our surroundings and culture.
4. A true disciple Engages. We should use our teaching to be involved in the lives of those we are serving.
5. A true disciple Discerns. “Biblical discernment is the ability to accurately perceive where people are and where they are headed, and then gracefully show them a different way to move forward.”
6. A true disciple has Faith. Faith is a verb. It’s requires action and not only a belief.
7. A true disciple Loves. Our love for Jesus is seen through the way we serve others.

By rediscovering what a true disciple is, I have learned that I want my job to be a part of my ministry, working together with my personal and church ministry. I want to become a true ambassador for Christ as described by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. I want my life to truly make a difference for the great commission. 

Maybe there is a component of ministry you are challenged by? Maybe you are opposite of me in that you pour out so much of your ministry in your job, that your personal, family, or group time suffer. My prayer is that we use all three of these components of ministry equally and effectively. I also pray the God will afflict (challenge) us when we are comfortable! Be Blessed!

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