PRISM September/October 2010 Issue

America’s Alternative Evangelical Voice

EVANGELISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY The fine art of listening more and talking less Learning about ourselves — and our God — from those outside the faith Incarnational evangelism: the power of being a guest “What is good?”— young seekers want to know OPEN DOOR POLICY A youth hostel ministry welcomes travelers in the name of Christ PLUS: the religious persecution/human trafficking link, front-porch revival, Jews for peace in the Middle East, Ron Sider on loving the gay community. SEPTEMBER U OCTOBER 2010

PRISM VOLUME 17, NUMBER 5 s SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010

EVANGELICALS FOR SOCIAL ACTION THE SIDER CENTER ON MINISTRY AND PUBLIC POLICY PALMER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OF EASTERN UNIVERSITY

Editor Editorial Assistant Copy Editor Art Director Financial Operations Publisher

Kristyn Komarnicki Jennifer Troutman Leslie Hammond James H. Glass Sandra Prochaska Ronald J. Sider

Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.

EDITORIAL BOARD

Miriam Adeney Tony Campolo Luis Cortés Richard Foster G. Gaebelein Hull Karen Mains Vinay Samuel Tom Sine Harold DeanTrulear

George Barna Rodney Clapp Samuel Escobar William Frey Roberta Hestenes John Perkins Amy Sherman Vinson Synan Eldin Villafane

EPHESIANS 2:16 (The Message)

F E AT U R E S 8

Christine Aroney-Sine Clive Calver Rudy Carrasco Andy Crouch J. James DeConto Gloria Gaither Vernon Grounds Ben Hartley Jan Johnson Craig S. Keener Richard Mouw Philip Olson Jenell Williams Paris Christine Pohl James Skillen Al Tizon Jim Wallis

Myron Augsburger Issac Canales M. Daniel Carroll R. Terry Cooper James Edwards Perry Glanzer David P. Gushee Stanley Hauerwas Jo Kadlecek Peter Larson Mary Naber Earl Palmer Derek Perkins Elizabeth D. Rios Lisa Thompson Heidi Rolland Unruh Bruce Wydick

PRISM magazine (ISSN: 1079-6479) is published bimonthly by Evangelicals for Social Action.

Be Still and Listen: A New Thought for Evangelism

by John Backman Why listening is essential to reaching non-Christians--and more important than ever in these fast-paced and skeptical times.

Evangelism Q&A

Check in with some of the church’s most innovative thinkers on the subject of sharing the good news: Samir Selmanovic, James Choung, Dan Merchant, and Jim Henderson.

S U B S C R I P T I O N I N F O R M AT I O N

To receive PRISM Magazine six times a year, call 484.384.2990 or go to www.esa-online.org

The Cure for “Evangelaryngitis”

by Phil Olson Tongue-tied? The pastor of a shoppingmall church shares some pointers on starting spiritual conversations.

E D I T O R I A L /A D V E R T I S I N G I N F O R M AT I O N E-MAIL: prism@esa-online.org 6 E. Lancaster Avenue s Wynnewood, PA 19096. Unsolicited submissions will not be returned unless they include a SASE.

I Don’t Like Evangelism

by Al Tizon An evangelism professor discovers in Paul’s writings a witnessing approach he can live with.

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

A Ministry of Presence

Talk Back

Letters to the Editor

Kingdom Ethics

Ethical Evangelism 5

A Different Shade of Green Front-Porch Revival

Global Positions

Religious Persecution and Human Trafficking

Word, Deed & Spirit

The (Other) Great Commission

May I Have a Word? The Gospel for a Lifetime

On Being the Church

Resonant Aliens 32

Washington Watch

Jews for a Two-State Solution

by John Musselman Practicing incarnational evangelism in Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province.

The Salty Life

Art & Soul

Bearing Christ’s Image

Off the Shelf

Readings on the reason for faith, following the unconventional travel itinerary of a firstcentury carpenter, the benefits of being earth-friendly, the consequences of misreading the Bible

In the Shelter of the Most High

by Stephanie S. Smith Travelers to Amsterdam find refuge — and Christ-infused hospitality — at a hostel ministry staffed by volunteers.

Reflections from the Editor

Partaking in Each Other’s Faith Journeys

by Rebecca Manley Pippert Christ gives us a model, a message, and the means to incarnate and proclaim the good news of God’s love.

www.esa-online.org

DEPARTMENTS

Music Notes

Boldness Too Tempered 40

Ron Sider

Called to Love the Gay Community

Cover: Original illustration by Yvonne Valenza

REFLECTIONS FROM THE EDITOR KRISTYN KOMARNICKI

Partaking in Each Other’s Faith Journeys A couple of years ago, I was invited to represent Christianity (as if!) to a class on faith and justice at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia.The students had already hosted a Buddhist, a Hindu, and a Muslim. Nervous and not at all sure how to prepare for the class, I asked God to help me articulate how my faith influences my understanding of justice and gives direction to my personal, work, and civic life. At one point, while explaining how my experience of divine forgiveness has shaped my understanding of its importance in transforming human lives, I referred (rather glibly in retrospect) to the quintessential Christian parable of forgiveness, saying, “Now, you all know the story of the Prodigal Son, right?” Well, as it turned out, very few of them did know the story. As I told it, the students’ eyes were focused intently on me, some of them wet with tears.The room was silent, and I was struck anew at the power of the father’s unconditional forgiveness and the son’s shocked gratitude. Suddenly it was very clear to me that I was on holy ground. Here was a group of Jews who loved God, sought to serve and know him, and were hearing for the first time — just as Jesus’ listeners had 2,000 years ago — this poignant parable of transformation through outrageous and unmerited forgiveness. After the class one of the students asked if she and I could meet for coffee in the coming week. That remains one of my most memorable experiences of evangelism. I went with no higher hope than to avoid making a fool of myself (and the entire Christian faith!), with no plan to persuade or dazzle my audience. And I did little more

than share the words of Jesus.The result was that I myself was evangelized, right there along with my Jewish brothers and sisters, by Christ’s message of eternal and soul-rocking love. By the grace of God, and in spite of my own self-centered preoccupations, hearts were touched— including mine. I knew I was on to something — the power of examining God’s truth in the presence of people whose backgrounds and spiritual training are very different from mine. So when I was offered the opportunity to participate in a Jewish/ Christian study of the Hebrew Scriptures at that same college this past spring, I pounced on it. Seven Christians were paired with seven rabbinical students — men and women ranging in age from their early

“Christianity provides a firm basis for respecting people of other faiths,” writes Tim Keller. 20s to late 50s. Our professors, Melissa Heller from the rabbinical college and Nigerian-born Emmanuel Itapson from Palmer Theological Seminary, instructed us to share ourselves, our stories, and our understanding of the Scriptures with our study partner and at the same time to suspend our points of view in order to truly hear the heart of our partner. We were urged not to preach to each other but to partake in each other’s faith journey. At our final meeting, after sharing a meal, Scripture study, and discussion, we formed a circle. Each of us stood in turn to exchange a verbal blessing with our neighbor and to pour water over each other’s hands and gently dry them. The sacredness of this joyful and tender ceremony was palpable to all of us, and it was clear by the hugs and phone number swaps PRISM 2010

at the end of our time together that many deep connections had been forged and that we had all been both stretched and enriched beyond our expectations. The result of this Bible study was that what was once a small ache has become a full-blown yearning: I need to have more Jews in my life (and, by extension, more Muslims, Buddhists, atheists)! Not so that I can convince them of Christ’s divinity, but so that I can learn from them and with them — so that God can transform all of us — together. (Many thanks to Samir Selmanovic — see page 16 — for giving me the words to articulate what I had heretofore only been able to sense.) I realize that this is not — or not yet — a popular view of evangelism! And yet it is the very view taken by the Author of our faith. As Tim Keller writes in The Reason for God, “Christianity provides a firm basis for respecting people of other faiths.” Because Christians believe that all humans are made in the image of God, says Keller, we can acknowledge that nonChristians are capable of goodness and wisdom. Conversely, Christians know they are saved not by their superior spirituality but by grace; therefore we do not expect ourselves to be better than others and should be disarmingly humble. Pastor Samir Selmanovic, who started life as an ethnically Muslim atheist, says, “I became a follower of Christ because a Christian found the footsteps of God in my story and my religion of the time. He loved me by learning about God from my story.” What does evangelism look like in the 21st century? The voices gathered in this issue sing a surprisingly unified tune.When we asked the experts — as well as the “outsiders”— they talked about the importance of listening and of putting ourselves in a posture to receive; of the need to embody the message, using words “when necessary” (as St. Francis put it); and above all to love people with the scandalous love of a God who humbled himself to death just to prove it. Q

TALK BACK LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

“Our Witness of Undividedness,” Craig Wong’s column in last year’s September/ October issue, was quite compelling. What he said about dividedness leading to more dividedness reminded me of the famous quip “Misery loves company.” I heard one of my friends preach recently, and he recounted a story about being convicted when he heard God asking him, “Are you trying to be right? Or loving?” That’s along the same lines as Wong’s late Pastor Appleby’s question: “In your advocacy work, are you hoping to bear witness...or to win?” It is more important to be loving than to be right. It’s hard to be reminded of that in our day and age with our culture conditioning us further towards the flaws from the Enlightenment — namely, sin. I think that even considering the question proposed by Appleby (not to mention actually acting on it) is a witness in itself. We always want to win and be right (that’s American after all, isn’t it?), but rarely, if ever, do we want to bear witness or love (especially in the context of a heated situation). Thank you for putting forth such a seemingly simple and yet profoundly necessary message. Justin M. K. Best Bruceville-Eddy, Tex. Thanks for your work and your continued advocacy for reforming the criminal justice system. “Facilitating Reentry” in the July/August issue is a great contribution for us who are serving those impacted by incarceration. I ordered 20 extra copies of the issue that I am distributing to those involved in the work of reentry here in Michigan. Unfortunately, Michigan did not receive any grants from the Second Chance Act. At present there are restrictions in Michigan Department of Corrections policies that do not allow “in-prison” mentoring by religious groups who are providing religious services. The major reason given is security. Even though Michigan has an excellent PRISM 2010

reentry program known as the Michigan Prisoner Reentry Initiative (MPRI), I believe that the “Healing Communities” via the Stations of Hope will be enhanced in Michigan and elsewhere when such relationships, including mentoring, begin in prison and continue in pre-release and post-release. Richard Reinstra Grand Rapids, Mich.

PRISM goes around the world!

Kazimierz Bem reads PRISM in the historic St. Krzysztof Lutheran Church in Wroclaw, Poland. Where do you read PRISM? Email the editor (kristyn@esa-online.org) a picture of you reading PRISM in a unique and/or international setting. We’ll post the best ones on the website and in the magazine.

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KINGDOM ETHICS D A V I D P. G U S H E E

Ethical Evangelism As a lost, seeking, 16-year-old, I was won to Christ in 1978 by men and women in the Southern Baptist tradition who had been schooled on a relentless “soul-winning” vision. I literally wandered into a Southern Baptist church one Friday afternoon that summer, looking for something but not knowing exactly what. I knew the church only vaguely as the religious home of my girlfriend, who was on vacation with her family at the time. I had never attended a service there. The church stood at the brow of a hill overlooking the local mall. I remember that I went to the mall that day to consider the possibility of joining a health club there that offered the promise of shaping my pear-like body into something better. Deterred by the monthly fee, I walked out of the mall and noticed the little church up the hill. Moved by a force I did not understand, I walked into the church that Friday afternoon. By Monday night I was sitting in my 1972 Buick Skylark in the church parking lot saying a heartfelt “sinner’s prayer.” However much some weary evangelicals may scoff at the theology and technique of the old sinner’s prayer, it certainly worked for me that night. I confessed what I now knew to be true — I was indeed a lost, confused sinner who needed Jesus Christ. I accepted him as my “Savior and Lord,” who would take my sins away and direct my life henceforth. I opened my eyes and knew that my life was now headed in a very different direction. Joy flooded my soul. The conversion took. I began to go to church every time the doors were open. I gulped Scripture like water in the desert.

I was still woefully immature, and I fell regularly. But my immaturity and sins were met with grace and forgiveness, for which I will always be grateful. As a new Christian, I was fed the same kind of soul-winning emphasis that had shaped those who “witnessed” to me and led me to Christ. I was taught to look at every relationship with a non-Christian as a potential evangelistic opportunity. I made a list in my new KJV Bible of friends who needed Christ. I still have that Bible and that immortal list of teenage names. This evangelistic hunger was central to my youth minister. His approach could be prone to excesses, which I discovered

The centrality of the kingdom of God in Jesus’ preaching has reshaped my understanding of evangelism. through an event whose meaning I understood only in retrospect. In preparation for an October youth retreat the minister asked me to help him prepare a tape that could be used for evangelistic purposes at the retreat. The tape mixed our yelling, screaming, moaning voices as we pretended to burn in hell. I am not making this up. He then subjected the youth to this tape on a retreat whose subject turned out to be hell. The hope was to scare people into accepting Christ. I am now ashamed that I had anything to do with this. It is pretty clear to me that both my (former) Southern Baptist Convention

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and my (current) Cooperative Baptist Fellowship are not producing the kind of “soul-winning” spirit on which I was spiritually weaned.The more conservative SBC still speaks a soul-winning rhetoric, but its declining baptisms reflect the reality that this vision simply does not resonate the way it once did.The more moderate CBF still talks about evangelism, but its people also appear to do little of it. The entire context for evangelism in this culture has changed.The old message that verbal confession of Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation — which is understood to mean forgiveness of personal sins and entrance into heaven/escape from burning in hell — bumps up against dissatisfaction from within the church and disdain from without. It strikes many Christians as a truncation of a broader or more loving vision of the biblical message and many non-Christians as a species of primitive religious intolerance. My own discovery of the centrality of the kingdom of God in Jesus’ preaching has reshaped my understanding of evangelism. I am in some ways still that teenager who was brought to Christ by an evangelist prepared to witness. I also am prepared to witness explicitly to my faith in Christ. But the story I tell is a different one now. I believe that God was in Christ reclaiming this broken world for his divine reign. I believe that God seeks the reclamation of the entire world from sin and not just souls from hell, and that God looks not just for believers but for kingdom coworkers. But I still believe that a Christian must at any time be ready to tell that good news, not only in deeds but also in words, without manipulation or coercion but in gracious love. Q David P. Gushee is director of the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University, where he is also a professor of Christian ethics. His twelfth book, Religious Faith, Torture, and Our National Soul, was just released by Mercer University Press.

A DIFFERENT SHADE OF GREEN KENDRA LANGDON JUSKUS

Front-Porch Revival With the onset of autumn, we bid farewell to the summer fantasy of reclining on a porch swing with a book in one hand and a glass of lemonade in the other. Why do I call this a fantasy? Because porch swings generally hang on front porches, and the front porch is an architectural detail that many of our homes lack.* The importance of the front porch has been diminished by the efficiencyobsessed culture we live in today, a culture that threatens our fundamental humanity with busyness, anonymity, and industrialization. In contrast, much about the front porch is human. According to The American Porch: An Informal History of an Informal Place by Michael Dolan (Lyons Press, 2004), the front porch traveled to the New World in the 1600s with African slaves who built houses here similar to what they had known in Africa: small dwellings fronted by a roofed outdoor area to provide cool shade and a social space that bridged public and private worlds. This intermediary social nature of the porch is its strongest asset. The porch is a physical space that is both personal to its owner and hospitable to guests and strangers. It is a threshold of community: Neither a place of anonymity nor of complete intimacy, it is a place where new connections are wrought and old connections are strengthened. One can be invited onto a front porch even as a passerby; it provides opportunities for welcoming the stranger. Contrast the front porch with the back deck, an architectural feature that arose in American neighborhoods in the 1970s. The back deck is a private sanctuary into which only friends and relatives are admitted. Dolan explains

that “Decks got smoother, bigger, and more complex … Ever-larger jerryrigged 3-D grids rose behind kraal-like stockade walls that went up overnight in eight-foot sections, prefabricated privacy (or was it spite?) fences that made a backyard into a mystery zone (What were they doing in there?) … The deck became the prime real-world architectural element of the Me Decade.” I’ll wager that more of us live in homes with back decks than front porches. My home certainly fits that description. And while it has a large front stoop, that space is too small for hosting friends and has no roof for shade. But I confess, the real reason my husband and I don’t use the stoop is because it is an awkward interface with our neighbors. We live in a walkable neighborhood, but at best we offer a shy “hello” to passersby. What I really want to say is, “Come on up! We want to welcome you into a very human space of interaction and maybe even friendship.” But we’re fairly new to the area, and shouting that across the front lawn might be overdoing it. I know we’re not alone in our hesitancy to embrace such awkwardness. It’s difficult to regenerate a front-porch culture when the physical front porch has been abandoned in favor of air conditioning/television and in response to the perceived stranger-danger, fear, and suspicion that characterize contemporary society. So where do we find porch-like spaces of hospitality and welcome? How do we re-create the gatherings that had formed around the front porch? In many cases we drive away from our homes and neighborhoods to meet familiar friends in neutral territory, pocketing ourselves away in coffee shops or restaurants. These gathering spaces can build community, but they are not homes. They lack the hospitality and personality of a front porch and demand none of the admittedly awkward but still cruPRISM 2010

cial aspects of reaching out and drawing in that a heartfelt welcome comprises. A front porch is immediate and visible to neighbors, fostering interaction that is spontaneous and allowing a community to come together in a space in a casual way. Reinvigorating a front-porch culture may strengthen a Christian ethic of hospitality and welcome, but it also encourages living en plein air.Walking, gardening, and letting our children play outdoors become more attractive activities when we know there are eyes on the street (part of writer and urban activist Jane Jacobs’ prescription for safe and healthy cities). We get more exercise and less television when we discover that walking to a nearby porch for fellowship is easier and more fulfilling than driving to a coffee shop. We learn more about our local topography and ecology as we walk. We take responsibility for each other: We learn who in our community is in need of prayer, a good meal, or help with rent. Maybe we realize that our local streetscape is dangerous, and we unite to plan sidewalks, pedestrian refuge islands, or stop signs so that we can gather together more safely. A front porch is more than a quaint architectural bauble hanging from the front of a house. And even if the front porch was a fantasy this summer, we can still extend the front-porch mindset of neighborhood and community a long way out into society. Q Kendra Langdon Juskus is a writer and editor living in Illinois. She manages the website and online magazine for Flourish (Flourishonline.org), which provides information and inspiration for Christian environmental stewardship.

*Suburban — especially subdivision — homes often dedicate this important space to the garage. Architects call them “snout” houses: The garage projects from the body of the house as its most visible feature, making the car seem like the main occupant of the house, as opposed to the people.

GLOBAL POSITIONS LAURA LEDERER

Religious Persecution and Human Trafficking Raised a Catholic in Southern Sudan, Francis Bok was 7 years old when he was captured and enslaved during an Arab militia raid on his small village. He saw adults and children brutalized and killed all around him. His captors put a gun to his head and gave him a choice: convert to Islam or lose his life. He was strapped to a donkey and taken north to Kirio, where he lived as a slave. He was forced to sleep with cattle, endured daily beatings, and was given rotten food to eat. Called abeed (black slave), he was given an Arabic name — Dut Giema Abdullah — and forced to perform Islamic prayer rituals. Over the past 10 years, great strides have been made by new human rights coalitions. They have challenged mainstream human rights groups to add religious liberty and human trafficking, particularly sex trafficking, to the list of classic human rights issues like political dissent and individual liberty.The International Religious Freedom Act created the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Office in the US Department of State. Several years later, a similar coalition worked to pass the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, which mandated the creation of the Office to Monitor and CombatTrafficking in Persons (TIP Office). IRF monitors violations of religious freedom in countries around the world, and the TIP Office is required by law to publish an annual report that assesses and rates all countries on their significant progress in addressing human trafficking and slavery. Yet both these institutions

have missed a key link between their issues: Religious minorities are frequent victims of human trafficking.This should not be surprising.They lack political power and live in countries where they are often economically stressed and less educated than the majority of the population. Persecution, discrimination, and inequality are a daily part of their lives. In Burma, an estimated 6 million Karen people, a Christian minority, have endured decades of human rights abuses. Targeted by both civilian and military entities and displaced from their homes, tens of thousands have been trafficked into Thailand, China, and Malaysia and sold into involuntary servitude, forced labor, or commercial sexual exploitation. Although the TIP report describes Burma as a source country for both sex and labor trafficking, it fails to mention that a large proportion of the victims are members of a Christian minority sect. In Egypt, Pakistan, and other predominantly Muslim countries, Christian minorities are often subject to forced conversions to Islam. Christians in Egypt make up 8-12 percent of the population, but they lack political power, and few hold high positions in the government or security forces. A 2009 report by Christian Solidarity International and the Coptic Foundation for Human Rights documented dozens of specific cases of Christian Egyptian women being abducted and forced to convert to Islam. Frequently the women are forced or coerced into Muslim marriages, often after being raped. Egyptian authorities generally dismiss the criminality of these forced conversions and marriages, and none of these cases has been prosecuted. The TIP Report 2010 mentions reports of forced marriages of Coptic Christians and the trafficking of Christian girls into prostitution but says that the allegations have not been confirmed. Reports from Pakistan indicate that Hindu and Christian women are also abducted and forced to convert in very

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similar circumstances. Perhaps the most extreme example of trafficking motivated by religion is that of Sudan.According to the TIP report, inter-tribal abduction continues to occur in the southern Sudan, with members of rival tribes capturing and enslaving women and children. Organizations such as Christian Solidarity International continue to purchase and free slaves, who were often subjected to forced conversions from Christianity to Islam by their captors and in many cases subjected to physical torture and female genital mutilation as well. It is not just Christian minorities who are vulnerable to human trafficking. In India, where a rigid caste system still prevails despite recent legal reforms, the Dalits, formerly known as “untouchables,” are targeted by traffickers, who ply parents with money to sell their children. According to the 2010 TIP report, 90 percent of trafficking in India is internal, and those from India’s most disadvantaged social economic strata are particularly vulnerable. The TIP Report makes several recommendations that would decrease human trafficking: increasing efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict offenders; establishing official processes for law enforcement officials to identify victims; and educating government officials and the general public. But in the case of religious minorities, the work must go deeper. Countries must undertake measures to combat religious persecution and related human rights abuses, and religious minorities must receive equal status in society and protection under the law. And, most important, the link between religious minorities and human trafficking must be recognized if prevention, prosecution, and protection efforts are to be successful. Q Laura Lederer is president of Global Centurion, a nonprofit that fights slavery by focusing on the demand side. Dyana Aziz provided research and writing assistance for this article.

WORD, DEED & SPIRIT AL TIZON

The (Other) Great Commission

in this dead-end town to do God’s will — how glorious and sexy can that be? We want to go where people dress funny, where they speak in strange tongues, where people have never heard the name of Jesus. We want to go where professing faith is politically dangerous.We want As spectacular biblical stories go, the to live on the edge, putting our lives on story of the Gerasene demoniac in the the line for the sake of the gospel. We fifth chapter of Mark sits near the top. want to feed the hungry, provide shelter Hollywood can truly go crazy on this for the orphan, fight against human trafone, especially in light of the pop come- ficking, and transform whole villages for back of vampires, werewolves, and Christ. We want to dodge bullets! The superheroes.The story has all the ingre- point of this meditation is that there is dients of a blockbuster: a resident army nothing in this rant that does not apply of demons that calls itself Legion, a right here and now. None of us has to tormented man who lives among the go very far to get into the thick of dead, a face-off between good and evil, God’s mission. suicidal pigs, a stunned village, and the ultimate triumph of God. Imagine what M. Night Shyamalan could do with it! But as spectacular as this story is, I was drawn to its more subtle turns as I meditated on it the other day, particularly in the brief exchange toward the end between Jesus and the liberated man. In the wake of his dramatic deliverance from years of torment, the man implores Jesus to allow him to join him and his disciples. Here is a newly whole, firedup person, willing to go to the ends of earth with and for Jesus. I’m certain that human need also And Jesus’ response? He “did not let him, but said, ‘Go home to your own abounded in the Decapolis (the Ten Cities) people and tell them how much the Lord wherein Jesus told the former demoniac has done for you.’” Instead of signing him to stay in order to testify to the good news. up to go to regions beyond, Jesus sent The story of the Garasene demonstrates him home. Instead of “Go,” Jesus essen- the divine missional call to stay in order tially said to the demoniac-turned- to address those needs by the power of missionary, “Stay.” Stay — but not to sit the gospel. That’s why I call Mark 5, idly by; stay to testify to the good news “the other Great Commission” chapter. It should tell us that it is not going or right where you are. I speculate that the transformed man staying that necessarily defines mission. had to fight off an initial wave of disap- At the end of the day, mission is simply pointment. After all, isn’t “to go” the testifying to God’s saving, liberating ultimate act of commitment to the gos- mercy, and then backing up our testimopel? The Great Commission of Matthew nies with the fruit of that mercy in our 28, which the church has lifted up as the deeds and in our lives, wherever we are. I was raised in a nonreligious home. primary missionary text, makes that clear. To stay seems so second-rate. Staying put My parents, both deceased now, did their

Instead of “Go,”

Jesus essentially said to the

demoniac-turnedmissionary, “Stay.”

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best with us five children, and I love and respect them for that. But their own relationship had insurmountable problems. Consequently, there was a lot of yelling and screaming and violence in my house.They did finally divorce — the lesser of two evils in hindsight.They also both remarried within a year, so within a short period of time we had to get used to a stepmom, a stepdad, and several stepsiblings, not to mention having to go back and forth between two households. I was 14 at the time, and in reaction to the family chaos, I paved my own highway of self-destructive behavior, which included drugs and alcohol, parties and rock concerts, girls and popularity-chasing, and vain and godless philosophies (including starting my own religion!). I trusted no one and believed in nothing beyond myself. Life between the ages of 14 and 17 was intense.When I decided to sin, I sinned boldly, to borrow Martin Luther’s famous phrase. And the results left me emotionally depleted, psychologically confused, physically sick, and spiritually dead. But then … Jesus. But then Jesus rowed his boat ashore and heard my cry from the depths of my being. My Gerasene moment was at a Wednesday night youth meeting called Son City where I heard the gospel for the first time. I responded in faith, and God saw fit to liberate and save me. This is the edited version of just the beginning of my story. What’s your story? Whether a convert from a former street life or a cradle Christian, we each have an exciting story, and we should be telling it with our words, deeds, and lives right where we are. For the same call that Jesus issued to the former demoniac applies to us all:“Tell [people] how much the Lord has done for you and what mercy he has shown you.” Q Al Tizon is director of ESA’s Word & Deed Network and associate professor of holistic ministry at Palmer Theological Seminary in Wynnewood, Pa.

0 +65»; 302, ,=(5.,30:4 CO N FE S S I O N S O F AN EVA NGELISM P ROFESSO R— AN D T H E H O L I S T IC A P P R O AC H THAT MAKES “B E A R I N G WITNESS” BEA RA BLE

BY AL TIZON

I don’t like evangelism, at least as it is often understood and/ or executed. I cringe at tacky tracts and mechanical formulas and culturally insensitive strategies, even while I concede that God can and occasionally does use some of these things to draw people to himself. I was in Vietnam in the early ‘90s, a time when evangelism was being outlawed. Preaching the gospel was only permitted within the walls of a church. As much as I may dislike the idea of evangelism, this grated on me. Surely everyone has a right to hear the gospel, I reasoned. “Yes,” replied a Vietnamese brother, “but our government believes that everyone also has a right not to hear the gospel.” I don’t remember how I responded at the time, but the idea began to grow on me over the years: the right not to hear the

gospel. Interesting. Maybe that explains the violated feeling I get when missionaries at the door are applying some evangelistic formula on me. Maybe that right not to hear explains the sick feeling I get when I see a street evangelist using a megaphone to preach hellfire and brimstone … you know, the “good news.” Or the sicker feeling I get when I happen upon a channel with a slick, big-haired televangelist telling me that if I buy his book, God will bless me. When I think of these things, I say, “Evangelism illegal: I like it!” But here’s the thing: Jesus.The person of Jesus.When I finally work through my self-righteous cynicism toward evangelism, I see Jesus, and I believe once again in the telling of the good news concerning him.This Jesus, whom we can know in faith by the power of the Spirit, is truly good news. And this kind

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long we went that night. It certainly was not the only thing we talked about, but my last word concerning God and religion was that God and religion are different, that even as religion falls short of our valiant attempts to understand God, God in the person of Christ continues to bring life and transformation to anyone who believes. There was no altar call that night, just amazing conversation where I believe the gospel was preached. The point is that it wasn’t formulaic or awkward to engage in God-talk with them, because I felt free to be myself in the context of real relationships, which were cultivated in the natural environment called a neighborhood. So to be ourselves in Christ and to let the unfolding of faith-sharing happen naturally make up the first life posture toward a responsible evangelism.

of news is worth sharing, despite the dehumanizing ways that we’ve tried to do it. I believe in evangelism in spite of evangelism. We can’t let bad approaches stop us from sharing the greatest story ever told — the story of the death and resurrection of Christ through which human beings can relate to the God of the universe as friend and Father. I defy anyone to come up with better news than that. So here’s my dilemma. I don’t like evangelism, but I’m compelled by the love of God in the person of Jesus to be evangelistic.What to do? I’m far from resolving this dilemma, but I discovered in Paul’s teachings some life postures that describe a type of evangelism I can live with, a responsible kind of evangelism that upholds human dignity and restores the lost art of conversation.

B E YO UR SELF

B E RE A D Y

The first life posture is to be yourself in Christ, who is redeeming you. I get this primarily from 2 Corinthians 4:7, where Paul wrote,“But we have this treasure (Christ in us) in clay jars (our imperfect, breakable selves), so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power (of salvation) belongs to God and does not come from us.” I get it also as I read the incredibly vulnerable words of Paul in Romans 7, where he confessed his own weakness and his susceptibility to the evil in his own heart. As I think about our “clay jar” nature in terms of evangelism, I can’t help but interpret this as a call to be ourselves — broken and all — in the world. I personally find the gospel irresistible when presented by real human beings who are as cracked a clay jar as everybody else but who are being patched up and strengthened by a power beyond themselves. I recently gathered with several others in the living room of two lesbian women who live on our street, one of whom is a lapsed Mormon. Also present were a nominal Jewish man and his nominal Christian wife. As we sat around sipping our drinks and enjoying the music, we talked about how uniquely close the people of our street are to each other and rejoiced at the very real sense of community we enjoy in our neighborhood.We were having a good time when one of them turned to me and said, “Al, I gotta ask. How did you get so religious? Most ministers I’m around make me nervous, and I’m trying to figure out why I like you.” And I proceeded to share, in the natural setting of our neighborly relationship, my story of how the person of Jesus became real to me, how God yanked me out of some pretty hard, dysfunctional family muck, and how he’s helping me to better understand who I am.This got the ball rolling, and soon each of them started to share his or her own experiences with religion. It was laughter and tears and resentment and appreciation all balled up into one conversation. Who knows how

In 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27, Paul describes the life of an athlete. Good athletes train to win, Paul says; they discipline themselves to compete at the highest level. Some athletes may have the natural gifts to be winners. But if they don’t discipline themselves, then when it’s time to perform or compete, they end up being the losers. On November 9, 1996, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield entered the boxing ring for the heavyweight championship of the world. Because of Tyson’s record and reputation, he was expected to demolish the smaller Holyfield. Tyson was physically stronger and perhaps even more naturally gifted. But Tyson was accustomed to living it up between fights, partying with strong drink, fast cars, and groupies. Then, about three or four months before a fight, he’d start to get in shape. Holyfield, on the other hand, lived and breathed boxing. He watched what he ate and submitted himself to rigorous training under a team of specialists and trainers, whether or not a fight was on the docket. He was fit all the time, ready to enter into the ring anytime with anyone. He was the consummate athlete. So when the naturally gifted but only partially disciplined Tyson met the chisel-bodied, fully disciplined Holyfield, guess who won? Holyfield by TKO in the 11th round.

I am a Christian, not because someone explained the nuts and bolts of Christianity to me, but because there were people willing to be nuts and bolts. RICH MULLINS

PRISM 2010

Our goal for evangelism, according to this passage, is to be Holyfield in the Spirit, to be fit at all times to meet the challenges of a lost and hurting world, to be fit to authentically and sensitively share Jesus with people. And the way to be fit and ready is to be disciplined.With regard to the things of the Spirit, this means praying and reading and fellowshipping and learning and growing in Christ on an ongoing basis. It is this kind of spiritual discipline that keeps us ever ready to meet the challenges

of a world in desperate need of something real and full of hope.

BE A C TI VE Faithful witnesses of the gospel need to be actively engaged in good via acts of compassion, mercy, and justice for the underserved in the world. Do we want people to take us seriously when we talk about Jesus? Nothing builds our credibility more Continued on page 39.

D IG D EEPER

Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer (IVP, 2008, first published in 1961)

Out of the Saltshaker & into the World: Evangelism As a Way of Life by Rebecca Manley Pippert (IVP, 1999, first published in 1979)

Evangelism without Additives: What If Sharing Your Faith Meant Just Being Yourself by Jim Henderson (WaterBrook Press, 2007)

The Outsider Interviews: A New Generation Speaks Out on Christianity by Jim Henderson, Todd Hunter, and Craig Spinks (Baker Books, 2010)

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever (Crossway Books, 2007)

The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask (with answers) by Mark Mittleberg (Tyndale House, 2010)

Got Style? Personality-Based Evangelism by Jeffrey A. Johnson (Judson Press, 2009)

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller (Dutton, 2008)

Is it Insensitive to Share Your Faith?: Hard Questions about Christian Mission in a Plural World by James Krabill (Good Books, 2005)

Tea with Hezbollah: Sitting at the Enemiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Table by Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis (Doubleday, 2010)

Jim and Casper Go to Church: Frank Conversations about Faith, Churches, and Well-Meaning Christians by Jim Henderson and Matt Casper (BarnaBooks, 2007)

True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In by James Choung (IVP, 2008)

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T H E C U R E F O R â&#x20AC;&#x153;E V A N G E L A R Y N G I T I Sâ&#x20AC;? BY PHIL OLSON

What joys about your walk as a Christ-follower can you share with those within your social sphere? s h) M TWO YEARS SOBER v s h-Y CONGREGATION JUST ASSEMBLED ()6 !)$3 healthcare workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; kits!â&#x20AC;? s h7E JUST BUILT TWO HOUSES IN ONE WEEK ON A Habitat for Humanity blitz build.â&#x20AC;? s h) M FIVE YEARS CANCER FREE v s h#ONGRESS JUST PASSED THE HUNGER BILL FOR WHICH weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been lobbying for nearly three years!â&#x20AC;? s h7E JUST BAPTIZED A FAMILY THAT S BEEN A PART of our ministry to single moms and their children.â&#x20AC;?

Two pointers fo r s h ar in g yo u r fa it h

When they respond, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Great!â&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting,â&#x20AC;? you can follow up with further dialogue about the interplay of the gospel with service, addiction, justice, healing, dysfunction, or worship. What kinds of questions facilitate conversation of a spiritual nature? First, questions must be appropriate to the person with whom youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re conversing. I always felt uncomfortable with the Four Spiritual Laws, because for many decades the opening statement assumed you were having a scientific, rational, investigative study of an Enlightenment argument. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just as there are physical laws in the universe, so there are spiritual lawsâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and off you go, without taking a breath to allow for a comment or question, zipping your way through the laws (either by memory or showcasing that famous little yellow booklet). Keep in mind the person with whom you are talking.What are their interests, loves, activities, relationships, issues, and/or concerns? In other words, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s their agenda? Second, questions must be open-ended, requiring more than a yes or no response. They should not be manipulative, leading, or sound like an interrogation. Third, ask questions that are thoughtful. Most of us spend too much time trapped in mindless chatter about the weather, television, or the latest nonsense thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presented as newsworthy. Real news â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the oil spill in the Gulf, the latest flu virus, the challenges in our local school district â&#x20AC;&#x201D; can lead naturally into significant conversations. Find out what the person worries about, for example, and confess what you worry about â&#x20AC;&#x201D; then share how you deal with those worries. Good questions take your conversationpartner seriously. N

When it comes to â&#x20AC;&#x153;giving a reason for the hope

that is within youâ&#x20AC;? (1 Pet. 3:15), most of us develop â&#x20AC;&#x153;evangelaryngitisâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we get tongue-tied, forget important Bible verses and theological concepts, and/or fear rejection. The result? We shut up. Part of the reason we contract lockjaw is because we have a stereotype of evangelistic conversations: Lock eyes with a stranger, pull out a tract, and move in for the kill. But beyond the stereotype, the reality is that most of us donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take advantage of moments when we might connect with total strangers. On the plane, bus, or train we bury ourselves in our PRISM magazine or plug in our earphones and mind our own business, praying all the while, â&#x20AC;&#x153;God, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let this stranger-neighbor start talking to me.â&#x20AC;? But all of us have multiple opportunities to have natural, casual conversations with people with whom we already have a relationship: colleagues, classmates, neighbors, extended family members. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m familiar with the excuses: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know this person too well; too much relational water has passed under the bridge for me to say something now.â&#x20AC;? Yet, if we remember that we have good news to share, it shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be that difficult. Most of us wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a hard time expressing the following joys: s h) GOT AN ! v s h) M GOING TO BE A GRANDPARENT v s h-Y COMPANY UNIT JUST RECEIVED AN ACHIEVEMENT AWARD v s h$ID YOU SEE THAT SUNSET LAST NIGHT )T WAS SPECTACULAR v s h7E JUST HAD OUR FIRST FAMILY REUNION Â&#x2C6; AND SURVIVED v

Phil Olson is pastor of Church on the Mall, located in the Plymouth Meeting Mall in Plymouth Meeting, Pa.

PRISM 2010

Be Still and Listen: A New Thought for Evangelism BY JOHN BACKMAN

RANCIS SCHAEFFER SAID that if he had an hour alone with a stranger, he would spend the first 50 minutes asking questions — especially about the stranger’s beliefs — and pointing out the inconsistencies. Then, in the last 10 minutes, he would present the gospel. For 2010, I suggest a different approach: 60 minutes of listening. Massive cultural shifts have, in many cases, rendered traditional evangelism ineffective, even obsolete. A “new thought” of listening can help us reach millions caught up in today’s paradigm: skeptical, lonely people who live at warp speed. Consider the skepticism. The events of the last 40 years — Washington scandals and empty campaign pledges, corporate duplicity and nonstop marketing hype, pedophilia and its cover-up in the Catholic Church — have left us disillusioned beyond all measure.The surveys tell the story: Distrust of government hovers at or near all-time lows (Pew Research Center, April 2010), and among institutions, only the military and small business earn the trust of even 40 percent of Americans (Harris, February 2010).

Specifically, we have experienced a complete severing of the connection between words and deeds. Does anyone still believe that “your call is very important to us” when we are kept on hold for 25 minutes? Now imagine how traditional evangelism plays in such an atmosphere: Why would anyone take our words at face value, especially when (from the listener’s point of view) they make such extravagant claims about an obscure Jewish reformer from 2,000 years ago?

Fast, furious — and alone

Our frenzied pace of life only compounds the skepticism.To function amid the flood of daily messages — 3,000, according to some estimates — we hone our ability to sort and, usually, reject at the blink of an eye. If it’s not relevant to me right here, right now, out it goes, because I need to move along. So if you can’t show me the relevance of Jesus to my life in five seconds or less, you’ve lost me. Then there is our pervasive — and growing — loneliness. A 2006 study in the American Sociological Review found that, since 1985, the number of people with no confidants had

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nearly tripled. In so many cases, lonely people have a deep need to be heard: to share their stories, their innermost thoughts, their life lessons. Schaeffer’s approach to evangelism would not address that need. We feed hungry people before sharing the gospel because they can only listen when their fundamental needs are met. Why treat lonely people any differently?

Rather, it calls us to enter fully into the other’s mindset and understand it from the inside out. In listening this way we seek to: Set aside preconceptions. Our Episcopal diocese, like the larger church, has suffered serious turmoil over same-sex issues. Conservatives have been painted as homophobic, liberals as “conforming to the spirit of the age.” I tend to generalize as much as the next person, but by trying to set aside my preconceptions and simply listen, I’ve discovered something startling: two opposing “sides” who both genuinely love Jesus, seek wholeheartedly to do his will, and have come to their conclusions in good faith. If I had left my filter in place, I would have missed this priceless lesson — and the friendships on both “sides” that I enjoy today.

What listening can do

In listening for 60 minutes, we seek to address both conditions: skepticism about words (we’re not using any) and loneliness (we create a space for the other person to be heard). In the process, we begin to build a bond — not a pretense to spring the gospel message on the other person in an unguarded moment but a genuine relationship that delivers the love of Christ. As this bond flourishes over time, our words about Jesus, if we need them at all, carry more weight. What does this listening look like? It is not the prevalent mode of half-hearing while formulating our next response.

Seek common ground. Like setting aside preconceptions, this step often reveals that we agree far more than we disagree.

Caffeine, Christ, and Listening with Love

they asked Mardina privately, “It must be strange for you, a Muslim girl, to be living in a Christian home. What do you think of Jesus?” Mardina replied, “Oh, I’ve accepted him into my heart.” When they reported the conversation to me later, I naturally wanted to know more. So a few days later I asked her about it. “Mards (as she became to be known), did you become a Christian?” “No, uncle,” she replied.“I’m still a Muslim.” She paused and then, with her big signature smile, she finished her sentence, “… a Muslim who loves Jesus.” We theologians and missiologists can unpack this later, I thought to myself. I wanted to hear more. After probing her a little more about what she meant, I came to understand that she had encountered the living God through Jesus Christ, and that she was truly changed by it. There was very little direct talking about Jesus that year and a whole lot of listening and loving, and as a result, a lovely young girl, “a Muslim who loves Jesus,” went back to Zamboanga, Philippines, carrying him with her in her heart.

BY AL TIZON

Mardina was a 15-year-old exchange student from the Philippines whom we hosted several years ago for a school year. When she first arrived, as can be expected, she was very shy and said very little. But then our oldest daughter introduced her to Starbucks coffee. Caffeine opened her up, and she didn’t stop talking until she left. So we did a lot of listening that year. We discovered much about her culture in the southern Philippines and about her Muslim faith, as she observed the Christian faith lived out in our household and in our church, which she faithfully attended with us every Sunday. As she taught us the meaning and practice of Ramadan, she came to church and learned about Jesus, who lived, died, and rose again. I can remember only two times during the whole year when she and I talked explicitly about the person of Jesus. One day, some friends of ours from the Philippines were visiting with us, and during the course of the evening

Al Tizon, an associate professor at Palmer Theological Seminary, served as a missionary among the poor in his native Philippines and as a pastor both in the Philippines and the US. Read his column on page 7 and his article on page 8 of this issue.

PRISM 2010

Two Faces of Evangelical Christianity

passion was clearly for Judaism. Why take the long route and spend decades doing work I did not find meaningful when I could help my community directly by becoming a religious leader? I credit Paul for setting me on course to be a rabbi, a path I have since continued on as a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College. Paul believed so deeply in the teachings of social justice in his Christian faith that he reached out to me and made sure that I did not ignore (or at least temporarily put aside) those same teachings in Judaism. He is the face of evangelical Christianity that I love. His profound commitment to Christianity causes him to do good in the world, one person at a time. Yet there is a second, far more resented face to the tradition as well. In my mind, it is the face of Eric, the mailman who delivered letters to my childhood home in suburban Maryland. Every day, Eric would spread the gospel in an intrusive way.We could not retreat to our front doors without hearing him say, “One day, Israel will look up and have to find God.” Even when I twisted my ankle in the front yard or got caught in a downpour on my way home, he would greet me with unwanted words. Neighbors would run and hide when they saw him coming. He was violating our personal space, and probably even the duties of his profession, using a position paid for with public funds to further his private agenda. His lack of sophistication did not fill us with faith in his cause so much as anger at his apparent disrespect. When I think of evangelical Christianity, I see the faces of Paul and Eric. I hear their very different voices and very different messages. And I think about which is truly a man of faith. I thank God for the one who is.

B Y J O S H U A M . Z . S TA N T O N

An evangelical pastor saved my life. But not in the way you are probably thinking. While a sophomore at Amherst College, I was trying to find my way. Without a clear path, I figured that philanthropy would be a nice occupation. But to be a philanthropist, I needed to make money and lots of it. So I set my sights on finance and began working towards a major in economics. Even as I was pursuing a lucrative (and generous) future, I remained rooted in Judaism. I had been brought up in the Conservative movement and had long been active in my synagogue and, in college, Hillel. In time, I became copresident of the organization and began taking part in regular meetings with Amherst’s director of religious life, the Rev. Dr. Paul Sorrentino. Paul was not like most pastors I had met or, for that matter, religious leaders of any sort. He did not want to preach all the time. Instead he wanted to listen. He heard of my ambitions and also saw my love of Judaism. So he planted a seed in my mind, telling me, “You know, you would make a wonderful rabbi, if that were something you were interested in.” I tried to ignore the idea, but was unable to. It made too much sense. If I wanted to be a philanthropist — and give especially much to Jewish organizations — then my

Joshua Stanton is co-editor of the Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue and a Schusterman Rabbinical Fellow at Hebrew Union College. He blogs for the Huffington Post and Tikkun Daily.

may use more direct God references with the evangelicals — “I sense God asking me to do this”— because it’s part of their language. When talking with the mainstream folks, I resort to words like calling and vocation for the same reason. By listening carefully to others, getting inside their vocabulary, then reflecting it back to them when we do speak, we make understanding easier and foster trust.

Above all, we see that we share many of the same struggles, cares, and dreams. This awakening to our shared humanity also builds trust and friendship. Speak the language. My church participation puts me in contact with both mainstream and evangelical Christians. While speaking from the same core experience of God, I

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No one ever converted to Christianity

trustworthiness. Amid rampant skepticism, those who back up their words with deeds and their claims with evidence become trusted sources. By listening — putting ourselves aside to hear, and reach, the other — we have already demonstrated God’s love.Wouldn’t it make sense, then, when we finally open our mouths, to speak of that love? Leading with God’s love makes sense on every level of this issue. The divine compassion is the most effective medicine for a world plagued by gnawing loneliness. It is, when experienced, a tonic that opens the heart away from disillusion and toward hope. In short, this extravagant love heals the world. Isn’t that the whole reason for sharing the gospel? N

because they lost the argument. PHILLIP YANCEY

This last point is nothing new. “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews,” wrote the apostle Paul. “To those not having the law I became like one not having the law…so as to win those not having the law.To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:20-22).

A longtime writer and associate of an Episcopal monastery, John Backman writes about spirituality and a new path to dialogue at DialogueVenture.com. His articles have also appeared in Next-Wave, RELEVANTmagazine.com, and The Living Church.

When we do speak What about the times when we are called to speak? What do we say to this culture at this time? The answer goes back to

In Search of Mutual Respect B Y TA N N E R PA R K E R

I was born into a Christian family and attended an evangelical church in a small town in Montana. Our family went to church every Sunday, and my siblings and I attended youth group meetings on Wednesdays. My transition to atheism began when I was about 17 — religion/faith simply didn’t make much sense to me anymore. Upon leaving the church, I began to take a critical eye to religion. The more I learned, the more frustrated and angry I became that people could believe in such things. The closest parallel I can draw is how modern people of faith look at Greek mythology as just that — mythology. To me, Christianity is worshiping mythology and passing it off as fact, as though Christians’ faith is somehow more correct than that of, say, a Buddhist. At least, that’s how I used to feel. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to respect all walks of life (provided they aren’t doing direct harm to anybody). The only real source of my anger stems from the organizational part of religion, not the specific people who simply keep the faith. I am an atheist, but I have Christian friends whom I respect and who respect me as well. They recognize that, according to their faith, the only

one worthy of passing judgment is their God, not them. The best experiences I’ve had with evangelists tend to be where they attempt to share the word of God with me, and I respectfully decline, wish them well, and we both go our separate ways. This experience has also been the most common. Unfortunately you’re bound to come across the bad apple that begins to damn your soul, or even worse, explain how they pity you for being so lost. What makes the former “good” is the presence of mutual respect.What makes the latter “bad” is the sense of elitism, the “I’m right, you’re wrong, go to hell” kind of attitude. I’m curious: Has this approach ever worked? The extent to which I share my “belief ” (if you can call it that) is that when faith is used in an argument, my counter argument is atheism. But then again, no argument based on faith can be won. I just enjoy a debate. I don’t evangelize because, well, I have no need to. I have nothing to gain or to lose, so I just let it be. Tanner Parker creates lighthearted comic strips at InvisibleLadders.com. Born and raised in Montana, he currently lives in Long Beach, Ca.

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EVANGELISMQ&A ings had been a circus — until now. It was a difficult start to the evening for everyone. Why? Because, in the presence of “the other,” everything had to change. Our tone, our language, our goals, our methods. Our guests asked us questions, curiously, patiently. And we had to speak in plain English instead of “Christianese.” They asked us about what we carry inside and why we want to tell others about it. By the end of the evening, our gracious guests actually helped us name the pearl that our Christian community had been holding — Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom of God. We abandoned our plans to put on a show about fulfilled prophecies of the Bible and instead — as simply as we can — explain some of the teachings of Jesus.That’s what they wanted to know about. They evangelized us! God “trespassed” outside the boundaries of our religion and then visited us in the stranger, as God did so often in the Bible.

On Being Evangelized LEARNING FROM “THE OTHER” WITH SAMIR SELMANOVIC Samir Selmanovic is an author, speaker, and community organizer known particularly for his work in interfaith dialogue. Born and raised in a culturally Muslim but atheistic family in Croatia, as a teenager he joined an underground group of believers and became a Christian. His religious studies took him to the US, and he eventually came to work as a pastor in New York City, where he dealt with the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 2001 and founded a multifaith community called Faith House Manhattan. He is the director of Citylights, a Christian community that seeks to “learn to love well.” PRISM asked him about his deep passion for connecting with those outside the Christian faith.

PRISM: What are some of the common pitfalls in terms of evangelistic efforts of Christians today? SS:The main one I think is to tend to distrust the gospel while sharing it. God does not need to be defended, and people do not have to be manipulated.The kingdom of God is above that. When Christ tells me to go out to the world and share his teachings, he asks me to embody that teaching, namely to treat others the way I want to be treated (Matthew 7:12).This command, which has come to be known as the Golden Rule, excludes turning other people from subjects to objects, even the objects of my best intentions. I would not want to be objectified by their efforts to reach me, so neither should I objectify them. If I am to reach them, I should also be reached by them. The Golden Rule turns the tables on our religious impulses. If we want outsiders to attend our events, we must attend their events. If we want them to be spiritually open to us, we must be spiritually open to them. If we want them to change, we must be ready to change. If we want them to read our Scriptures with trust and respect, we likewise must read their holy texts.We must not be afraid to be changed by them. In the kingdom of God, there is no room for fear. Without modeling learning and receiving, we cannot expect others to learn and receive from us.Yet, this goes further. Our openness to “the other” is not just a method of approaching them. We really do need them. They comfort us, bless us, teach us. Some of us have been living under the assumption that while the world needs Christians, Christians don’t need the world.There is no reciprocity or interdependence.When we objectify the world and other religions, they have no significant commission to us.

PRISM: You say that an evangelistic encounter with “the other” is a two-way street. Can you give an example of this? Samir Selmanovic: At a strategy meeting for the evangelistic efforts our church hoped to undertake in our neighborhood, the chairman of our church board asked, “Who are our targets?” The next day I approached people on my street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and said, “Our church, the one with the red doors over there, has been trying to convert you for decades.Without success.We believe that Jesus Christ is the best thing ever. Could you please come to our next planning meeting and help us be better at it?” A few folks looked back at me quietly, then glanced at the church, noticing it perhaps for the very first time. “This is no prank, and there is no hidden camera,” I reassured them. “This would be a neighborly good deed on your part.You can think of it as an anthropological field trip you can tell your friends about. And I’ll throw in a gift certificate for your favorite restaurant.” At our next meeting, I made space around the table for the two brave souls who accepted my invitation. “This is Barbara, and this is Mark,” I introduced. “They are our ‘targets.’ Who wants to shoot?” I thought that was funny. Nobody else laughed. One person said I was making a circus out of the meeting. I said our meet-

PRISM 2010

God s i w Ho n ork i at w ife? l your

What can I do for you?

How do you worship God?

By receiving, we concede the fact that they are blessed. I think we have come to the historical moment when we can say that “it is in receiving that we give.” PRISM: So what do you do with the Great Commission? What role does evangelism play? SS: Instead of designating the call of Christ as the Great Commission that establishes Christianity as a God-management system and Christians as brokers of God to the world, perhaps we should embrace the call of Christ as the Great Invitation. Christians are sent out into the world with an extraordinary message:The self-giving God calls humanity to self-giving love! However, instead of having a commission to bring God out to the world, we are in reality invited into the world where God already is, not only to bless the world with Christ’s teaching but also to receive the blessing from God that is already in that same world. We are called not only to go, but also to welcome; not only to teach, but also to learn; not only to give, but also to receive. In a Great Commission, the world needs us and we don’t need the world. In the Great Invitation, we humbly embrace our creaturehood and sit at a large table where not we but God presides. The Great Commission demands conversion from them; the Great Invitation demands transformation from us all. By working with people of other faiths I have discovered that while every religion has its own mystery, our mysteries still need one another. We live on one increasingly small planet, and the challenge for us Christians is to abandon the fantasies about Christian supremacy and get on with learning to be a part of the whole.

eternity without Jesus would look. I did not plan to say any of that. I just said what I know we are saying to people.They looked at me; I looked at them. I stood in my hole before them, silence between us. I waited for the good Lord to fulfill his promise of giving me the right words when I needed them, and suddenly I blurted out, “The good news could be a lot better, huh?” The group broke into laughter, and the pressure was released. But I had not meant this to be funny at all. In fact, I was on the verge of tears. I had given our common good news testimony and realized that what we had to share was neither good nor new. As with the guests who came to my church, who helped us better understand evangelistic outreach, the day at the rabbinical college finished with hugs and delight and mutual blessings. And they insisted that I explain why I really stick with Jesus! Much has been said and written about what we mean by good news. Liberation theology and the emerging church movement have pushed the conversation towards deeper and broader understanding. What has been driving and should continue to drive this conversation are two questions: (1) How is the good news good?; and (2) How is the good news new? This requires some serious commitment to honesty, plain language, and recognition of God’s presence in us, among us, and outside of us, the kingdom of God everywhere. I ask myself regularly, “Do I have a God worth worshipping, a truth worth embracing, a way of life worth practicing, and good news worth sharing?” And when I open the Bible, meet with my Christian community, and apply myself to a life of practice, I can exclaim “Yes!” I believe there is no Christianity without evangelism. But it also stands that evangelism without Christ is no evangelism at all.

PRISM:You did not always take this approach in your ministry to nonbelievers.What kind of experiences caused a shift in your thinking about how to approach sharing the good news? SS: When I am invited to speak somewhere, I often start by honestly sharing what I feel at the moment and end up expressing something I’d rather hide, something from my shadows, digging myself into a hole so to speak, without a plan on how to get out.This is intentional, based on the premise that, as Leonard Cohen puts it, “the cracks are there so that light may come in.” God pulls me out of the hole, usually. And some light comes out of it. A while back, when speaking at a rabbinical college on the topic of pluralism, I began by telling the students and faculty why many of us who are Christians feel an urgency to convert them. I told them about the hopelessness and meaninglessness of life without Jesus and the futility of being one’s own savior. Then I told them about the end times and how

Samir Selmanovic is the author of It’s Really All About God (Jossey-Bass,2009).Learn more about his work at ItsReallyAllAbout God.com, FaithHouseManhattan.org, and CityLightsCommunity.org.

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EVANGELISMQ&A “We Are Always Doing Evangelism”

This generation is both idealistic and practical, and they want to know if the Christian faith delivers any real good to the world, and if not, then it’s not worth it. So the current blame being placed on religion for the problems of the world is a major obstacle to the Christian faith, and believers need not only an answer from our mouths but also from our lives.

NAPKIN-SKETCHING WITH JAMES CHOUNG

PRISM: In your opinion, do most Christians know the Big Story, or do they themselves need to be evangelized before they can go around telling others about it?

James Choung is the national director for InterVarsity Asian American Ministries and has also served extensively in multiethnic settings in both the church and campus worlds. He is the author of True Story:A Christianity Worth Believing In and its companion booklet, Based on a True Story, both published by InterVarsity Press. He has distilled the “Big Story” of the gospel of Jesus down to a fourcircle diagram, which he regularly sketches onto napkins in coffee shops, sharing the news of Christ’s love with students across the country. PRISM asked him what he hears from folks when he’s out and about.

JC: I think most believers who grew up in the church have some sense of the biblical story. I would guess that most can recount creation, fall, and redemption.These seem agreed upon. I’m not sure if they would have a strong picture of the end of the story — but even the picture of the end is debated in the wider church. At the same time, I don’t think Christians often equate the gospel with the biblical story. Perhaps this is where some further teaching is necessary. The gospel is often presented as a small slice of the larger story, often lopping off the creation account. In the past, that made sense: Many people in America grew up in churches or at least had some familiarity with the Bible. So did the Jewish people of Jesus’ day. Both groups were primed for a more truncated message, because they understand the background behind it. But today biblical literacy is in free fall. So if you just make the gospel about fall and redemption, you lose on two major counts. First, God will seem like a distant, demanding perfectionist who would kill you in a heartbeat for cheating on an exam but who provides Jesus as a way out of the trap he’s set up. That doesn’t sound like good news! When you add creation, however, then you have a picture of God who delighted in designing good for all creation and everyone in it. That’s the kind of God who is easy to worship. How someone views God will determine whether he or she wor ships or runs, and by lopping off creation from the gospel we unknowingly distort someone’s vision of God.

PRISM: What are the most pressing spiritual questions that young people are asking today? James Choung:A couple of generations ago, the spiritual question of the day — especially on campuses — was,“What is true?” Absolute truth still had great value, and you could assume that if someone saw something as the truth, they would bank their lives on it. So Christians often responded to their friends and acquaintances with historical evidence and rational questions to address this question. But a generation ago, the spiritual question of the day shifted as the idea of an absolute truth gave way to something more relative.The young people saw how their parents’ generation used the idea of absolute truth to arrogantly shut out other viewpoints, and so they asked a different question altogether: “What is real?”They didn’t want a deluge of fancy arguments or a list of historical facts, but instead wanted to know if your faith was authentic and real, because Generation Xers are, in general, the best spin detectors on the planet. So ministering to this generation meant admitting our hurt, pain, and failure in our spiritual journeys; and in our being “real,” people found connection. Today, the spiritual question seems to have shifted once more for young people. As a campus minister for the past 15 years, I have found the shift to be drastic and sudden. Instead of asking, “What is real?” they are asking, “What is good?”

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Second, a gospel that focuses only on fall and redemption also loses a sense of mission.Where is God leading the world? What happens after we get “saved”? All of these answers depend on what we think God is doing in the world now and where we think he’ll take it. Without this picture, Christians often don’t know what being with Jesus means for today. Our faith is often presented, unwittingly, as waiting to die to receive the faith’s benefits, instead of truly living an eternal kind of life today as well. Then Christians seem selfish, because they don’t care about the ills in the world, but just wait to escape it for their own piece of heaven. Again, this won’t sound like good news, but escapism. Thankfully, our Scriptures present a bigger story. It’s not a new story — if it’s new, then it’s probably heretical. It’s an old, old story. And if we lean more powerfully on the larger biblical story, then we’ll present something that will sound more like good news to people today.

JC: In reality, we are always doing evangelism.Whether or not we are actively talking about Jesus, if people know we are Christians, what we say or don’t say, do or don’t do, will inform their opinions about Jesus. If it doesn’t come from us, then they learn about Jesus through what Christians do in the media, and that often puts us in a bad light. Even our reticence to talk about spiritual matters with our friends — or evasiveness or lack of clarity when asked point-blank about what we believe — makes it seem as if we don’t have solid footing for our faith or we’re embarrassed about our faith. All of this speaks volumes about who we are and the Jesus others think we love and serve. So, the question is not whether evangelism is optional or essential, but whether we want to do evangelism well or poorly. Because we are always sharing our faith with someone, even when we don’t know it. Learn more at JamesChoung.net.

PRISM: In today’s postmodern culture, what are the most effective forms of evangelism?

Beyond Bumper Stickers

JC: This seems like a trick question, as if there were certain forms that work best in any given generation. There’s no tool — not even the Big Story! — that can overcome a script, some spin, or the sense of being someone’s project. Some aids can be helpful, but they are not silver bullets or magic wands that will automatically work every time. But if our genuine faith exudes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, then there may be something in our lives that our friends might want. And if our church communities have concrete expressions of that kind of love and mercy, then inviting our friends to such things would be helpful. For example, the New England Region of InterVarsity hosts a Katrina Relief Trip each year. It asks college students to give up sunbathing in Cancun to pull out rotten floorboards and put up drywall for homes in New Orleans. All the while, they’re studying the Bible and learning more about God as well. Of the 200 or so that go every year, a third to a half are unbelievers.They love the sense of doing good in the world, and along the way they get a sense of a community that’s genuinely following Jesus in some of the hardest-hit places in our country. And they get interested in the God we love and serve. Things like the Big Story help when the time is right, but it’s always done in the context of relationships (even if they are brand-new ones) and where the Holy Spirit might be moving.

A CONVERSATION WITH DAN MERCHANT Dan Merchant thinks that America has become a bumper-sticker culture. “We’re way too comfortable with one-way communication,” says Merchant. “We like to tell people what we think, but we don’t like to listen.” To remedy this, Merchant hit the streets of Times Square decked out in a white coverall plastered with an array of worldview-distilling bumper stickers: God Spoke and Bang It Happened; God Wants Spiritual Fruits Not Religious Nuts; Overturn Roe v.Wade; Free Jesus; Real Men Pray; Get the Hell Out of My Way, I’m Late for Church; Who Would Jesus Bomb? You get the picture. Merchant’s suit — along with his open countenance and large microphone — drew out passersby and sparked countless conversations, all of which were filmed for his documentary, Lord, Save Us from Your Followers, and captured in his book of the same name (Thomas Nelson). Among the questions he asked were, “What is something Christians are known for?” and “What is something Jesus Christ is known for?” His search for honest dialogue was rewarded as people of all stripes shared

PRISM: Is evangelism optional or essential?

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EVANGELISMQ&A

THE ROAD TO HEAV IS A ONE-WAY STRE EN ET

their true feelings about Christians and about Christ. PRISM tracked him down to hear what he discovered as he crisscrossed the country in search of genuine conversation. PRISM: What did you learn about Christians from your project?

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DM:We amassed over 100 hours of footage shooting interviews and segments for the film over a span of threeand-a-half years, and I had my soul turned inside out in the process — so this is a big question. The most surprising, emotional moment was setting up a confession booth at a Gay Pride event in Portland, Ore., and confessing my sins and those of the church I love to members of the gay community. My offering was graciously received, and I had many shockingly beautiful, healing, and open conversations during that day in the confession booth. No arguing, just talking and crying and laughing. Amazing what happens when you aren’t afraid of a little humility, when you are open and transparent and you invite God to sit with you and some new friends. I was blown away by the openness of those who visited the confession booth.Their generosity, willingness to engage, and thirst to talk about God, love, and faith assured me that we’ve been doing this all wrong for years. Love first and let God do his thing. Other highlights include interviewing Al Franken as he began his successful bid for a Senate seat; talking with Dr. John Perkins, the wisest, deepest soul I’ve ever met; hanging out with Dr. Tony Campolo, a powerful intellect; getting to know William Paul Young, a sweet and thoughtful man who articulates God’s love so beautifully in his book, The Shack. And, of course, Sister Mary Timothy, the flamboyant gay nun of the San Francisco order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, whom I now call my friend.

Dan Merchant: Often, Christians don’t realize how we sound to others. We come off arrogant, strident, and condescending when we think we’re being gracious and charitable. Perhaps we’re so used to talking amongst ourselves that we’ve developed a shorthand that doesn’t translate to those unfamiliar with Christian-speak. Also, many of us have become hung up on “being right” as opposed to answering Jesus’ call to love one another.We feel, at times, that unless we’re fulfilling the self-appointed rule of “defending the truth,” we are somehow going to let the side down. The remarkable thing, of course, is that “the Truth” is the amazing love of God, and when you spend time with Christians who are sharing that with others unconditionally, God shows up and all kinds of weird and beautiful things happen. So I learned that the Christians who are trusting in God’s truth and grace and are figuring out ways to love people and meet their needs seem to have a much better idea of what Jesus was getting at than those Christians who prefer to shout at those they disagree with on social and political issues. PRISM:What did you learn about people outside the Christian faith?

DM: I was surprised to learn that most people who have a problem with Christians don’t have a problem with Jesus. They may not identify Jesus as the Christ, but nobody seems to want to argue that “loving the least” is a bad thing.The fact that many don’t associate Christians with the actions and principles of Christ was a bit disturbing, of course. But this disconnect also illustrates that a communication breakdown may play a major role in the social conflicts we’re enduring, as opposed to fundamental disagreements of how we really ought to be treating each other. I was quite moved by the response of agnostics and atheists to the film.The moments in the film that illustrate self-sacrificial, unconditional love touched them deeply, inspiring many to join alongside Christians into service of those in need. The love of God brings hope and understanding. I’ve seen it firsthand, repeatedly. We believers just need to be sure we’re the conduit and not the obstacle.

PRISM: What do you believe is the solution to our bumpersticker culture? What are some practical ways — that don’t involve donning a bumper-sticker suit and hitting Times Square! — to nurture and engage in real conversation? DM: Ultimately, conversation is an easy place to start. Bring a little humility and engage those who aren’t like you, and you will learn about yourself and God as well as “the other.” We spend a lot of energy being around people who are similar to us while there is so much to be learned from those who aren’t like us.Think about what “venturing out” might mean to you. You can go to a religious service or denomination that is foreign to you. Try volunteering with a group or serving a group unfamiliar to you.

PRISM: What were the most surprising experiences you had while working on this project?

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You can start in your own sphere and widen your reach from there: Is there someone at work whom you despise? Try to see them as God sees them and figure out how to engage them in a new way. Is there someone in your neighborhood you just plain don’t like? Get out of your own way and reflect a little of God’s love. Create a little space in these difficult intersections and see if God doesn’t show up. If there is someone you know in need, figure out a way to meet that need. If you have a gift or a talent that is burning a hole in your heart, find a place to share it, find out who needs what you have to offer. Love trumps the simplistic “rightness” of the bumper-sticker culture, which is probably why Jesus boldly commanded us to love one another. Let’s start there and see what happens.

ever, Henderson and his co-authors sought out, sat down with, and listened to dozens of young people from across the country. PRISM caught up with him to find out what he learned. PRISM:What did these interviews reveal to you, about both Christians and non-Christians? Jim Henderson:That Christians come in all shapes and sizes. In general they’re well-intentioned but lack insight, which in and of itself isn’t so bad, but when coupled with a devotion to “certainty” creates mean-spirited, arrogant people — nothing like Jesus was aiming for. Non-Christians are burdened with the same biases and confidence in “certainty,” but when you find one who is humble and curious it’s like finding the treasure hidden in the field that Jesus mentioned.

Dan Merchant’s documentary was just released on DVD (Virgil Films/ New Day); it includes small group discussion videos and other bonus features. Learn more at Merchant’s blog (LordSaveUs.wordpress.com/) and at LordSaveUsTheMovie.com.

PRISM:Who was the most memorable person you encountered in these interviews? JH: Rio in Denver. On the face of things she appeared to be the most “on fire” Christian we encountered, which she probably was at one time in her life. Hearing the painful journey she has been on since coming out as being gay was disturbing, heartbreaking, and revealing. Her unwillingness to make a commitment to being gay for life made her even more fascinating. Lots for Christians to learn in that interview.

Atheists Are Our Friends SIPPING COFFEE WITH JIM HENDERSON

PRISM:What are some practical ways to nurture and engage in real conversation with people outside our faith?

When an atheist put his soul up for sale on eBay, Jim Henderson bought it — for $504. Then he asked the young man, a graduate student from Chicago, to help him evaluate churches from an “outsider” perspective. That experience led to a website called ChurchRater.com, where folks can check out churches and submit their own evaluations. Henderson learned so much about Christians from the experience that he brought on another atheist to continue the project. Henderson is the author or co-author of Evangelism without Additives: What If Sharing Your Faith Meant Just Being Yourself (WaterBrook Press, 2007); Jim and Casper Go to Church: Frank Conversations about Faith, Churches, and Well-Meaning Christians (BarnaBooks, 2007); and the just-released Outsider Interviews: A New Generation Speaks Out on Christianity (Baker Books, 2010). Curious about the stories behind the statistics indicating that young adults are more disenchanted with the church than

JH: 1. Be open to being influenced by the people you hope to influence. 2. Be transparent about what you truly believe. 3. Ask questions about them instead of about their beliefs. 4. Tell them about your doubts and failures. In other words, give them some ammo they can use against you and then see if they do. 5. Ask them the following questions: a) What would you say to Christians if you thought they would listen? (Then take notes.) b) How do you navigate life spiritually (or not)? c) How are you? (Then put something in your mouth and listen. See my headshot for an example of how to do this.) The Outsider Interviews is both a book and a DVD. Watch the trailer atVimeo.com/11050648. Learn more about Henderson’s work at JimHendersonPresents.com and OfftheMap.com, an “idea lab” that aims to energize the church.

PRISM 2010

A Ministry of Presence T H E P O W E R O F P U T T I N G O U R S E LV E S AT T H E M E R C Y O F O T H E R S BY JOHN MUSSELMAN

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esus lived closer to these people than I do.” That was my thought as I watched three chawkidars quietly file down the street across from my hotel balcony in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. A chawkidar is a combination gatekeeper, guard, and domestic servant common at well-to-do houses in Pakistan. It’s an honorable profession, with real responsibility, albeit with low wages and long days and nights. These particular doormen had their brown wool chuddars, or blankets, wrapped tightly around their shoulders to keep out the early morning chill. They had probably started the day at sunrise with a small wood fire outside their gate. Although electricity networks are reasonably intact in Pakistan’s northern cities, virtually none of the small huts and outposts manned by chawkidars are equipped with power. The same paucity extends across the slums scattered throughout each city, and millions rely on wood fires for heat and cooking, often in dangerously crowded conditions. So the first step off the plane brings with it a harsh breath of smoke-tinged air, a reminder that life in northern Pakistan, even in the cities, is not far removed from the village atmosphere. The gap between urban and rural life in Pakistan mirrors the larger asymmetry between the developed and the developing world, what one author has called the “clash of modernizations.” And for a Western Christian situated in the convenient life, this gulf can appear impassable. Religion per se is almost never an obstacle to engagement in the Muslim world — just the opposite. Instead, the greatest challenge is understanding and appreciating a pre-modern rhythm and flow of life. The question racing through my head as we bounced through dirty alleys teeming with people flowing in and out of tiny shop-stalls impossibly loaded with fruit, spices, clothes, and the ubiquitous cheap plastic goods was, “How on earth can I relate to these people?” How do I

meaningfully engage these people and this culture over the long term, and not just the elites? The answer: just by being there. In a place so vastly different from my own, where I can’t speak the language(s) and literally cannot comprehend how society functions, where I am “a stranger in a far-off land,” my engagement begins with presence. This is incarnational evangelism, what former Ambassador for Religious Freedom Robert Seiple has termed “a ministry of presence.” In the language of the Gospels, it is simply that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” In my view, incarnational evangelism has another essential facet — it makes us objects of kindness. By being present in a society where we are literally almost helpless to navigate on our own, we create opportunities for God to bless those who help us. Jesus said, “If anyone brings even a cup of cold water to these my little ones, he will surely not miss his reward.” What are we but the little children of Jesus Christ? And what are the cups of cold water but the many little helps and kindnesses shown to us by members of our host society? Hospitality is serious business in Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), where I had come as part of a delegation from the Institute for Global Engagement. Our host in Peshawar was Akram Khan Durrani, leader of the provincial parliamentary opposition, and head of the “party of mullahs.” The day before our arrival at his compound, Durrani’s party had sponsored a resolution in the provincial senate condemning new US Homeland Security guidelines that required extra screening of Pakistani passengers, a condition which had stirred up strong sentiments throughout the country.Yet when our delegation pulled up in his driveway — in his own bulletproof vehicle driven and guarded by two of his trusted servants — his entire retinue warmly greeted us, showing us extra respect by using both their hands to clasp ours. Throughout our stay, punctuated by several bomb blasts in not-too-distant

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neighborhoods, we were treated as guests of honor, and there was no doubt in my mind that our escorts would have died defending us at any moment. The most touching gesture — and the most humorous — took place on the long drive from Durrani’s residence in Peshawar to the far eastern corner of the NWFP. Again bundled into the armor-plated SUV, along with our faithful guard with requisite Kalashnikov on his lap, we bumped along through innumerable dusty villages. Halfway to our destination, in the middle of a larger village, the driver pulled over without warning and jumped out. Our queries to the guard netted only the mysterious English word “barger.” It all made sense when the driver returned and cheerfully proffered us vaguely familiar-looking sandwiches.To his credit, but our dismay, he had ordered up five “bargers,” a kind of omelet thrown together with onions and (I think) ketchup on crummy American hot dog bread. With every sort of delicious Pakistani food only a step away, our driver purposefully sought out something he thought to be more palatable for his guests. It was without a doubt the worst thing I had eaten in the past year — but I couldn’t help marveling at the consideration behind it all. And maybe, by emulating that reverence for guests, that kindness for strangers, we in the West will take one step back towards the culture of our Lord Jesus. The term engagement is too often understood as a one-way process, whereby an

Incarnational evangelism makes us objects of kindness. By being present in a society where we are literally almost helpless to navigate on our own, we create opportunities for God to bless those who help us.

enlightened West gently filters its concepts and ideologies into the mainstream of the “other.” But those of us in the West who engage the Muslim world must be prepared to honestly receive correction and criticism, even as we receive kindness. Just hold the bargers. N John Musselman is a graduate fellow with the Institute for Global Engagement (GlobalEngage.org), a US-based think tank that builds religious freedom worldwide through local partnerships, one relationship at a time. He supports IGE’s Muslim-Majority World Engagement Program.

From left, IGE President Dr. Chris Seiple; the author of the article, John Musselman; IGE Research Fellow Joshua White; and Akram Khan Durrani, a political leader in the NWFP. Photo courtesy of IGE

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The

Salty Life

be a witness when our own lives are so imperfect? How do we share the gospel in ways that are culturally relevant, biblically faithful, and contextually sensitive? Fortunately Christ gave us a model, a message, and the means to both incarnate and proclaim the good news of God’s transforming love in our broken world.

The model: Embody the story Our model for evangelism is the incarnation of Christ, a theological prism through which we view our entire missional task in the world. Our inspiration, motivation, and practice must come from understanding the unique act in history where God entered into our world and our human condition in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus said,“As the Father sent me into the world, so I send you.” Jesus is telling us that our mission in the world is to resemble his. Just as he entered our world, so are we to enter others’ worlds. Jesus said that the essence of the law is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and your neighbor as yourself ” (Luke 10:27). The trinity, the law, and the ministry of Jesus all point to the same truth: The kingdom of God is profoundly relational.When we reach out and express God’s love to others we are reflecting the deepest reality of all — the very triune nature of God. Jesus loved the sinful, the lost, the maimed, the marginalized — and so must we. Emulating God’s compassion must be at the heart of everything we do, and it is fundamental to our understanding of evangelism. It isn’t enough to simply walk alongside seekers — genuine authenticity requires receiving and learning from each other. But how do we demonstrate God’s love to seekers without compromising our own identity? The incarnation of Jesus is the supreme example of identification without the loss of identity. People in Jesus’ day thought holy men could only be found in synagogues, but Jesus went to the marketplace. He had a “go-to-them” rather than a “come-to-us” approach. But Jesus remained in the Father: He knew who he was and therefore was not at risk of giving in to the culture around him. Likewise, Jesus invites us to remain in him and promises to remain in us if we do (John 15). I recently asked a student at Queens University in Belfast, N. Ireland, if she was developing authentic friendships with seekers. She responded “Oh, my church wouldn’t approve of me socializing with unbelievers. The marching order from my minister before I left for university was ‘Just come back to us a Christian!’” I feel sympathy for this pastor. I understand his fear that in living in a culture that is increasingly hostile to faith she might be swept away and her witness compromised.Yet how

Sustaining and sharing the flavor of Jesus BY REBECCA MANLEY PIPPERT

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? MATTHEW 5:13

The gospel is good news, the most glorious news ever to grace our weary and battered planet. So why do so many of us feel inadequate when it comes to being a witness? That is a question I have long wrestled with in the years I’ve been in ministry. For the past five years, my husband and I have conducted evangelism training conferences and evangelistic outreaches on six continents. We have taught Catholics, Anglicans, Orthodox, and Protestants in both traditional cultures in Africa and Asia and postmodern Western cultures like North America, Europe, and Australia. We just spent seven months living and ministering in Europe, perhaps the most difficult place in the world to talk about the good news. What have we learned both here at home and abroad? In every culture we find people raising the same issues, especially as it relates to personal witness:What if we offend? What if they ask us questions we can’t answer? How can we

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can we be Christ’s agents to a hurting world if all we offer is a “fortress” mentality whose only goal is preservation? Jesus didn’t call us to a “holy huddle” but to be “light” and “salt.” How can we be the salt of the earth if we never get out of the salt shaker?

We’re not inviting strangers but friends. People who wouldn’t darken the door of a church feel comfortable coming to our home where they are with people like themselves — people with lots of unanswered questions. We provide a safe place for people who may never have read the Bible or whose understanding of Christianity is sketchy at best. And while some may have been turned off by religious organizations like the church, many are still curious about Jesus: Who was he? What was he like? What did he say and do? I believe the greatest shortcut to evangelism is focusing on the person of Jesus, because Jesus is irresistible! Whether they become Christfollowers or not, I have seen even the most cynical feel drawn to Jesus, which bodes well for future discussions. Another reason seekers respond to a small group investigation of the person of Jesus is because it is not taught but explored through questions. It is dialogical not didactic.Truth is presented through story not a sermon. It is process-oriented and fosters authentic relationships. We have seen seeker studies started in nearly every country where we minister. After one of our Salt Shaker Conferences for mainland Chinese, a woman in Bejing wrote that she was leading a seeker study for her professional colleagues: “The people came because they trusted me.We were already friends, and they’d become curious about my faith.These are people who had never read one word of the Bible and knew almost nothing about Jesus. But we Chinese love a good story! They quickly became engaged and their curiosity aroused as we read the passages each week. But what fascinated me most was how Jesus became alive to them.They commented on their surprise in seeing how relevant these Bible stories were to their own lives. Several in the group have now given their lives to Christ.” A microbiologist in Italy invited her research colleagues to come to her apartment for pasta and a study on “Who is the real Jesus?” Most of them were atheists and, as fellow research scientists, had had countless conversations on science versus faith, the New Atheism, evolution, etc. What drew them to come was their respect for her, her obvious love for them, the fact that she took their questions seriously, and her

The message: Tell the story Expressing the love of Christ in the context of relationship is foundational to witness: being respectful, listening carefully, loving sincerely. But establishing loving friendships isn’t all that God requires of us. He also asks us to bear witness to the truth. That means we must also tell the story. But therein lies the crunch, especially in the West. How do we bravely, faithfully, creatively proclaim the gospel in our age of relativity that denies the possibility of truth in any absolute sense? When the truth of any truth is under suspicion and the validity of gospel truth is either denied or ignored? Yet we are told these unflinching, foundational truths:“By this Gospel you are saved, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, that he appeared.” (1 Cor. 15: 2-5) While I was speaking recently in Finland to university students from all five Nordic countries, a Swedish student told me that he had invited a skeptic friend to a debate on campus between an atheist and a believer.The Christian won the argument with a spirit of graciousness. But the skeptic student told him afterwards, in what has to be the ultimate postmodern response: “I agree that the Christian had the better arguments. But I’m offended to think someone would try to defeat another person merely on the basis of rational argument.” Hello? Isn’t that the point of a debate? But it underscores our dilemma. How do we communicate the truth of the gospel to someone who finds any claim of truth offensive? Whose belief in tolerance makes the claims of Christ seem outrageous and arrogant? One approach that we’ve found helpful is, once friendships with seekers are established and there is freedom in discussing spiritual issues, to consider inviting them to a seeker Bible study. This is a study in which the majority of people who come are seekers or skeptics, not Christians. We invite them to come to a neutral place (our home, our school dorm, at the back of a restaurant) to look at one of the Gospels and examine the life of Jesus. We tell them they don’t have to believe in God or believe the Bible is the Word of God. We simply invite them to “come and see.”The atmosphere is fun and relaxed.They come with their questions, and after refreshments the facilitator asks questions about the text (possibly using a seeker Bible study guide), and the conversation begins. We’ve found this tool effective worldwide, because it isn’t a slick program or a gimmick but is based on relationships.

The greatest shortcut to evangelism is focusing on the person of Jesus, because Jesus is irresistible!

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We have been given an infinitely credible gospel — so let us be credible messengers who demonstrate not clever methodology, but authenticity, integrity, and spiritual power.

in the global South. If we are going to be witnesses in the 21st century, it is critical that we have the power of the Spirit residing in us, flowing through us, bringing the character of Jesus into us. We must rediscover that prayer is a holy weapon to be used in evangelism and in our spiritual battles. We must ask God to empower us with the gifts of the Spirit. We don’t simply impart information when we share the gospel. We need the Spirit’s power to give our words meaning and effectiveness. It is the Spirit of God that produces transformed lives — not our ability to communicate the gospel perfectly.We must be convinced that there is no greater power in the world than the power of the Holy Spirit who goes before us and who speaks through us. Evangelism is a life before it is a task.We are on dangerous ground when we allow techniques to take precedence over theology, when human strategy replaces trust in God’s Word, and when we rely on programs instead of the power of the Holy Spirit. We have been given an infinitely credible gospel — so let us be credible messengers who demonstrate not clever methodology, but authenticity, integrity, and spiritual power. The world is rife with suffering, evil, and death.The only power that can overcome this and transform individuals, communities, and nations is the power of the gospel. The gospel is not static, but a powerful living force with the ability to transform in ways that surpass even the hopes and expectations of those who carry and plant the initial seed. It is the gospel that has brought life, light, and hope to darkness — for this world and for the next. It is a gospel worth living for and a gospel worth dying for. Not everyone is called to be an evangelist, but we are all called to be witnesses who live on the very frontiers of God’s redemptive involvement in our world. Being available to the Lord of the harvest in whatever way he chooses is not only the most exciting way to live — it is the only way to live. If the world is to be evangelized in this century, if by God’s mercy we are to see revival, it will take genuine repentance within the church, divine cleansing, holy living, and fresh empowerment by the Holy Spirit. What we need is a renewed vision of who Christ is and what he has come to do: heal, restore, and transform all of life! If we live out this vision as true disciples, evangelism cannot help but happen. N

irrepressible joy. She recently wrote to us again to say that the most vociferous atheist of the group had just committed his life to Christ. A seeker study is currently being held in inner-city Chicago for men who want to get off the streets or have just been released from prison. What drew them to Jesus? “They see in Jesus someone they can identify with,” the study leader told me. “The authorities don’t like him; the religious leaders taunt him about being born out of wedlock; he has no place to lay his head at night; and he befriends prostitutes and lepers. The marginalized people loved him and he loved them.” The obvious question is how could reading Bible stories about Jesus who lived 2,000 years ago possibly seem relevant to modern people from cultures so vastly different? The late French philosopher Simone Weil was on to something when she wrote,“to be always relevant, you have to say things which are eternal.” In other words, true spiritual power lies in utilizing God’s eternal resources: his Word (the living Word and the written Word) and his Spirit. A seeker study is effective because it is centered in authentic relationship while at the same time utilizing the power of God’s Word and Spirit — which makes it eternally relevant! One of my fears is that the world looks at Christians from a distance and concludes that Jesus’ primary task is to help us have devotions and to keep us from swearing. But when they encounter the biblical Jesus, they realize this Jesus would never flee from someone struggling with a sexual addiction, substance abuse, or eating disorder. He doesn’t walk away from brokenness. He is willing to wade into our mess and love us where we are. Most people can’t imagine a God who is willing to become deeply involved in our messy lives. But that is our task — to emulate Christ, to show them who he is, and to share how he has mended our own brokenness.

Rebecca Manley Pippert is an internationally esteemed speaker, author, and evangelist. She is the founder of Salt Shaker Ministries (SaltShaker.org) for evangelism training. Named senior advisor for global evangelism by the Lausanne Committee forWorld Evangelism, she is the author of nine books, including the modern classic Out of the Salt Shaker and into the World, which has been translated into 25 languages, as well as several seeker Bible study guides that have been used around the world.

The means: Feed on the Spirit But we need more than communication skills and solid content to be an effective witness. We must depend on the power of the Holy Spirit. Our lack of dependence on the Spirit’s power is perhaps the single most glaring deficiency in the modern Western church compared to the early church or churches

PRISM 2010

In the Shelter of

THE Most High A HOSTEL MINISTRY WHERE CHRIST OPENS THE DOOR TO STRANGERS

BY STEPHANIE S. SMITH

If the 2-foot tall “JESUS” sign on the wall didn’t

Shelter Jordan hostel is tucked between charming canals in the scenic Jordan district, near the historic Anne Frank House. Shelter City sits right at the edge of the red-light district, a peculiar neighborhood where each day guests walk between prostitution alleys and Scripture murals, traversing the range of human wreckage and redemption. At check-in guests are informed that staff members are two things: believers and volunteers.This immediately sparks questions.What do these Christians really live like? What could possibly cause them to travel from all over the globe to work at a hostel without pay? Suddenly guests are curious. And the Christ-followers have an audience. The mission of the hostel ministry is articulated in Experiencing God’s Shelter:The Story of the Shelter Youth Hostels (edited by Hans Frinsel, Oogstpublicaties, 2000): “It is our prayer that the lives of our staff show such a Christ-like faith,

already give it away, the smell of fried bananas and jingle of a tambourine might tip you off that the Shelter City hostel is not your typical red-light district joint. It is Open-Mic Night at the hostel. While half a block away tourists wander Amsterdam’s streets under the red glow of brothel windows, the hostel guests enjoy an evening of quality entertainment: slightly off-key Beatles covers, ping-pong matches, and harmonica numbers. The café is bright with candlelight, and its walls are lined with people; a troupe of Scottish Girl Scouts sits at one table and Somali refugees at another. It doesn’t matter what language performers speak, because everyone can enjoy the music. Shelter City is one of two Christian youth hostels in the heart of Amsterdam run by the Youth Hostel Ministry, which hosts over 30,000 people from 130 countries every year.The

PRISM 2010

THE HEART OF HOSPITALITY

so others will be drawn to this contagious faith, ask questions, and want what we have found to be The Way,The Truth, and The Life.” Hostel guests travel to Amsterdam for different reasons, whether students backpacking through Europe, refugees fleeing injustice in their home country, or tourists pursuing sex and drugs.There are guests like Jason, an Australian who makes his living working on organic strawberry farms across Europe; Megan, a film graduate from NYU traveling solo through Europe fresh after her commencement; and Sarah, running from an abusive relationship back home in Italy. Humanity in all its glorious diversity finds a home at the Shelter City hostel. The shelter ministry arose in the early 1970s to meet the needs of nomadic hippies passing through Amsterdam. In this iconic city of tolerance, visited by many for its legalized prostitution, loose drug regulations, and homosexual embrace, the shelter positioned itself to be a light. But the ministry was more of an outflow than a strategy. Guests were offered a warm bed and a free breakfast served by Christian volunteer staff who began every shift praying together for Christ to shine through their actions. Their vision was hospitality: offering travelers a safe place to rest and be renewed in their physical journeys as well as their spiritual journeys.

In Reaching Out, Henri Nouwen writes,“If there is any concept worth restoring to its original depth and evocative potential, it is the concept of hospitality.” More than domestic duty or entertainment, hospitality is the practical outworking of a deep theological undercurrent in Scripture: God’s heart for the stranger. Regarded in the same group as the fatherless and the widow, the stranger receives God’s special protection as one in need (Ps. 146:9, Deut. 10:18). Salvation itself is an expression of divine hospitality, as estranged sinners are welcomed into the Father’s generous grace.Translated into ministry context, hospitality is the creation of “a free and fearless space,” as Nouwen says, where strangers are received as friends and where redemption may transpire. The shelter hostels are designed to encourage restful lingering, encountering others, and conversing. The café is open all day for guests to snack, play board games, or read a book from the shelter library. Guests play the piano next to the traditional door-sized Dutch window or sit with their coffee under the shade of the grapevine trellis in the courtyard.The ambiance is unassuming and offers a level of homey comfort that makes it possible for guests to share their stories. It is a rare environment in which a simple question such as, “So what brings you to Amsterdam?” may result in a two-hour conversation between strangers.

Relationships: The context for redemption If you were to meet Jon today, you would notice his tattoos — the Greek letters Alpha and Omega on each wrist representing a passage from Revelation 21: “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment … and I will be his God and he will be my son.” But when Jon first came to the shelter, he protested morning devotions. A university student from Ireland, Jon was a cleaner, a guest who can stay free for up to one month in exchange for hostel chores.Yet the cleaning arrangement is more than chores; it is an intentional ministry to share the love of Christ. Cleaners are often travelers looking for a cheap place to stay or who have run out of money on the road. And since they eat, work, rest, and participate in devotions with staff members, they quickly become part of the shelter family. Jon had many friends among the shelter staff but did not accept their spiritual beliefs. But after a few weeks of spending time with Christians, his interest in the gospel seemed to grow. The character of John the Baptist fascinated him, and he resonated with the fierce edge of Christ’s holi-

At Shelter City’s Open-Mic Night, guests enjoy a wide range of talents and languages.

PRISM 2010

ness as he smashed moneychangers’ tables in the temple. Jon had a spiritual perceptiveness that was striking in one who openly rejected Jesus. One night, while out sailing with friends from the shelter, Jon decided he could live no longer without Christ as his Savior. Before leaving Amsterdam, Jon was baptized at his request in the North Sea, then returned to Dublin where he now leads a Christian group at his university. “These people did not just fly thousands of miles from all over the globe to serve fries or pancakes,” Jon says about the shelter volunteers. “They came because of love. They came because they love people, not because they want to force their beliefs on you, but because they want to serve you.That’s part of what makes this place so special.”

SHELTER FOR THE STRANGER In addition to homeless people, victims of domestic abuse, and prostituted women, the shelter hostels also have a special ministry to refugees from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, and elsewhere. These guests are sponsored by charity organizations to stay in the hostels until they can attend a hearing with the Dutch government to determine if they can stay in the Netherlands. Lori Hansell, 22, is a current staff member at Shelter Jordan who has a burden for the refugee guests. “Each one carries such heavy stories; many of them are fleeing for their lives,” she explains, “One guest from Afghanistan had his brother killed by the Taliban, and then they were after him. One Iraqi guest was almost killed five times by the Mafia before he escaped. Most of these people are around my age.” Because the refugee guests are waiting for word of their hearing, they spend most of their time at the hostel, where staff members can get to know them. The language barrier inspires creativity in relationship-building, so staff members and guests play cards together, share a pot of tea, or make crafts. The hostel also hosts an extensive collection of Bibles in many different languages, and guests are always excited to find their home language in a foreign place. “I have spent a lot of time this past month with one Iranian couple, Amir and Rasa,”* Hansell says, describing a couple who had to cut ties with their family in Iran for their family’s safety. “Amir and Rasa attended the Bible discussions at the hostel, started reading the Persian Bible we have in the café, went to church with us and got involved in an Iranian small group,” Hansell says. One night, moved by the truth of the gospel and the lives of staff around them who demonstrated it, they decided to give their lives to Christ. The very next day, the couple was notified that the charity organization would no longer cover their expenses to stay at the hostel.“I am reminded that coming to Christ doesn’t make

Hostel guests find good food for the body and the soul.

life easy,” Hansell says, “but in him we have hope that goes deeper than things of this world.”

USHERING THE WORLD INTO GOD’S PRESENCE In Practicing Theology, theologian Reinhard Hütter charges the church to practice “both a reflection and an extension of God’s own hospitality — God’s sharing of the love of the triune life with those who are dust.” Not only has Creator God, the Ultimate Host, provided mankind with all things necessary for life, but he has invited humanity into the majesty of his presence. And the shelter team is committed to inviting guests into the same experience they have been given. With its unique ministry to travelers, the shelter hosts a sacred intersection where the presence of the Savior converges with the world that walks through its doors every day. N Visit YouthHostelMinistry.org to learn more. Stephanie S. Smith is a freelance writer and publicist for Moody Publishers. Having served a summer at the Shelter City hostel for her senior internship at Moody Bible Institute, she enjoys exploring the relationship between hospitality and theology. *Names changed for security reasons

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MAY I HAVE A WORD? KEITH TOLLEY

The Gospel for a Lifetime Many of us in the church have drawn a dividing line between what constitutes “evangelism” and what constitutes “discipleship.” When a Christ-follower is involved in sharing the love and the gospel of Christ with someone who is not yet a Christ-follower, we call that evangelism. When a Christ-follower is involved in helping another Christ-follower grow in her Christian faith, we call that discipleship. In other words, the dividing line is based on whether or not the individual has made a personal decision to accept by faith Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord (ie, a “conversion” decision).While this may be an appropriate way to view this, it can also lead to some unintended consequences. If we’re not careful, defining the scope of evangelism based on a point-in-time decision can actually lead to the false impression that the primary purpose of the gospel is a conversion “decision.” When Paul says that the gospel is “the power of God unto salvation for all who believe” (Rom. 1:16), he is not saying that its power and thrust is limited to a firsttime faith decision in Jesus.The power and content of the gospel reaches into and across the entire life cycle of the Christfollower (before, during, and after her “conversion experience”). It is just as critical for Christ-followers to be continuously confronted with the truths (and implications of those truths) contained within the gospel as it is for those who are

not Christ-followers to be confronted with, and make a decision about, these same truths. Christ-followers need to hear the gospel over and over and over again and to understand how this good news permeates and impacts every dimension of their lives. A second consequence of this dichotomy is the undue pressure that it puts on the Christ-follower. If we are not careful, we can foster the false impression that anything short of our getting someone to verbally make a decision for Christ is an evangelistic failure on our part. If we aren’t successful at bringing people to the point of decision, we must not be “good” at evangelism.We might, then, be tempted to think that effective evangelism really requires us to have the right technique, or the right debating skill, or the right amount of information.

This dichotomy can also foster the false impression that we have a choice as to which of these two activities we want to be personally involved in — evangelism or discipleship. If we don’t feel equipped for or “called” to evangelism, we can opt out of it and hand the evangelism baton to others who are better able to do this. But when Jesus told his followers to “go and make disciples” (Matt. 28:19), he was calling them (and us) to be involved in an incarnational way of life that encompasses all of the activities that fall into what we currently label as evangelism and discipleship. “Disciplemaking” is a way of life, and a key element of this way of life is that Christ-followers invest themselves in the lives of others (regardless of where each of those “others” happens to be on the conversion/decision spectrum), sharing with them the love and message of Christ while modeling for them the Christ-following life and calling them into the same. Bringing, sharing, and personally living out the gospel lies at the heart of the disciple-making way of life. As Christians we don’t have the option of opting out of this way of life. We are to be Christfollowing, gospel-centered disciple-makers who seek to be involved with and personally impact the lives of others, regardless of where they may be in their journey with the person of Jesus Christ. Helping people make important faith decisions along the way is a vital part of the Christian life, but it does not solely define our effectiveness. N KeithTolley is president ofVision New England (VisionNewEngland.org), a Christ-following ministry dedicated to equipping and connecting the local church for discipleship and evangelism.

Dichotomizing evangelism and discipleship can lead to distorted ideas about the Christian life. PRISM 2010

ON BEING THE CHURCH CRAIG WONG

Resonant Aliens Good and just societies require a narrative that helps them know the truth about existence and fight the constant temptation to self-deception. Stanley Hauerwas, “The Story-Formed Community: Reflections on Watership Down” Earlier this year, I had the privilege of joining a contingent of evangelicals to visit Nogales, a town that straddles the USMexico border.There Cecilia shared her story, weary from a four-day trek across the Sonoran Desert, where she injured her feet and nearly drowned in a flash flood — only to be captured by the Department of Homeland Security and tossed back to her side of the fence. Some would consider Cecilia fortunate, particularly those who have lost daughters to corrupt “coyotes” who raped, robbed, or abandoned their charge. If Cecilia had successfully evaded the border patrol, she may have made her way to Maricopa County, whose sheriff has received national attention for arresting over 32,000 illegal immigrants, putting many of them in tent cities, pink underwear, and chain gangs. This fate hangs over the head of millions daily, especially in Arizona, where public agencies are required to ID immigrants and hand over to federal authorities for deportation any who are found to be undocumented. Rejection of the foreigner, of course, is as old as the Bible, exemplified by the experience of the Israelites in the land of Egypt. Abraham, the “wandering Aramean,” Moses, Ruth, and Joseph, to name a few, all left their homelands under duress and became resident aliens in a strange and inhospitable land. Hence, when God’s people at last settled in a bountiful land of promise, they needed

to constantly rehearse their story, one of alien-ness, delivered-ness, and ongoing identity as dependent and beloved people. For the Israelites, their true home was always to be Yahweh himself rather than the temporal sands beneath their feet. As a fifth-generation, college-educated American citizen, my experience does not resonate much with that of weary wanderers like Cecilia. I did not have to leave loved ones, hire unscrupulous traffickers, incur debilitating debt, cross a blistering desert, or cry out to God in a desperate quest for work. I can shop, see a doctor, and go to church without fear. If I’m pulled over, I do not fear being cuffed, separated from my children, and whisked off to a detention facility without legal representation. I can go about my life, enjoying the benefits of a system that rewards me when I play by its rules. Mine is a narrative of privilege. But as a Christian, might I have another?

What dark narrative forces millions of people to leave their families and risk death by dehydration or violence? Theologian Stanley Hauerwas speaks of the church as a story-formed people, a community that is shaped by the event of the cross and thus lives by a different set of rules. Hauerwas asserts that “the church doesn’t have a social strategy, the church is a social strategy,” one that embodies for the world a society that, apart from God, cannot be pulled off. Faithful congregations live eschatologically, as visible signposts of God’s good future — when the whole of creation will live as one, free of barriers and abundantly fed. We enact God’s big story, in the messiness of the here and now. Which brings me back to Cecilia. What dark narrative forces her and mil-

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lions of others to leave their families and risk death by dehydration or violence? Hers is a flight from economic despair, a reality uncomfortably tied to America’s attachment to “free market” ideology, concretized with devastating effect in the ratification of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994. NAFTA changed the game by allowing the dissolution of ejidos (farming collectives) into privately owned parcels. The resulting multitude of small, independent farmers, unable to compete with American and Canadian agribusinesses, were (and still are) forced to leave to provide for their families. In this picture, the privileged (we North Americans, that is) prosper at the expense of our neighbors to the south. Their plight, shamefully underwritten by my own country’s specious trade policies, further fuels my longing for the church to be the church, living as a counter-narrative to the deceitful and inhumane scripts of a passing order. The migrant’s tale, like that of Cecilia, is an important gift, one that should strike a chord in us who, as God’s people, are called to live as sojourners in hostile territory. Her story should evoke, in our ecclesial conscience, the table at which needy sinners are graciously brought into communion with Christ and one another. We can join in solidarity with the strangers in our midst, together embracing a generous God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, has enough for everyone, and does not need high-tech fences or barbed wire to establish his peace on earth. Q Craig Wong (onbeingthechurch@gum.org) is the executive director of Grace Urban Ministries, a congregation-based nonprofit located in San Francisco’s Mission District that serves low-income families through academic tutoring, adult education, health services, and advocacy. Some resources on immigration can be found at GUM.org/immigration.

WASHINGTON WATCH ORI NIR

Jews for a TwoState Solution When Israel took over the West Bank in 1967, my family, like many Israelis, rushed to explore the liberated land of the Bible. In our old Susita,an Israeli-manufactured clunker with a Ford engine and a fiberglass body, we traveled to Bethlehem, Hebron, Jericho, and Bethany. And through the torn-down wall that separated our home in West Jerusalem from East Jerusalem, we walked to the Old City. We pressed prayers into the cracks of the Western Wall and climbed the Mount of Olives. My parents, who had both been Bible teachers, put the scenery in a historical context. We felt that our country was finally whole. Like most other Israelis, we gave little thought to the Palestinians who lived in the West Bank. We did not see them as significant to Israel’s present or future. The first Arabic expression I learned then was mush-lazem (“no need” or “don’t bother”). My father said it to the Palestinian kids who wanted to wash our old Susita and to the women who tried to sell us cheap souvenirs. When Palestinians approached us, my brother and I used to cry out: “Mush-lazem, mush-lazem.” I later realized: There is a need. We must bother. June 2010 marked 43 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank, a somber landmark for both Israelis and Palestinians. Over these years I have come to realize that Israel must cede control of much of the land that I once was so happy to see “liberated.” I am not alone. Since 1967, Israelis have increasingly come to realize that securing our country’s future as a democratic and Jewish state requires that we withdraw from the West Bank. We have

come to realize that it is both in our national security interest and in our interest as Jews with a strong sense of social justice and human rights to ensure the creation of a viable Palestinian state and to cooperate with a capable Palestinian partner to make a two-state solution a reality. We have come to realize that Israelis simply can no longer afford a mush-lazem attitude toward the Palestinians. That is why my organization, Americans for Peace Now (APN), and our Israeli sister organization, Peace Now, are working with a strong sense of urgency to bring about a historic compromise between Israelis and Palestinians. Our imperative is “Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalms 34:14). Peace Now, Israel’s peace movement, educates and mobilizes Israelis to support a bold move toward peace with our neighbors, which would lead to normalized relations for Israel with the entire Arab and Muslim world.

The time has come for peace-seeking Jews and Christians to unite in common cause. We at APN advocate for Mideast peace with Washington’s political establishment, in the media, and within America’s Jewish community. Like President Obama and most others in Washington’s security establishment, we believe that Middle East peace is a key US national security interest and that there now is a rare moment of opportunity for a breakthrough toward achieving it. To strengthen our advocacy efforts, we need the help of our Christian brothers and sisters. We know that those who believe that compromising over land for peace is sacrilegious do not represent all biblically faithful American Christians. We appreciate the concern that many PRISM 2010

Christians have for Palestinian churches and, more broadly, their concern for peace in the land that all the children of Abraham consider holy. And yet we worry that far too many churches seem to think that the best way of advocating peace is through boycotting Israel.This approach serves only to hurt peace-seeking Israelis. The approach we advocate is diplomacy. Speaking out in support for serious Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations is one of the most important things that American Christians can do to bring peace for Israelis and Palestinians. Just as Israeli and American Jews who advocate a two-state solution are often accused of not caring enough about Israel’s security or national rights, so, too, Christians who support that vision are sometimes condemned as biblically unfaithful or even anti-Jewish. Both accusations are untrue.We want Israel to remain a strong homeland for the Jews and know that this is only possible through a historic compromise with the Palestinians. We know that numerous Christians support our views, although many are unaware that an organization such as ours exists within America’s Jewish community. The time has come for peace-seeking Jews and Christians to unite in common cause. Israelis and their American friends are attached to the land of the Bible. That will not change. But all must recognize that if Israel is to survive as a democracy, it must relinquish sovereignty in the West Bank. As they come to terms with this realization and take painful action toward that end, Israelis and their American Jewish partners need broad support from all Americans, starting with America’s communities of faith. Let us all take action to advance Middle East peace and reject the attitude of mush-lazem. + Ori Nir is the spokesperson of Americans for Peace Now (PeaceNow.org), the nation’s leading Jewish organization advocating for IsraeliPalestinian peace. He invites response at onir@peacenow.org.

ART & SOUL TEGAN BROZYNA

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Bearing Christ’s Image In recent years the international news media has been abuzz with mocking depictions — ranging from inane to sinister—of the Muslim prophet Mohammad. The most prominent examples of this satire are found in the TV show South Park and the cartoons published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. Islam is an anti-iconic faith: In keeping with the prohibition of idols in the Hebrew Bible, strict Muslims do not permit the visual depiction of living beings, let alone prophets. (This includes Jesus, who is considered a prophet in Islam.) The newspaper cartoons in Denmark led to a series of violent acts by fundamentalist Muslims, who found them blasphemous. They accused the newspaper of being Islamophobic and racist, and freedom of speech found itself pitted against freedom of religion as the debate circled the globe. Placing current political and religious climates aside, I wonder if there is something for Christians to glean from this, namely the opportunity to consider how we treat the image of Christ and how we respond when others don’t respect that image. The image of Christ has been a cornerstone of the church since its inception. Unlike Judaism or Islam, Christianity has historically leaned on the image of its central figure to help spread the gospel (the exception being 16th-century Swiss reformer Ulrich Zwingli, who replaced church paintings and decorations with whitewashed walls). For a largely illiterate population, Jesus’ image served to illustrate the narrative of his life and role as Savior to the world. Christ’s image can be traced to as far back as the burial catacombs of Rome, and some denom-

inations, like the Orthodox and the Catholic Church, still rely heavily on the depiction of Jesus to connect their worshipers with the Risen Christ. For them the image of Christ is sacred and holy; it is a window into heaven. However, if you enter your average North American Christian book store, which caters largely to Protestants and particularly to evangelicals, you find a very different Jesus.The image of Christ is on just about anything with a price tag. Jesus has been commoditized; he is on stickers,T-shirts, and erasers. He is a figurine playing soccer with little children and an action figure with “glow-in-the-dark miracle hands” and detachable loaves. Jesus is also embraced as a pop icon by the secular culture; at Urban Outfitters stores, you’ll find him on flasks, dashboard bobble heads, and cups. Are we taking the image of Christ in vain when we sell (and buy) him on products? The issue here is a balance between the approachability and holiness of Jesus. Christ is, after all, fully human and fully divine, so he straddles both worlds. Jesus takes on the role of friend and holy intermediary between humanity and God, and sometimes we lean more toward one than the other. Like the recent controversies about the depiction of Mohammad, the past few decades have seen popular culture critique and sometimes mock Christ. From an all-too-human Jesus in Martin Scorsese’s 1989 film The Last Temptation of Christ to the current development by Comedy Central of an animated show called JC in which Jesus is depicted as a “regular guy” who moves to New York to “escape his father’s enormous shadow”— many Christians are offended when the image of Jesus is used in a flippant, scornful, or profane way; some launch protests and sign petitions. However, many others are so used to seeing it that they turn the other cheek and ignore it. PRISM 2010

But in taking either of these extremes, I believe that we are missing out on a significant opportunity — namely, to consider the critique that extends beyond the figure of Jesus to his followers. For just as the cartoon depictions of Mohammad did more to criticize Muslims than their leader, depictions of Christ are often aimed at such an angle as to mock Christians and our behavior. When we choose to disengage from an arts-and-media world because it seems foreign, intimidating, or offensive, we miss out on the chance to open up meaningful dialogue with those around us. Critique is important to the health of the church. It is essential to look at ourselves in order to gauge where we’re missing the mark and address our shortcomings. We are, after all, called to be imagebearers of Christ here on earth.When we love well and listen well, when we refuse to commoditize Jesus, when we who are artists offer artistic beauty to the culture around us, when we honor both Christ’s humanity and his divinity—we are presenting the best possible depiction of Christ, one that is beautiful, true, whole, and, ultimately, healing. Q Tegan Brozyna is an artist and freelance writer currently living in New York City as a postbaccalaureate fellow with Bethel University’s New York Center for Art & Media Studies, a faith-based artist residency program.

OFF THE SHELF BELIEF Edited by Francis S. Collins HarperOne Reviewed by David O’Hara Nearly a millennium ago, St. Anselm of Canterbury wrote his famous Proslogion, in which he argued that God’s existence is self-evident. Anselm’s book has met with mixed reviews in the intervening centuries, but the reviewers often miss something important because they think Anselm was trying to reason his way into faith. I think it’s the other way around: He already had faith (after all, he begins the book with a prayer), and now he was trying to help his head catch up with his heart. His book is an example of fides quaerens intellectum — faith seeking understanding. Francis Collins’ new book, Belief: Readings on the Reason for Faith, is an example of why that distinction matters so much. Collins has compiled 32 short readings from great writers across the ages, all of which give reasons for belief. This book is not so much a tool to talk you into believing as a nutritious and

enjoyable read for those who either already believe or are seriously contemplating belief. It may seem strange to have Collins make this compilation, since he’s a scientist, not a philosopher or theologian, and Collins humbly acknowledges this peculiarity. Readers who are looking for philosophical or theological rigor should probably look for it elsewhere. This is definitely not a textbook, nor is it a book that tries to take into consideration all the possible arguments against God’s existence. That may sound like harsh criticism, but I think that Collins’ book is nevertheless quite good, taken in the right way. Like Anselm’s Proslogion, Collins’ Belief arises out of his own attempt to help his powerful mind catch up to the faith that has been growing in his heart. Collins gets full marks for his selections and organization, because the result is a book that is easy to read but still intellectually stimulating. It includes a selection from Anselm, and also the passage from Augustine that Anselm was almost certainly modifying when he wrote Proslogion. In addition to ancient and medieval writers, he includes some fine passages from contemporary theologians like Keith Ward and N.T.Wright, and some well-chosen chapters from a number of non-Christians as well, including Plato, Elie Weisel, and the Dalai Lama. I was especially pleased to see that Collins included some women’s voices in the book, including a terrific passage from Madeleine L’Engle. Collins identifies three aims in writing this book: to strengthen evangelical minds; to be entertaining and helpful for all sorts of thoughtful people; and to “engage” the “New Atheists.” As they say, “Two outa three ain’t bad.” From my perspective Belief will do the first two very well, but I’m not so sure about the third — for a number of reasons, but mostly because I don’t think PRISM 2010

many of the “New Atheists” are listening to arguments. What a book like this can do well is help those who are already listening to listen better. Like Anselm’s Proslogion, this book will be misunderstood if it is taken to be a sledgehammer that can crumble atheism, but it will be well received by all who are looking to become better, more faithful thinkers in the company of those who, like Anselm of Canterbury, have trod that road before them. Q David O’Hara (ohara@augie.edu) is a Jane and Charles Zaloudek Research Fellow and the director of the Philosophy Program at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

WHY JESUS CROSSED THE ROAD By Bruce Main SaltRiver Reviewed by Mae Elise Cannon When I first read the subtitle — Learning to Follow the Unconventional Travel Itinerary of a First-Century Carpenter and His Ragtag Group of Friends as They Hop Fences, Cross Borders, and Generally Go Where Most People Don’t — I suspected this book was going to be a Christian version of Chicken Soup for the Soul. But with its numerous tales of unidealized personal encounters with the urban poor, Why Jesus Crossed the Road turned out to be more like a hot beef stew — a nourishing reminder of God’s desire for his children to take risks, step out of our comfort zones, and engage in the world around us. To do this, Main taps into the wisdom and resources of such diverse thinkers as existential philosopher Albert Camus,theologians NicholasWolterstorff and Miroslav Volf, and psychologist M. Scott Peck — all while rooting his ideas in meaningful relationships and real-life

cursorily addresses critical issues that should be included in any conversation of this kind: For example, while he briefly affirms women in ministry, he fails to give high priority to road-crossing in regard to gender. Despite these shortcomings, Main’s direct style penetrates the heart of the reader with solid reminders of central biblical truths. The greatest gift of Main’s work is his inspiration to all of us to love differently as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Q

interactions. Main reminds readers that interconnection with people outside of one’s own contextual framework is crucial to providing perspective and shaping one’s view of the world. Main uses the road-crossing metaphor to ask questions about where Jesus leads and what barriers and borders he wants us to overcome, outlining several fundamental truths along the way: Jesus crossed the road in order to “let his actions speak louder than his words,” to throw out “the preconceived notions of what a blessed life looked like,” to “empower a powerless outcast,” and “to save those who were lost.” Jesus crossed economic, racial, cultural, and spiritual boundaries to connect with others, to offer a safe haven for people in need, and to demonstrate the new kingdom he was ushering in. Overall, Why Jesus Crossed the Road both encourages and provokes the reader to consider what it means to act out Jesus’ gospel call to respond to the “least of these.” However, at times Main makes theological generalizations that lack substance. He encourages readers to “do what we can do at the moment while not getting paralyzed by the larger issues”— a point which, while well taken, might be more effective if he gave the reader more specific and practical ways to move toward “crossing the road” in specific instances. In addition, he only

Mae Elise Cannon is the author of Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World (IVP, 2009). She is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church and is working on her PhD at University of California, Davis, writing about the historical involvement of American Protestant Christians in Israel and Palestine.

GREEN, AMERICAN STYLE By Anna M. Clark Baker Books Reviewed by Jim Jewell This week I’ve been working outside with my robust but slowing 81-yearold father-in-law, Ernie Payton, trimming weeds, cutting down dead trees, and protecting new ash from the deer. Lt. Colonel Payton, a retired Salvation Army pastor, has owned a four-acre property up the hill and south of Ithaca, N.Y., since 1947, first as a summer vacation spot for the family and then as a full-time home in retirement. During those years he’s built a simple house on the property while providing pastoral care, raising a family, and providing solace for the faithful and soup, soap, and salvation for the indigent. Ernie is a Christian environmentalist, although as a strongly conservative churchgoer and Fox News fan he would never call himself that nor enjoy the title. PRISM 2010

He’s an environmentalist not because of his words but because of what he’s done. He has honored God as the Creator, nurtured the land, taken a personal interest in every plant on his property, maintained thriving bird feeders, lived the simple life of a Depression-era kid, taught his three children to live simply and graciously, recycled everything possible, saved energy in old-fashioned ways such as turning out lights and moderating use of heating and cooling, shared and traded tools with neighbors, and kept the Sabbath restful and holy. There is much more he could do to protect his land and his health, things he doesn’t know about but that he might be motivated to do if he could find the time and energy. I was reading a new book on “becoming earth-friendly,” Green, American Style, in the crevices of evening time after our work on the land, wondering if there was anything there for guys like Ernie or the many other family members and friends who, though politically conservative, are faithful Christians inclined toward daily habits that produce healthy lives, stronger families, and better communities. Although released by Baker Books, a Christian publisher, Green, American Style is not a Christian book per se, and it adds little to foundational discussions on the Bible’s teaching on creation care, on environmental elements of Christian faith and ethics, or even to the strategies for Christian advancement of sound environmental policies. Author Anna M. Clark has been going through a five-year metamorphosis from nominal Christian to one who studies the Scriptures, from “left to the center and in some cases to the right” in her politics, from childlessness to motherhood, and from a typical American consumer to a green zealot. Clark is an honest and likable figure, without the pretentions of some longtime believers or professional environmentalists, which makes her thoughts and recommendations unclut-

tered and, at times, wonderfully naïve. The core of the book is a list of 85 sound steps that are both environmentally and, in many cases, financially beneficial, divided into six topics: food, car, toxin-free, building, games, and work. They are worthwhile and sometimes surprising suggestions that will be familiar to longtime environmentalists but new information for many of my friends. In the first 100 pages, Clark tries to lay the groundwork for the recommendations by describing the rationale for all things green and by establishing her own multiple motivations — from faith to guilt to health to profit. It traces the author’s nascent green journey, which may provide footholds for others behind her but also some ideological sinkholes left and right. Conservatives may find offense in stark statements such as “The poor are poor because the rich are rich” or by the use of Brian McLaren as a spiritual guide. Progressives may find more areas of concern, such as Clark’s praise of Walmart’s green efforts, the emphasis on “ecocapitalism” as a rationale for action, and “green as a path to new prosperity.” But when she stumbles into territory that is untenable to some, she does so with such innocence that it is unlikely to rile the troops. The time-pressed should go straight to Part Two: 85 Ways to Save the Planet (and Money!), which can be a terrific go-to guide for anyone new to the green journey.This is not to suggest that these lists are weak or easy ideas to green-wash your lives. There is some tough stuff here, but the majority of the suggestions could be implemented by most of us in a matter of months. It is a guide to green action for the rest of us, for the huddled masses of the nation’s cul-desacs. Here are some great examples:

of animals, and do our part to reduce environmental impact.

There are seven criteria to help determine a product’s green potential: clean energy, energy-efficient, water-conscious, recyclable, fair to workers, certified by a third party, necessary.

Eggs from hens raised on pasture contain one-third less cholesterol, one-fourth less saturated fat, two-thirds more vitamin E, two times more omega fatty acids, three Toxin-Free Living —The environmental times more vitamin E, and seven times movement began as an effort to protect more beta carotene. people’s health (Rachel Carson challenging chemical contamination in 1962), If Americans reduced their meat con- but has unfortunately been portrayed sumption by just 10 percent, enough — sometimes rightly so — as more congrain would be saved to feed 60 million cerned about hugging trees than hugpeople. ging people. A Christian understanding of creation care aligns with the foundCars and Things —We all need to buy ing concerns of the movement in things, and like many of us the author emphasizing first our concern for peoenjoys buying nice things. “I was glad,” ple, created in the image of God. The she writes, “that I could channel the facts on environmental hazards, particuimpulse into purchases that make a posi- larly on the unborn and on our chiltive impact.” dren, are truly alarming. The key to being a greener driver is to evaluate the most environmentally sensitive options in your price range in terms of other concerns (which for the author means driving her paid-off SUV now and buying something greener when it’s necessary to replace it).

Avoid using pesticides: To prevent pest problems without using harsh chemicals, remove food sources from countertops. Block holes in caulk. Use welcome mats. Use plastic products wisely. Chem-icals in plastics have been linked to cancers, birth defects, poor nervous systems, and hormone disruptions in babies. Get rid of plastics that show wear and tear. Do not microwave foods in plastic containers. Better Homes —Clark and her husband built one of the first platinum LEEDcertified homes in Texas, but she recognizes that not everyone can take the step. She offers many ideas for remodeling or simpler steps for greater energy efficiency. Install programmable thermostats, a very quick return on investment. Plug appliances into surge strips and minimize ‘vampire’ energy loss by flipping these switches at night. Microwave ovens, computers, TVs, and other digital appliances suck power even when turned

Food — I’m particularly attracted to the suggestions on better eating that will benefit our health and the health of our families, contribute to better treatment PRISM 2010

off or in sleep or standby mode. Idle power from such appliances equal, on the average, about one month’s bill per year. Better Places — Many of us dream of finding simpler and more walkable, agrarian, community-oriented places to live. This is both nostalgic and forwardlooking, and there are solutions being proposed and developed in urban, suburban, and rural settings. Our world has a great need for more resources and teaching on the broad ideological appeal, spiritual richness, and profound beauty of lives fully connected to God, to other people, and to the natural world. Green, American Style addresses this need, offering solid green footholds for all of us — even for unrecognized but truly green-at-heart saints like my father-in-law. Q Jim Jewell is co-founder of Flourish, which seeks to revive Christian care for people and the landscapes on which they depend. He also heads Rooftop, a communications and consulting firm serving organizations and causes, many in the Christian environmental movement.

ABUSING SCRIPTURE By Manfred Brauch IVP Academic Reviewed by Kiara Jorgenson If the gospel story is truly one of good news, why is it increasingly falling upon deaf ears? In response to this question many evangelicals point to the influence of science and technology, noting connections to naturalism. Others blame relativism and religious pluralism, the resulting wake of postmodernism. Manfred Brauch attributes much of the diminishing Christian voice to the Christian community itself, which he argues has “frequently told the story badly, lived it brokenly, and distorted it terribly.” This

to understand key biblical terms. Building upon these areas of abuse, Brauch concludes with an examination of the abuse of context, looking specifically at controversies such as the gospel of personal salvation versus the social gospel, views on women’s leadership in the church, and just-war theory. The book also prescribes points of prevention and intervention. Both prove to be more theoretical than practical and fail to help the lay-level reader seek corrective and healing measures in today’s church.The astute pastor or teacher should easily identify the long-term benefits of conviction serves as the guiding force employing Brauch’s methods in academic behind Abusing Scripture:The Consequences environments, but most will need to of Misreading the Bible, an introductory look elsewhere for guidance on how to academic text that creatively outlines reinstate the church’s credibility and viafoundational hermeneutical methods by bility within society at large. highlighting perpetual perversions of This weakness aside, Abusing Scripture biblical texts. not only has its rightful place in the The book’s emotive title is an appro- arena of biblical studies scholarship but priate one, as abuse of any kind, ranging also serves to reform the face of hermefrom patterns within families to struc- neutics. Here the task of biblical intertures within governments, cannot be pretation is anything but dull. Lessons rectified without recognition and inter- on historical context, literary genre, and vention. With an aim to first recognize etymology are embedded in controvercommon abuses of Scripture, Brauch sets sial conversations, thereby encouraging forth five areas of study. First, he address- the reader to see and measure the great es the abuse of the whole gospel, arguing stakes of faithful and holistic Bible study. that a Christian’s relationship to others It is for this reason that Abusing Scripture and the environment is inseparable from promises to be a worthwhile challenge one’s relationship with God. Secondly, for any reader. Q Brauch debunks the selective manner in which many Christians read the Bible. Kiara Jorgenson is on the faculty at Valor Rather than reading one’s own agenda Christian High School and an affiliate prointo a text (eisegesis), he challenges the fessor of biblical studies at Colorado Christian reader to discover a fresh perspective University. She teaches a variety of theology, from the text (exegesis). philosophy, and biblical studies classes in the His third area examines the abuse of Denver area. biblical balance. Struck by the ensuing division from difficult subjects such as gender, war, and money, Brauch reminds the reader to study Scripture from a Do you find our reviews helpful? canonical and panoramic perspective. What kind of books would you Fourth, Brauch illustrates the difference like to see on these pages? between encoding and decoding mesSend your feedback to kristyn@ sages and cautions the reader to employ esa-online.org. historical and cultural tools when trying PRISM 2010

MUSIC NOTES J.D. BUHL

Boldness Too Tempered It started with the music. Before I knew anything about the sold-out performances at South by Southwest, the featured song placement on television and in 500 Days of Summer, the Album and Song of the Year awards from Sydney’s Drum Media, the mounting hype — before I even knew if that captivating voice belonged to a boy or a girl — there was the rippling bass, the neat drumming, that bit of real trumpet in “Down River,” those startling seconds of ripping lead guitar in “Fader,” and a string of other sounds I knew I needed to hear again. My relationship with the Australian band The Temper Trap and its debut album Conditions began with good oldfashioned in-store play in an independent record store (Fingerprints in Long Beach, Calif., to be exact). As rare as that experience is anymore, it is rarer still to find booklet notes in a rock CD that give thanks to “Yahweh” and “the Almighty.” Bassist Jonathon Aherne, guitarist/keyboardist Lorenzo Sillitto, drummer Toby Dundas, and vocalist extraordinaire Abby Rai Chrisna“Dougy” Mandagi also give thanks to their many praying friends in YWAM. Isn’t that …? Yes. Youth With A Mission is a missions-focused Christian movement operating in over 1,000 locations in 149 countries. It offers discipleship training schools and other opportunities for young people to serve those in need and “know God on a deeper level.” Aherne’s father, Steve, is national director of YWAM-Australia, which offers a “School of Music in Missions” twice a year. It does not appear that the band (with auxiliary guitarist Joseph Greer)

sees itself as a music ministry of YWAM; there is not even a link to the organization at its official website. The Temper Trap is not an outreach but an outgrowth, sharing roots with a global community of lives defined by Jesus and obedience thereto. In this association lies the possibility of musicians finding meaning and purpose beyond rock ‘n’ roll itself, that there could be more to making music than making girls. One of YWAM’s foundational values is to function in teams, because “a combination of complementary gifts … provides wisdom and safety.” The tight cohesion of these five musicians similarly inspires “ownership of the vision.”

A kind of pulse rock, with antecedents in the ’80s throb of PiL, New Order, and the Psychedelic Furs, the music on Conditions goes from light blue — a color of hope — to a darker hue, suggesting but never settling on black. It sighs, cries out, Mandagi’s falsetto used for emotional precision but not leaving one feeling wrung out after each listen. As he sings of how unchecked thoughts can take you downriver, one can imagine YWAMAustralia’s healthcare ship forging toward Papua New Guinea full of spectacles and medicine (see the video at ywamships.org/) as he declares triumphantly: But we will sing wash the blood off our knees ’cause our love breaks through PRISM 2010

rough seas our ship will sail and I don’t understand how this world would work … Not how this world works, but how this world would work, implying that it does not and that some kids have yet to be sold on the idea that it will. It is a matter of investment: “Those fools don’t get my dreams,” Mandagi sings. Seeing through one old adage — “time will tell us nothing”—The Temper Trap goes for the larger illusion, that enough faith heaped upon the world and its mysterious ways will result not only in answers but also in security: “Well, this side of mortality is scaring me to death.” “Fear has to do with punishment,” wrote John, “and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love” (1 John 4:18). Throughout Conditions, trepidation is addressed with references to inhibited or thwarted movement until Mandagi finally sings, “There’s a science to fear… and it keeps us right here.” Perturbation is imposed from without, and while most trials come to an end (such as “the cracking whip that howled and scarred”), he utters softly, “Soldier on, keep your heart close to the ground.” Mandagi and his bandmates may be keeping their hearts a bit too close to the ground. The clarity and directness of the music on Conditions is not always matched by the words, so increased lucidity could set The Temper Trap apart from the other vaguely “spiritual” bands with “faintly religious connotations” to their lyrics. YWAM-Australia says, “We care about transforming our generation … to see you find God’s huge, wild, crazy, bodacious dream for your life and grab hold of your destiny to impact nations and use your gifts, abilities, and interests for the great commission.” While The Temper Trap’s sound is said to resonate with the arena rock of U2 or Coldplay, this kind of Big Music — God’s crazy

bodaciousness — is barely audible. Jesus will transform this generation; he may even use indefinite rock bands to do it. As YWAM urges young people, “Be challenged in your relationship with God,” I might echo the band’s own (“Down River”) lyrics and encourage The Temper Trap to such boldness: Go. Don’t stop. Now go! J.D. Buhl is a regular contributor to PRISM’s music pages. His music writing can also be found in Valparaiso University’s journal The Cresset.

Ron Sider continued from page 40. activity is in a lifelong marriage between a man and a woman. I hope for ESA what Ed Dobson hoped for himself. Ed was Jerry Falwell’s vice president in the early years of the Moral Majority, but he became dissatisfied with Falwell’s harshness and left to pastor a large evangelical church, where he became involved in ministering to the gay community. They loved him, even though he didn’t hide his belief that any

sexual activity outside heterosexual marriage was sinful. Members of Dobson’s church attacked him for welcoming gays and lesbians to his church and ministering to AIDS victims. Dobson’s response: “When I die, if someone stands up and says,‘Ed Dobson loved homosexuals,’ then I will have accomplished something with my life.” Surely the ESA family across the country can do what both Ed Dobson and Andrew Marin do: listen to, learn from, and, above all, love gays and lesbians. God does. Q

I Don’t Like Evangelism continued from page 10. than a life that advocates for the poor. I remember the day we inaugurated the installation of a deep well in a village in the Philippines that was devastated by the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. Residents of the community gathered around the well while the pastor of our partner church spoke of how hard life had been for these people, the lack of clean drinkable water being just one of many challenges. Depending on where their new dwellings were located, many of them, he reminded us, had to walk great distances to find water and carry it home. But then, he said, God had chosen to be good to them, unveiling the deep well. People gave thanks with tears and applause. The pastor asked me to pray over it, and afterward we let a child fill the first bucket. Then we all celebrated together over good food and music the blessing of water and the goodness of God. During the celebration, a woman came up to me to thank me personally for the part I had played in getting the deep well installed. In the native tongue, she said, “I’m not a Christian, but I see that the God you serve is about goodness and mercy.” I affirmed that and told her that God loves her and her family. Then she said, “I’ve never considered attending this church, but maybe this Sunday I’ll come and worship.” There is power in a message of goodness, mercy, and love that is backed up by acts of goodness, mercy, and love. To be active with kingdom activity is an indispensable life posture for responsible evangelism.

and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others, I myself should not be disqualified.” Paul understood here how integrity works. He recognized that he could tell others of this good news, but if he didn’t apply it in his own life, he himself could be disqualified. In other words, it matters how we live our lives. Just as tragic scandals (such as what happened to Jim and Tammy Bakker or Jimmy Swaggart in the ’80s, and more recently what happened to Ted Haggard) mar the credibility of the gospel message to an unbelieving world, so lives of integrity gain its credibility. A sincere inquirer of the faith once wrote to Pastor Harry Emerson Fosdick, “How can I believe when there is so much evil and so many evil people in the world?” Fosdick replied, “If you cannot believe because of all of the evil people, then what are you going to do with all of the good people? You see, if Christians have the problem of evil to grapple with,” he continued, “then atheists have the problem of goodness to grapple with.” Indeed there is authentic evangelistic power in our goodness, in our character, in our practicing what we preach. Grace, faith, and submission to the Spirit in our lives are, of course, absolute prerequisites for the good life. So we need to discipline ourselves in the Spirit to run the race so as not to disqualify ourselves by our disingenuousness and our sin. God finally calls us to pursue holiness and to uphold righteousness, to be good, and thus bear witness to Christ in the world. N

B E GO OD

Al Tizon is director of ESA’s Word & Deed Network and associate professor of holistic ministry at Palmer Theological Seminary in Wynnewood, Pa.

I find it fascinating how Paul concludes his line of reasoning in that same passage, saying, in v. 27, “...I punish my body

PRISM 2010

RON SIDER

Called to Love the Gay Community

stories. John, the former president of the student body at one of the most famous evangelical universities, told Marin how he had prayed every night for 15 years that God would change his gay orientation, but his feelings never changed.This experience is shared by many of the people Marin has met; they eventually reject a God who, they believe, ignores their This summer I read Andrew Marin’s pow- fervent, desperate prayers. Evangelicals have gone to great lengths erful book, Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community to share the gospel with people of almost every culture. We study others’ beliefs, (InterVarsity Press, 2009). Marin has an incredible story. After move into their neighborhoods, and open his first year at a prominent evangelical our hearts to them so we can share the university, three of his best (Christian) goodness of Christ. We have done this friends told him they were gay/lesbian. everywhere, contends Marin, except in In response, Marin, a straight, thoroughly the gay/lesbian community. evangelical Christian, felt called by God Evangelicals have gone to to immerse himself in the gay/lesbian community. He decided to spend almost great lengths to share the all his free time there, listening and gospel with people of almost learning. He now lives with his wife in Boystown, a GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexevery culture — everywhere, ual, and transgendered) neighborhood contends Marin, except in in Chicago. For most of the last decade, he has spent thousands of hours listenthe gay/lesbian community. ing to, weeping with, and befriending A pioneer, Marin listens rather than these folks, trying to see the world from judges. He quotes Billy Graham’s response their perspective. As most of us know, a huge gulf sepa- to his critics for attending a meeting rates evangelical Christians and the gay/ with Bill Clinton after the president’s lesbian community. To a large extent sex scandal: “It is the Holy Spirit’s job because of our failures, they mistrust, to convict, God’s job to judge, and my despise, and are enormously hostile to job to love.” He avoids answering the evangelicals, viewing us as homophobic inevitable, closed-ended questions that come from both the GLBT folks (“Do bigots. But Marin discovered deep spiritual you think homosexuality is a sin?”) and longing in this community. By patient, the evangelical folks (“Can gays and lespersistent listening — even when wounded bians change?”). Rather than taking on people vented their anger at him because these conversation-stopping questions, of painful past experiences with evan- Marin reframes the discussion with quesgelicals — Marin eventually won their tions about God’s love: “How do you respect and the opportunity to share the think your genetic makeup relates to love of God in Christ. Many found com- God’s desire to be called your Father?” One weakness of the book is that fort in his friendship because, unlike both the GLBT ghetto and the Christian ghetto, Marin seems to lack an adequate underhe focused on their relationship with standing of the church and the communal responsibility of the Christian Christ rather than on their sexuality. Marin’s book is full of wrenching community for moral discernment and PRISM 2010

mutual accountability. Marin says that when a gay person tells a Christian that God has told him it is okay to be gay, it is wrong to “defend a traditional interpretation of God’s posture toward homosexuality”— that is to “step in between the other person and God.” Instead one should let God speak to that person, “personally and individually telling each of his beloved children what he feels is best for their life.” That is simply too individualistic. On the other hand, Marin is surely right in stressing God’s timetable.We too often rush in to demand instant change rather than waiting for the Holy Spirit to move on the divine schedule. Whether or not one agrees with every line in the book, it is clear that Marin is strongly evangelical. He is unconditionally committed to biblical authority, and he longs to remove the barriers that prevent large numbers of gays and lesbians from embracing the gospel. His excellent suggestions on how to build bridges to the GLBT community make this is an enormously important book for all Christians — especially evangelicals — to read. Why? Because like the rest of us, gays and lesbians are made in the image of God and loved by the Father. Because the GLBT issue is one of the most controverted topics today. Because evangelicals are almost universally viewed as homophobic bigots. And because our lack of love, friendship, and understanding prevents us from sharing the gospel with this important community and also from making progress on other crucial agendas. I pray that ESA and PRISM magazine become leaders in a new kind of sensitive, listening dialogue with gays and lesbians. That doesn’t mean we’re changing our position on homosexual practice or gay marriage. Nor does it mean that we’re a neutral forum for dialogue. Instead, I want ESA to be a loving place where gays and lesbians can freely express their views even as ESA remains firmly committed to the biblical teaching that God’s will for sexual Continued on page 39.