My Dilemma

Here’s my dilemma this week. 

Next Sunday – Palm Sunday 01 April our Sunday Street Team are going out after the morning service and I don’t just  want to get more people involved, I need more people involved . But how do I do it?

I don’t want to harangue people, lay on the guilt and make people feel bad if they don’t come out.

I don’t raise expectations that coming out on a Street Team will be an evangelical adrenaline filled excitement rush of prayer and miracles and enlightening conversations – sometimes it’s a little dull.

I just want people to join for two reasons:

1.   We need help
2.  I believe it’s the right thing to do

I’m aware that even though we’ve only been running the teams since January- for some people its old news, ‘He’s not mentioning the Street Teams again is he’?

I know other people have made the decision ‘this is not for me’ and no matter how much persuading arguing, appealing or cajoling,  their minds are made up,  they’re not going to come.

Some people have said they can’t join the teams because its lunch time and.....they are at home having lunch at lunch time.   And the fact that they could still be home and having lunch by 1:30 – ok 1:45 – it’s too late. Well you can’t argue with that can you!

People tell me that they would find it too awkward speaking to complete strangers in the high road,  yet  the same people think nothing of speaking to complete strangers who want to buy their goods or services at work, or speaking to 30 children in a class room – most of us speak to strangers every day.

I don’t want to embarrass people or make them feel awkward or bring anyone along under duress I just really believe that if a few more people came along – they’d  really get a taste for it and enjoy it.

Street Teams are about far more than just an experiential buzz.  I think they are great because they communicate something about the church being active on the street, not just contained in a building.  

At Upton Vale we call this ‘Outside the Walls’.

It also strikes me that the Bible is full of references of people ‘going out’ and being ‘sent’ to the people.  So I think this is a good biblical model.  

I’m  aware that the teams have conversations and prayers with people who are not in church, haven’t attended a service and had no intention of going to church that day. In fact most weeks we pray with more people on the streets, than respond for prayer after a sermon.

This is with one team of 10 people.   Imagine if we had two teams out and about what a powerful witness that would be.  Then I start imagining what could happen if other town centre churches got involved.

This next Sunday is Palm Sunday, we’ll be celebrating Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem; the crowds waved branches and threw their cloaks on the floor welcoming him. It feels right to me that the church is out on the streets (and I know this sounds corny) trying to bring a bit of Jesus into people’s lives – they need him.

 So, it would be wonderful if we had a big team of people with us this Palm Sunday, some giving out cakes, some giving out Easter leaflets, some carrying ‘free prayer’ signs and praying with people.

I just wish I knew how to get more people involved.

If you have any ideas let me know.

Graham

Stop Making Me Feel Bad

Richard stood in the pool water dripping from his body and a deep joy radiating from within him, his smile was contagious, the people around the pool were smiling we couldn't help it.

Richard had just been baptised, he'd told his story about how he called out to God in a time of desperation and God answered him and his life was changed.  Over the last year Richard can testify again and again to the new life he has been given since that fateful encounter with God.

What do we call this change?

You may have heard the phrases.....

'He's become a Christian'
'He's been born again''

He's a new creation'

They all try and capture that sense of newness, a new beginning, a new start, a new life that Richard  knows to be true, and it's far more exciting to hear about Richard's new life than keep revisiting the stories of what he used to be like. God has done amazing things in Richard's life over the last year


During the service I challenged people to think about their own lives and the changes they need to make especially if life hasn't worked out as planned and things had gone wrong.  The challenge was to call out to God like Richard had done

 But here's the challenge - Richard knew something was wrong in his life something needed to change, but what about the people that are honestly quite happy with their life thank you very much.  Shortly after the service someone said to me, ' What's wrong with my life- what do I need to put right?', challenging me to identify their 'problem'. I wanted to say 'Pride mixed with a touch of arrogance'  but I don't like playing that game - so I didn't play it.

 But maybe he had a point.

I used to do it a lot though, I used to like to point out to people that no matter how 'together' their life is, how 'sorted and succesful' they are they were just blind to the bad stuff in their life (we call it sin)  'You may think you are a good person, you donate thousands of pound to charity every year, you live humbly, always help others, feed the hungry, house the homeless, your very personality defines generosity. You may have built an orphanage in Africa, you may put all your needs and desires second to helping others.  But you are still a sinner and you need God'.

If there was flaw in their life and personality - I was going to find it.

I used to use quotes from pop and film stars about the emptiness of fame and fortune;  Money doesn't buy happiness - Look at Amy Winehouse.

This problem keeps coming back to me again and again, whether its talking to people while serving them Hot chocolate as part of our street team outreach or chatting to a friend over a drink.  Some people are very hapy and content with their lives, they are good people, they do good things, life is good for them and they've earned it, they are nice people, they just have no real need for God.

Is the only approach to find their flaw, their sin and exploit it as a way of directing them to God?
Is there another way?

I have some thoughts of positive evangelism - celebrating the good in people's lives and rather than trying to find their flaw - point them to the fulfilment they will truly know by living for God and following Jesus.  Its about telling them good news- 'your life is good now and yet it can get even better'.

Before I sign off let me state: I truly believe that we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. I truly believe that we all need to seek God's forgiveness for these sins. I truly acknowledge that these sins may seem trivial to us but they were important enough for Jesus - they killed him.

I just wonder whether this should be the starting point when we are telling people about the incredible 'even better' new life Jesus offers us

What do you think?

Graham