The fourth obstacle to sharing Jesus effectively is disconnection.
For too long Christians and the church have had a PR problem. This was confirmed in David Kinnaman’s book, “UnChristian”. The results of the research carried out identified what unchurched people think of Christians.
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91% homophobic
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87% Judgmental
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85% Hypocritical
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72% Out of Touch with Reality
- 68% Boring
Kinnamen concludes that in light of this information, “we have become famous for what we oppose, rather than what we are for.”
If we are to be successful in connecting our not-yet Christian friends with Jesus, we need to remember that truth doesn’t replace love. We also need show interest and have good idea about what is going on in the lives of our friends, family, colleagues, neighbours, our communities and nation. We need to build bridges
In Acts 17:16-34, we can see a great example of how this can be done. Paul is preaching in Athens to the Aeropagus, a group of Philosophers and stoics in Athens. Without compromising the gospel, Paul contextualised the message for his audience so they might better understand.
I find it ironic and amusing that Paul was Jesus’s choice [Acts 10] to evangelise to the gentiles. In in Philippians 3, Paul talks of his background: “a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout Jew adherent to God’s law; a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting the church; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God’s law Book.”
With a CV like this Paul would have been one of the last people you would ask to reach the gentiles! However, the bible has a precedent for filling the unqualified with His Holy Spirit and using them for His purposes.
How does Paul do connect with his audience?
- Paul Observes
Before addressing the Epicureans and Stoic intellectuals Paul took the time to investigate the culture and interests of the people [verse 22-23]. Why did he do this? Surely it would be easier to deliver the same one-size-fits-all message? Observing our social climate takes time and effort! How often do we, as churches and individuals take the time to examine and observe our context? By observing and asking the right questions we are able to better serve our campuses.
- Paul speaks the language of his audience.
By observing, Paul is then able to speak the language of his audience. He refers to the “altar of the unknown God” [a landmark Paul’s listeners would have been familiar with], and uses it as a reference point to direct them to Yahweh. In verse 29 Paul also uses language from one of the local Poets. Paul, knows his responsibility to deliver a message that they can engage with.
Jesus commands us today, ”to go” and “make disciples”. I believe that we can do this effectively if we learn to observe and speak the language of our people Just like Paul did in Athens.
What bridges can you build with your housemates and on your campuses to reach and connect people to the good news of Jesus?
