There’s a gap between how we see ourselves and how everyone else experiences us. Mostly that gap is invisible – until it’s not, and then things get awkward. But in awkwardness is a gift: to see beyond our self-deception to who we really are. And if we see ourselves through God’s eyes, we find the path toward healing and wholeness. Our Lenten journey begins here!
Continue readingWhy do we feel awkward? And when we feel awkward, what, exactly, are we feeling? In this series, we’re going to explore some of the most awkward stories in the Bible. Because awkwardness has a surprising spiritual promise – we can discover sins that were hidden to us, but known to God. If we’re willing to let God make it awkward, we can find hope and healing!
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We’ve spent two months talking about how to talk about Jesus with pretty much anyone. But none of that matters unless we actually DO it. Jesus’ transfiguration reminds us that God calls us out of our comfort zones to the places where people actually need to hear good news. So let’s go!
Continue readingSharing Jesus’ good news with people doesn’t always go well. What do we do when we meet resistance? How can we keep the conversation focused on the main thing – Jesus inviting us into a relationship?
Continue readingJargon is a really useful language shortcut for insiders, but it can be a real barrier for the uninitiated. When we share the good news of Jesus with others, how can we identify and remove our Christian jargon?
Continue readingIn sharing good news, we debate whether to lead with good works or with powerful words. But Jesus’ example shows that to be a false dichotomy. We share good news when we ARE good news, when our words match our actions.
Continue readingWhen we share the Good News of Jesus with people, it’s easy to get distracted by a lot of side issues – conversations that are important, but not as important as knowing Jesus. How can we stay focused on the main thing: a relationship with Jesus?
Continue readingHow often do we expect people to learn to speak our Christian language to understand Jesus’ good news? What if instead we imagined how Jesus’ good news might sound if we translated it into terms they already know?
Continue readingWhen we share the good news with others, we often fall back on formulas that don’t connect with where they are. But if God is already at work in their lives, what happens if we look closer? How is God good news for the people we know and love, even if they don’t know God?
Continue readingEvangelism often relies on guilt, shame or fear to motivate people. But those aren’t good news, and they’re not where God’s posture towards us begins. Jesus’ baptism is an invitation for all of us to remember the heart of the good news: that we are God’s beloved children, and God delights in us.
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