GlocalNet

Recently, both by people of my faith and people outside my faith, I’ve been asked how I talk to people about my faith.  Some, as I’ve shared my faith, have asked that I write it out slowly and explain it simply.  Several who I’ve talked to that are not of my faith have begun asking even deeper questions about my views of God, Jesus, salvation, and eternity.  I’ve hesitated putting them in a blog, you can hear it all when I speak (Google me and videos or talks and several pop up) or when I’m in conversation one on one.  But, as those of you who know me well can testify, I don’t like starting with the head, but with the hand to serve others and build a relationship.  From the hand, our hearts are captured as we literally “learn to love” those outside our tribe - and then we are ready to talk and even more importantly – to listen.  Many who read my blog are Christians and other religions, and even no religion - alike.  As a result, they are starting a relationship with me by hearing - or the head - and I don’t like that.  Words without context & narrative can be misleading and even dangerous. 

As a little boy, I was taught to share my faith.  I memorized what’s called “The Roman Road.”  I learned how to share John 3:16.  I learned something called Evangelism Explosion - then the Baptist version - Continuing Witness Training, Four Spiritual Laws, etc. These are all good.  The only problem is sometimes they come across like giving a person a sermon.  They also answer our questions, not the person who is searching for God or has questions about the way that I have discovered him.  That doesn’t mean the presentation isn’t true, it’s just not necessarily where people are.

Before I worked globally and with other faiths - because I had memorized so much scripture and knew how to share my faith - as I would speak to people about faith I began to do it more like a conversation than a presentation.  So I would start with people’s questions and still deal with the big issues, but on their schedule and in their order.  Memorizing all those ways of sharing my faith was good - it prepared me to know a lot of verses and gave me to the tools to be flexible. 

As I began to work with people of other religions - I found out the same was true.  People often started with questions that we weren’t answering and we didn’t have good answers for the questions they were asking.  It was simply an inability to contextualize how we communicate the Gospel. 

I think it’s critical that all of us know what each other believes.  I like hearing about what people believe from them - not from those who would interpret them.  The problem I have with some Christian apologist is that they vilify other religions and don’t listen to what is being said.  To me, the biggest disagreement I have with Islam is the whole question of who is Jesus.  For the Jew, it’s who is Jesus.  For the Buddhist, it’s who is Jesus.  For the Hindu, it’s who is Jesus.  For the Animist, it’s who is Jesus.  For the Atheist, it’s who is Jesus.  Why am I going to run down tons of paths without starting with the central question?  If we disagree we disagree, but I refuse to ignore that question.  So with that in mind - I will be “sharing my faith”.

Feel free to disagree with me.  Challenge me.  If you’ve read my books or blogs, you know that Vietnamese Communist have forced me to think philosophically and Muslims have forced me to think theologically.  I don’t know it all.  I have much to learn from many.  I won’t allow hateful or mean-spirited comments.  Take your anger out somewhere else.  Go run or watch an action movie. 

I want my non-Christian friends to be able to ask me anything and it be a safe place to answer.  I’ll start tomorrow - if you have any questions email me and I’ll deal with them.