The Exaggerationist
(Posted from Dallas)
We were having a discussion last week with
superintendents. We were deep in a dialogue about creating a culture of rapid
kingdom expansion. This is a passion of ours: energetically pursuing how
to influence our church culture so that we will spontaneously reproduce, heal,
model Christlikeness, etc.
But how do we become that culture? We were
in the middle of that discussion and someone said that in a culture like that we
would all speak the name of Jesus, redemptively, many times a day; that the
unwritten prohibitions of American culture against invading the spiritual realm
would be replaced by the Kingdom culture which inserts Jesus to everything. And
then I said that I assumed that most FMs lived that way even right now. In fact,
I said, I routinely speak of Jesus 5-6 times a day in redemptive
opportunities.
Well, it turns out I’m a big fat exaggerationist! When I said
it I thought it was true, but in the few days since that meeting I’ve been
keeping track and it’s not true.
Now I could give a bunch of excuses but
it’s best to just ‘fess up and admit it. What I found I do speak, is of God.
Whether it’s the waitress, the flight attendant, or motel housekeeper (they’re
the only non-believers I’ve interacted with since the meeting) I do routinely
urge them to re-orient their lives around God, to not forget the God who loves
them, etc. That’s easy and common for me.
Accurately, I probably average
that kind of spiritually directed conversation 2-3 times a day, with strangers.
But I’ve realized it usually doesn’t include the name of my lord, the messiah,
Jesus.
So not only am a miserable low-down exaggerationist, I’ve also got
some growing to do: To practice incorporating that name above all names in my
daily conversations with the friends I meet who need the healer. Care to join
me?
