In the introduction, McLaren begins to describe evangelism as a dance. Not a bill of goods, not a salesman, or not even a strategy to "save" as many as possible. Dancing allows for the individuals to move freely with the music. "Evangelism as dance begins with something beyond yourself"--a song. You begin to hear a note here or a phrase there. Once you hear it, the song seems so natural, it seems like it is the rhythm of life--life the way it should be. This song is so mysterious and grand that it points to a composer far greater than any one of us. Once you begin to harmonize your life to it, it is natural for you to want others to hear the song and dance with it.
Chapter 1
McLaren invites us to explore a "spiritual friendship" with him. In a multitude of emails, he allows her to question, express doubt, and grow in faith in God. He provided a friendship that allowed her to listen to the call of God and embrace it when she was ready instead of forcing a set of doctrines and rules upon her right then.
He walks through the first email pointing out questions and attitudes that would easily have been missed with our "twentieth century view of evangelism." Evangelism is not a "win-lose" argument, it is not a pressuring technique to "save" people.
McLaren introduces the idea that Jesus was a great conversationalist. Most of the interactions with people during his life were conversations. Jesus did argue and confront people but mostly that was the religious folk.
He closes chapter one with the metaphor that an evangelist is like a midwife. "The evangelist is never coercive, pushy, combative, rather, she is patient and gentle like a midwife, knowing that the giving of life takes time and cannot be rushed without potentially lethal damage."
Chapter 2
In chapter 2, McLaren tries to reconnect us with the Story. We have out doctrine that we try to teach others and have forgotten about the Story. He uses the doctrine of the Trinity as an example.
He presents again an email from Alice. Many 'born again" Christians become judgmental, condescending and arrogant. Alice does not desire to become a Christian because she doesn't want to have to change into that.
He also presents Dan. Dan is learning the "ways of Christ" but doesn't believe in God. He too doesn't want to be changed into an intolerant, unforgiving person. McLaren writes that one of the elements of good spiritual friendship is knowing which questions are helpful and which aren't. He asks Dan "why don't you believe in God?" Dan responds that his brother became a Christian and nobody can stand him. McLaren challenges Dan that maybe someday he will see a way to believe in God and become a better person instead of a worse one. Dan says he had never thought of it like that.
To close the chapter he ends with three questions. What elements of Alice's email strike you the most? In what ways can you agree with her? What would you have said in reply to this message?
Overall, I thought a decent beginning to the book. I like the concept of dance. How would you answer the above questions?
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3 comments:
We are praying for ya'll and your precious baby! Please tell Julie that we are thinking about her...I know this can be some of the longest days, hours, and minutes!!!
Thank you also for your thoughts on reading scripture on your previous post. I don't tend toward the "scholarly" side so I think I have almost always read this way (when I read...). The thing that I tend to leave out is the prayer before reading part...I am trying to pay more attention to the Holy Spirit's guidance in my life and in that prayer and reading will increase I am sure.
I like his approach on evangelism but it is topic I struggle with altogether. Sharing the Gospel in an intelligent society that thinks it has "everything" is extremely difficult. I know I should just allow the Holy Spirit to work through me but dealing with people like "Alice" is tough. If I just had the patience of Paul when dealing with the Greeks in Athens a holy lightbulb may go off in their head.
IRT Alice's closing e-mail, I can relate to her. In my conservative Catholic days, I felt like I was being lured in when walking into a Protestant church. I can only imagine what an unbeliever thinks as he/she is socially immersed in those who want him/her physically immersed.
Maybe our emphasis on conversion has a better name--coercion. Which is something he talks about. We are to become people who walk and journey with each other. IN the journeying together, we share lives, beliefs, sorrows and joys.
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