everyday evangelism
Lessons from ‘He Gets Us’
Glen Scrivener
‘He Gets Us’ is a US ad campaign spending hundreds of millions of dollars to prompt faith conversations in America.
It also seeks to lead interested enquirers to do Bible reading programmes and to connect with local Alpha groups. Their most prominent advertisement to date was their 60-second Superbowl commercial, ‘Foot Washing’, re-imagining John 13 with various representatives of polarised groups washing one another’s feet. It finished with the line ‘Jesus didn’t preach hate. Jesus washed feet.’
The crossroads of evangelism
Jason Roach
The most powerful information we hold as Christians is the good news of Jesus. But how can we be confident in sharing the gospel?
Picture the scene: a busy day, rushing to your local corner shop to quickly get something you have run out of at home. In the chaotic moment, you start observing the other people there, hearing the echoes of their steps and catching snippets of various conversations. Amidst the bustle, your attention is drawn to the woman behind the till. Your heart is prompted to remember that she's an image-bearer of God, precious and treasured. As your focus shifts towards her, you find yourself curious about who she is, her expression and her story - does she know Jesus? As you approach her to pay, you see the opportunity. An opportunity to reach out, spark up a conversation and find a way to talk to her about Jesus. You find yourself conflicted because you're in a hurry and there's a chance you might be misunderstood, or she might not be interested.
Can a business be a place of worship?
Terry Young & Philip Hanson
When the idea of a ‘Christian Business’ is discussed, there are widely different opinions. Some would say a business can never be ‘Christian’ – it is a ‘thing’, not a person or soul. A business can’t be ‘saved’. Others argue that a business can be a platform for advancing God’s kingdom.
At the heart of every business are people working together. It is no accident that we call it a ‘company’ (cum panis – with bread). The people in a business are not simply human resources or assets, they are people in relationships with other people. Every business is community.
Can a Gen Z work ethic advance the gospel?
Working nine to five? What a way to make a living. Working life has moved on a lot since Dolly Parton first released her catchy and timeless 1980s hit, 9 To 5. Indeed, fast forward a few generations and it would appear that flexibility has trumped security as the key thing that Gen Z’ers are prioritising when it comes to employment.[1]
Have you noticed that recruitment firms are now fronting their adverts with their ability to perfectly match people to a job that fits with their lifestyle? Have you read about the companies experimenting with a four-day week, complete with flexible start and finish times, a nine-day fortnight, and compressed hours?[2] The desire for flexibility with our employment, it would seem, is here to stay.