Am I getting through?
I saw this article in the Washington Post, that details an experiment that I think has a lot of connections to ministry... The Post asked Joshua Bell, a Grammy award-winning violinist to play 6 classical pieces at a crowded metro stop during the busy morning commute. Now, this guy has played with incredible symphonies and recorded numerous albums making music on his violin. This isn't just some lame guy that can barley make music to to scrounge up enough change to buy a Big Mac, this guy has talent that goes beyond many people's imagination. But more amazing than his talent, is the fact that as he played for almost an hour, as thousands of people crossed his paths, no one stopped to listen, and few even tossed in a few coins.
As I read this story I thought about how we as pastors choose to communicate... The context of our message, as it relates to our audience, is the most important thing we focus on. If Joshua Bell was playing his violin in the San Fransisco Grand Symphony or at Julliard, he most likely would have received a standing ovation and huge applause. But instead he was pasted by by the hundreds...
Jesus modeled this to us, but for some reason, we have gotten lost of our communication and leadership model since the days of Jesus. Jesus was an incarnational teacher. Think about it, Jesus was God, and as such he had most likely more knowledge and wisdom than anyone out there today, although John MacArthur might dispute that, and he didnt use big SAT words and talk about deep theological concepts than made no impact int he life of those listening. Instead he talked about farming, fishing, and gathering water to teach eternal lessons, by putting them in the context of earthy situations. How did we get so lost from Jesus' mission, by trying to go "deep," and holding that value as more important that doing whatever it takes to connect the message to our audience and see lives changed!! Jesus broke it down for his listeners, and if it is good enough for Jesus...
If the nation's best violinists can play his best, deepest, most difficult pieces and not be heard, why are we wasting our time explaining deep doctrinal differences between pre-trib and post-trib and the eschatelogical implications of the Hebrew word imus, when people are dying without God and worse, living without hope and love for their friends. Without context, communicating the idea in an easily understood and easily applicable fashion, maybe we should pack up like Joshua Bell packed up his violin.
Bell explained, "I'm surprised at the number of people who don't pay attention at all, as if I'm invisible. Because you know what? I'm makin' a lot of noise!" Often we say, or at least think, if I just get louder, they will get it.... this is especially true for those of us who are Jr. High pastors, but maybe we need to work at making th idea more compelling... more inspiring... more (dare I say it.. yeah I will) entertaining! Jesus captivated thousands by speaking God's truth in a way that they could understand. By doing that he was communicating that God is not trying to be above or out of reach of anyone. Maybe we need to stop listening to our critics, who will always complain about not teaching deep enough; because when we discuss the "shallow," practical stuff, it makes them feel guilty for treating their family like crap or for being fully focused on their own self-promotion, and follow the model of our Savior and do wahtever it takes to reach those people who are busy and passing by at the speed of life. We need to create something so captivating that they will stop to listen...
As I read this story I thought about how we as pastors choose to communicate... The context of our message, as it relates to our audience, is the most important thing we focus on. If Joshua Bell was playing his violin in the San Fransisco Grand Symphony or at Julliard, he most likely would have received a standing ovation and huge applause. But instead he was pasted by by the hundreds...
Jesus modeled this to us, but for some reason, we have gotten lost of our communication and leadership model since the days of Jesus. Jesus was an incarnational teacher. Think about it, Jesus was God, and as such he had most likely more knowledge and wisdom than anyone out there today, although John MacArthur might dispute that, and he didnt use big SAT words and talk about deep theological concepts than made no impact int he life of those listening. Instead he talked about farming, fishing, and gathering water to teach eternal lessons, by putting them in the context of earthy situations. How did we get so lost from Jesus' mission, by trying to go "deep," and holding that value as more important that doing whatever it takes to connect the message to our audience and see lives changed!! Jesus broke it down for his listeners, and if it is good enough for Jesus...
If the nation's best violinists can play his best, deepest, most difficult pieces and not be heard, why are we wasting our time explaining deep doctrinal differences between pre-trib and post-trib and the eschatelogical implications of the Hebrew word imus, when people are dying without God and worse, living without hope and love for their friends. Without context, communicating the idea in an easily understood and easily applicable fashion, maybe we should pack up like Joshua Bell packed up his violin.
Bell explained, "I'm surprised at the number of people who don't pay attention at all, as if I'm invisible. Because you know what? I'm makin' a lot of noise!" Often we say, or at least think, if I just get louder, they will get it.... this is especially true for those of us who are Jr. High pastors, but maybe we need to work at making th idea more compelling... more inspiring... more (dare I say it.. yeah I will) entertaining! Jesus captivated thousands by speaking God's truth in a way that they could understand. By doing that he was communicating that God is not trying to be above or out of reach of anyone. Maybe we need to stop listening to our critics, who will always complain about not teaching deep enough; because when we discuss the "shallow," practical stuff, it makes them feel guilty for treating their family like crap or for being fully focused on their own self-promotion, and follow the model of our Savior and do wahtever it takes to reach those people who are busy and passing by at the speed of life. We need to create something so captivating that they will stop to listen...
posted by Kurt and Katie at
4:48 PM
2 Comments:
I miss you. And I hear what you're saying.
If almost anyone else wrote this I'd probably write them off as an anti-intellectual who is too lazy to come up with an interesting talk. What I appreciate about you is that your problem isn't with big words or intelligent conversation; it's with banal or boring talks having little or no relevance to the audience.
I was just talking to one of my friends about why it is that so many of the volunteer leaders have a problem talking about God with their students, and to some extent we're starting to think if bringing up God is so difficult for us that maybe something is wrong with our faith. If Jesus has to stay in Church--or worse, the religious studies section of a library--we're probably missing the point. There's nothing wrong with library cards, but I think Jesus is nudging us (or beating us with a stick) out of the library into a world desperately looking for genuine faith, hope, love, and life. (Yes, I just quoted real life's motto, but I figured if I wrote it after listening to you it was fair game)
Hope all is well. I'm excited to see you around Christmas.
-Mike
By
mike, at 8:35 PM
So I was thinking about what I wrote and something that has been bothering me is believing difficult is beautiful.
The violin player on the street isn't exactly the same as the theologian on the street. I wonder where the pragmatics and primitivism of preaching meet. Do we really have to keep claiming that greek is better? Greek is important. I'm about to start learning it. But let's not forget that the goal isn't greek; it's changed lives. That's where God seems so often to work. And that's where I hope you're going.
I'm not really sure if that makes sense, I just wanted to throw something out there.
By
mike, at 6:12 PM
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