Economics, environment, energy and evangelism

[Tim Patrick]

Hi all,

Another evangelism thread...

As I read the paper, listen to the radio, watch the TV, etc, I can't escape the fact that the world feels as though it might be on the cusp of three simultaneous and serious (and related) crises: the economic crisis, the environmental crisis and the energy crisis.

My question is, Does anyone have any thoughts on where the gospel will most strongly connect with people if / when these crises really hit? I'm even wondering if anyone has considered which passages they'll turn to, what buy-lines they'll put out there to catch people's attention, what forums (fora?) might be best suited to shining the light of Jesus into potentially dark times.

I'm looking for some fresh thinking. Of course we'll all keep preaching the same gospel as has always been preached so that's not what's on my mind. The question is more about the particular angles and strategies we might take in this particular season.

Looking forward to your wisdom.

Tim

[jwhkuan]

Tim, I'll be reviewing James Choung's True Story (IVP, 2008) in the next issue of Essentials.  It's a recent evangelical attempt to re-engineer older evangelistic tools like the 4 spiritual laws, and Two Ways to Live, with more emphasis on creation theology and social engagement as part of the Gospel.  

I think it successfully makes good connections, but has other weaknesses.  Still very well worth picking up and having a read of though.

[Jereth]

Ah, now this will get me talking.

The impression I get is that Aussies are feeling very insulated at the moment from these 3 crises. The economy -- it's going badly in the US, and shareholders have suffered, but by and large we've still got our jobs, our minerals exports to Asia, and a decade of accumulated wealth thanks to Howard and Costello. Shopping centres are still cool places to hang out on the weekend.

The environment -- it's in the news frequently, and the scientists are probably right about climate change, and water restrictions suck, but life is still pretty much normal for the forseeable future. If there are problems (and seriously, how many problems can 1 degree celsius over 5 decades cause?), it will affect a generation that has not yet been born, or people overseas.

Energy -- oil prices suck, but there is still plenty of coal, we've always got the option of going nuclear, and new innovations (eg. electric cars) are just around the corner. Again, the only people who will really suffer are those overseas, or who have not yet been born.

I've talked to numerous pagans AND Christians about these things and this is the vibe I get. I don't get the sense that our culture by and large has an apocalyptic mindset. It is only a vocal minority of people, usually found around the tertiary education institutions, who are becoming anxious about the future (and even then you have to wonder if it is really anxiety or just alarmism). Psychologically speaking Australians are coping remarkably well. Why? This is a generalisation, but perhaps those who are vulnerable (i.e. lower socio-economic groups) aren't adequately educated about these "crises", and those who ARE educated about these things are comfortably in the middle and upper classes with an adequate wealth buffer. And at the end of the day, Australia is a welfare state (unlike the US) -- the government and centrelink will catch us if we fall.

The upshot for evangelism, I think, is that we can't expect to rely heavily on people's uncertainty or fear to provide opportunities to preach judgment and repentance. The challenge now is much the same as it was 5 years ago -- to penetrate peoples' complacency and sense of security.

(Of course, who knows what may change in the next 12 months???)

Jereth

[Tim Patrick]

Jereth wrote:

The challenge now is much the same as it was 5 years ago -- to penetrate peoples' complacency and sense of security.

Yes, of course this is right.

It's quite interesting that we're not the only 'evangelists' struggling with this. I was having a coffee with the President of the University of Melbourne Secular Society last week (we're running a joint forum about views on creation) and he said that one of their main struggles is also just getting people to engage with the big questions. He was actually quite pleased to be doing something with the Christian Union because at least we want to have the discussion!

How do you tackle apathy?! Nickly Gumble thinks that as well as showing that the Christian faith is true, we also need to show that it's not boring or irrelevant. Now, I know it's neither of those things... but how to make that clear to the outsider... ?

Tim

[Phil Weickhardt (Phool)]

I think it comes back to "Relationship Evangelism" if people are complacent. I do believe that people are complacent. Western Australia is still influenced by the mining boom, our problems are about getting enough workers. The energy, environment and economics questions are a bit abstract for many. There is a major salinity crisis in our agricultural area but that is not even really being responded to outside of those directly affected. Reflect on the Murray-Darling Basin crisis too, the crises in indigenous communities throughout Australia etc.

The only teaching we have had in church can be labelled under the category of "environmental stewardship", it had quite a green flavour.

People are crisis-ed out ... but...

There is a strategy called "Friday Nights for Jesus" where the format is an invitation for people to meet together on a Friday night (it could be anytime - Tuesday lunch, Wednesday morning, whatever) to play cards (I suppose Board Games would work). It is an investment process by the people that run it as it is a relationship building strategy. Based around developing relationships. See Hunt, J. (1997) Sunday School Growth http://www.joshhunt.com/friday.html

The host deliberately invites people that have visited the church around to socialise. "...people are not interested in a friendly church; they are looking for friends." Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1995), p. 312

"Let me answer a couple of obvious questions. No, it does not have to be on Friday night. You do not have to play cards. You might take people out to lunch. You might go bowling or play golf. You might go out after church with them. But, do something fun with them. Do whatever you do with your friends. But include some outsiders in your life. These outsiders may be newcomers to the faith, or believers who are moving to town." (Hunt, ibid)

An interesting observation is that the people that meet on a Friday Night start coming to church regularly and get involved in the church. Peter Corney was/is teaching this as a church growth principle - if you see new people in church meet with them in the week after you first see them.

I don't know what this says about evangelism. Does "Evangelism Explosion" still work? "If you died tonight where would you go? Why do you think that?"

Possibly:

Street and shopping centre evangelism, start conversations, build relationships
Invite to church
Invite to "Friday Nights for Jesus"

Wow, a radical church growth plan. Maybe that's why the church in Africa appointed its ministers in the following heirarchy, and had 9% per annum growth under Bp Stanway:

Evangelist
Deacon
Priest
Bishop

The need for the evangelist was identified, priests were taught to be self-supporting (ie. they actually grew their own food).

Not sure if this answers Tim's question.

Hmmm, thanks for the prompt Tim

Phil

[Tim Patrick]

Jereth wrote:

The challenge now is much the same as it was 5 years ago -- to penetrate peoples' complacency and sense of security.

Hmm... Although I agreed with this in my previous post, I do still wonder if there is a lot of fear lurking in our society that the gospel could speak to powerfully.

Is it true that the people of our country know deep down that the things they trust in (mining boom and budget surplus, temporal distance from the effects of climate change, other options for energy, etc) are not really all that secure? It doesn't take much for people to get at least mildly panicky about their situations. This morning's talkback radio was all about the scary state of the US economy - and how we might be affected.

I remember being in Tassie a few years ago and doing some door-to-door surveying for a church. One of the questions was 'What are you most afraid of?' I remember one answer was 'A terrorist attack'. Now this was in the outer 'burbs of Hobart - one of the last places on any terrorist's hit list! But the wave of fear that had covered the globe had reached even this backwater and taken hold of people.

I wonder if we're living in a time when we're becoming more and more resistant to the drugs we take to distract us from the really big - God-sized - issues in life (ie. the drugs of money, pleasure, products, etc). Are we entering a time when we'll need more of those drugs to calm us down but less will be available? And do we trust those drugs a little less nowadays because we're slightly more aware of the fact that they only distort reality??

Basically, I'm wondering if there is something to my initial post...

I still agree that apathy, complacency and false security are massive barriers to the gospel but perhaps there are some cracks developing? New openings for the gospel??

Still keen for the thoughts of others.

Ta, Tim

[Jordan]

You know the saying, 'There are no atheists in foxholes'.

People will ask the big questions if they're scared enough.

The fact that suicide rates are high among our youth indicates fear - or rather, utter despair. And this is most commonly found among among young people from the higher economic brackets.

Young people in the West are prone to feeling lost and afraid. Perhaps this is why university ministries are often our most successful?

Jereth has a good point too. Trying to connect with alarmism will simply leave us looking like fools.

Jordan

[Phil Weickhardt (Phool)]

Is it complacency or apathy or "learned helplessness"?

Is it a feeling that: "It doesn't matter what I do, how much money I earn, what toys I have - I am still unhappy, unsatisfied?"

Ecclesiasties certainly answers this. "It is all meaningless [under the sun] says the preacher"

I think that is where our wealthy Australians are at. In a very wealthy town there is high alcohol consumption (red wine, full strength beer and spirits) and a high rate of prescription of anti-depressants.

If you do a search on "Arch Hart" and "happiness" or "adrenaline" he has some good ideas that speak to our multi-tasking world.

"Be joyful always"

Evangelism: "Have you tried everything and still feel empty?"
"Is there something better than this?"
"Do you feel powerless?"
Are the economic, energy and environmental crises too big?

Young people are seeking an adrenaline rush - Crusty Demons, risky behaviour, fast cars, electronic games, energy drinks, pills

The "Jesus People" of the late 1960s and early 1970s certainly tried to speak to their generation through psychodelic graphics, Larry Norman and genuine lifestyles.

What is the call to the Naught-y generation - they love events like Big Day Out, binge drinking is popular, schoolies week (or leavers week) is HUGE. Where do the people of this generation itch? Why do we have minority control of the Senate and a hung parliament in Western Australia? Is it that "Mainstream" can't be trusted? "The church is corrupt and can't be trusted either - child abuse, abuse of power, paedophilia and they are supporting gays now too!"

What is the street and shopping centre evangelism telling us? What do people care about?

Tim, I also wait in anticipation for answers to your questions.

[Alex Milner]

Hi Tim,

I haven't got my thoughts together on this yet.

But when I start thinking about this, my starting position is something along the lines that:

- both financial/environmental stability or calamity can both be distractions from hearing and persisting with God's word (Note how Jesus in Matt 13:22 links both "the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth" as both being causes of the same result);

- while people may have false security from wealth, relationships, stability etc (ie relying on the created and not the creator), it is also possible to have false fear (ie fearing the creation and not the creator judge); and

- the hope of the Gospel cannot be properly understood without an appreciation of the reality of sin and judgement.

I guess where I am going is that - leaving aside practical questions (ie how we present the Gospel) - the prevailing mood of society is not actually relevant (however it might feel). Still thinking this one through...

Kind regards
Alex

[Jereth]

Tim Patrick wrote:

I still agree that apathy, complacency and false security are massive barriers to the gospel but perhaps there are some cracks developing? New openings for the gospel??

I think that when you come across someone who is fearing these things (economy, environment, etc.), it is important to draw attention to the fact that the judgment of God will be far worse. Indeed, I think that even people in the Church need to gain a better appreciation of this -- I often hear prayers for protection against frightening things happening in the world, and not nearly as many about the coming judgment. As Alex says, it's easy to get scared about tangible things when the one we are to fear is our Judge (Luke 12:5)

Jordan wrote:

People will ask the big questions if they're scared enough.

The fact that suicide rates are high among our youth indicates fear - or rather, utter despair. And this is most commonly found among among young people from the higher economic brackets.

Young people in the West are prone to feeling lost and afraid. Perhaps this is why university ministries are often our most successful?

Jordan, I wonder if the cause of middle class depression is nihilism (the "lost" feeling you mention?) rather than fear. Either way, you've hit on something important. Mental illness of the depressive/anxiety type has reached epidemic proportion and there doesn't seem to be any difference between socio-economic classes. A staggering number of patients who I see are on anti-depressants -- both of the prescribed variety and the variety that you can purchase in a bottle shop. They're telling us that 70% of patients who come to a GP are suffering from a mental health problem (whether they volunteer it or not).

My experience as a health care worker, however, suggests that the reasons for peoples' depression/anxiety are usually personal and relational -- not because of the big problems in the world. It's not common to get people who are taking Prozac or Efexor because the Dow Jones is performing badly, or glacial ice is melting in Greenland. My gut feeling is that innate human self-centredness keeps each of us focused on our own life problems rather than those of the entire race.

Jereth

[Danny Saunders]

Interesting discussion.

Sorry if you think this is a simplistic response but life today is just the same old jigsaw with the same old missing piece. We didn't have schoolies in my day but we certainly had binge drinking, it just wasn't reported. We try and fill the void with the same things - what does Eccl tell us? nothing is new under the sun, the more things change the more they stay the same. If the latest crisis tell us anything, it's that every day we're one day closer to the glorious return of Christ, so let's stop waisting time and get on with it!

My strategy is pray hard, pray some more, try some fasting, pray again, pray some more, start a prayer meeting, then find some not yet Christians and present to them in a loving and conversational manner the missing piece (ie. the gospel about Jesus) and let the gospel do its work (Rom 1:16) and pray for them and follow them up and invite them to church. Train some people in conversational and relational evangelism and in some basic apologetics to help you in this task.

If anyone is interested the evangelism explosion course for gen X and Y is being launched in Melbourne on Tuesday 23rd September at New Hope Baptist at 9.45am. They've changed the initial question to: On a Scale of 1 to 10, how fulfilling would you say your life is? then What makes it an X? Would it change in either direction if God were in your life? Very easy questions to use and to teach others to use.

The new EE looks good, check it out here:  http://www.xee.info/;  http://xeelife.com/

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few, pray to God to send out workers in the harvest.

[Phil Weickhardt]

Yes ... and Amen to Danny

[jane churchland]

My experience as a health care worker, however, suggests that the reasons for peoples' depression/anxiety are usually personal and relational -- not because of the big problems in the world.

I think Jereth has hit on something here... I think the real crisis Australians are living in (not expecting, or fearing, but actually living with) is family and society breakdown post the pill/sexual revolution etc etc. How many parents/guardians neglecting/abusing/killing children have I seen on the tv lately? Most everywhere I look I see people living with essentially non-functional families. Given that family life is so important (both because of what it can give and what it can take away) it doesn't at all surprise me that people are anxious and depressed, or that they are concerned with personal problems rather than the state of the economy/environment (until it directly affects them) NOR do I think it is helpful to be dismissive of people being focused on their personal problems.

I'm not sure what the impact for evangelism arises from this insight. I also know that family is possibly least crucial for twenty-something student types. (On whom much of our evangelistic effort is focused) But they of course have been formed first and foremost by their family of origin, and will soon enough be struggling to establish/maintain a healthy family if their own.

Tim, I don't want to undermine your thought provoking OP. I was just sparked by Jereth's observation to think of a different type of crisis. And maybe, too, it is a chick thing. (Women still doing the bulk of carrying the family load.)

[Cat Patrick]

I think there's definitely something in this...

I did have a wonder a while ago if churches should do more family-focused stuff as a way to build bridges with the community. We do have a high view of family after all.

We're about to host a parenting course in our home and we've got a number of school parents coming along which is great.

(This is from Tim, accidentally using Cat's account)

[Phil Weickhardt (Phool)]

Hi Cat,

I posted somewhere else about a doorknock that a few churches in our area did.

Basically, with help from YWAM, the script was: "We're from the local churches and we would like to know what we can do to help you"

The bulk of the answers was along the lines of family and relationships. People are looking for friends. I think you are onto something.

On another note

It is interesting that the headline article for PRAC (a publication of Crossover, the Baptist agency to assist evangelisation http://www.crossover.net.au/) is about how christian generosity would make headline news if we were generous in the risky way outlined in Acts. No poverty within the church.

Too much to summarise here and not on-line yet. You may be able to get a copy through Crossover or a friendly local Baptist Church.

[Jereth]

I think you're right on the money, Jane.

From the Herald Sun today: the Australian Temperament Project has shown that
ONE sixth of Australians aged 23-24 suffer depression or anxiety.
ONE sixth engage in anti-social behaviour.
ONE fifth use marijuana, other illegal drugs, or are regular binge drinkers.
ONE fifth have a long-term physical or mental health problem.
Overall, 40 per cent showed severe signs of problems including depression, anxiety, antisocial behaviour or illegal drug-taking.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,,24393436-661,00.html

These are the people who will be running society and raising the next generation of children very shortly. Scary isn't it? No doubt there are energy and environmental crises looming but a social crisis of tsunami proportions is already breaking upon us. How can we engage this generation (hmm.... it's actually my generation, good heavens!) with the gospel of Jesus?

Jereth