Relevance and credibility is a weird thing. It is something that most of us strive for in any given profession or vocation, yet there really is no standard or universally objective way of achieving it, nonetheless determining one's own prestige or level within a given context or demographic. It's a completely intangible thing, yet so desperately necessary for almost anything. The closest thing I can think of would be a diploma or college degree. They are pieces of paper that "award" you or grant you a certain level of credibility, maybe even gain you entrance into a job because of it. But even still, once in a new job, bosses and co-workers alike who have been their longer probably wont give much respect or credibility, basically because of your inexperience in whatever field you are entering. The same is with a professor. Even if someone has their Phd, that doesn't automatically mean that their students will respect them. There still is a weird sense or need for the professor to connect with his audience, or "win them over." Only then will the students allow them to speak into their own lives relevantly, much the less learn.
You may be wondering where I am going with this, and the reason is because of this: I really believe that there needs to be some sort of credibility or respect won on the part of the church (those being sent) among those they are trying to communicate the gospel with.
Now you may be wondering, well duh that seems simple and straight forward enough, why is this dude even bothering to blog about this? It seems like a no brainer.
But I think it may be a little more of a gray area then we might be already inclined to think. A few summers ago, through CSM (an amazing organization, if you don't already know about it check it out www.csm.org) I helped lead a group of Jr. High students to San Francisco to work with the homeless. One day we traveled across the bay to a suburb of North Oakland called Richmond. (If don't know anything about the Oakland area, know that gang violence over drugs and territory plague and permeate through most of the area, and Richmond is no exception.) We visited a place called the King's Club which is an amazing organization – kind of like a Boys and Girls club type organization, except all day care and literally smack dab in the middle of the hood – that the Spirit is really doing big things through. Throughout the day we laughed and played and hung out with all of the kids there and had an amazing time working with the staff and getting out of our white middle class comfort zone. But towards the end of the day, the founder and leader, Brother Steve, told me that it was time to give the daily message or talk, and I was to give it.
I felt nauseous. Not because I am afraid to speak in front of people, I do that quite often. But because I felt some sort of huge indescribable disconnect between myself and the audience, whom I was essentially about to preach to. I had nothing to say. There was not one cell in my body that knew how to (or had the guts) to tell a group of impoverished, oppressed, hard kids from Oakland (who have experienced more pain and hardship in their short 12-16 years on this Earth then I will probably ever have to) that Jesus loves them.
I know that sounds pretty lame of me, coming from a theology student. If there is one thing that I should feel comfortable doing, it should probably be talking about the Bible or Jesus. But try to put yourself in my shoes for a second; no matter how tough these kids acted, if you got to make eye contact with them, you could easily see just how much pain and heartbreak was behind their eyes. If these kids make themselves vulnerable, they will probably die. They have to learn how to have thick skin and a short memory at a terribly young age, or else they will be swallowed up by the streets. So what kind of credibility do I have; no, what right do I have to waltz into their hood as a overly blessed middle-class white male, and try to honestly tell them that Jesus loves them and they should give their lives to Him, when we are literally surrounded by violence and oppression?
I honestly can't remember what I said. It probably didn't make sense. But that isn't my point, or my question. I feel like to honestly – not successfully, success is the Holy Spirits work – but honestly proclaim the Gospel, or speak God's word into someone's life, there needs to be some sort of credibility won prior to.
This probably turned into more of a cathartic vent rather than an insightful blog post. But I hope you can take my questions seriously. Because I think it is a conversation worth having.
– jessemac
I wish I had known these things prior to going on this trip! I was only 19 – except Danielle, you’re like 18 or something so you’re really ahead of the game (kudos) – so I really had no practice or idea how to communicate the gospel (as if I really do now…sarcasm). All I can hope for is that what BL said – well Paul said it – is true, that Christ still shines through my suckiness. And Aaron, I’m sorry about your bottom.
I think what Rob (?) said in the class discussion rang true: that we are all still broken. I suppose that doesn’t allow for any greater connection to their physical situation and suffering, but it does allow for relevance to where they’re at spiritually.
This is hard Jesse, I work in a youth ministry where nearly all the kids come from broken homes. I’m middle class and parents have always been married so I don’t feel like I have anything I can say to them that would be relevant or credible. All I can do is be there to listen to them, and not give up on them even though they can be huge pains in my butt. This is what Christ did, so I think it’s a good example.
This is exactly why I think that incarnational ministry is important. When you live among people, and their “hood” becomes your neighborhood, too, then you gain some of the right to speak into people’s lives.
Also, in your case, I am reminded of when Paul says that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness, and when Jesus tells his disciples not to be afraid or to try to pre-plan what to say when they are taken to court as witnesses for him because it will be the Spirit who speaks through them. Take comfort knowing that, even when you don’t know exactly what to say, the Spirit is still able to work in people’s hearts.
Jesse,
CSM in San Fran was my first exposure to any sort of real mission experience, so let me preface this by saying I can literally picture your setting in my head.
I have struggled heavily with a calling I feel I have to proclaim God’s word, especially after CSM experiences along with other short-term missions. I don’t have much wisdom to offer, but here are some of my thoughts: the more I read Scripture and pray about my ‘calling,’ the more convinced I become that God places us in positions to declare his Gospel constantly. So you were, for whatever reason, given the opportunity to share the Gospel. If you weren’t supposed to, God wouldn’t have put you there. If you weren’t supposed to, Brother Steve wouldn’t have asked you to share. That’s how I’ve come to understand it.
A friend of mine likes to say “Our actions make the space for our views to be heard.” In the sense of relevance and credibility, if we’re sustained in a context the way we live and the way we love is ultimately for me what gives me the right to say anything.
Thanks for sharing. I have felt that way many times…in reality, probably every time I speak, regardless of crowd makeup. What gives me the right to declare anything to anyone? That is a question I think each of us has to figure out. Also, how does a theology of the Kingdom interplay with this? In other words, how does the reality of the Kingdom of God drawing near play regardless of your place and time? For me, the clue is found partially in Newbigin’s trialogue that works and accents the interaction between the Gospel, the world and the church.