B27 Slogans
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B27 Slogans
Besides biblical parables, my current images and stories, or real events from life, I also look for short striking statements or even just terms that well capture the essence of a phenomenon or spiritual truth, and which my Georges remember well. Mostly these are terms and statements for which they don’t have a box in their head. I call them SLOGANS.
I have already mentioned at least one of my frequent slogans here in Bridges to people. When I get to the subject of Jesus with my George, and observe that he wants to put me in the box of „religion“, I simply say: „I talk to Jesus, while driving.“ This statement usually raises George’s questions and follow-up conversation: „And Jesus answers you, right?“ Another said, „Haven’t you crashed because of your conversation with Jesus while driving?“
These slogans are not necessarily „winning statements“ that would covert my George on the spot. However…
a) They attract attention!
And most importantly, these are quite simple formulations that
b) Can be remembered
and which germinate in them for at least a few hours or usually days. My slogans don’t fit in any „box“. They are so different from anything they have in their head, so far, that they have to create new boxes for me. When they hear my slogans more than once, sometimes they give them back to me. „I know you’re driving and talking to Jesus, but…“ And a little joke follows. This reveals to me that he has taken note of my unconventional connection with Jesus and that he is thinking about him…
c) I agree with his prejudices
When I hear what’s bothering someone about religion or the church, I usually have to agree! I don’t correct anything, I don’t explain, I just agree with what I can agree with. „You can’t get me to any church,“ one unbelieving friend told me. „Neither can anyone get me!“ I responded immediately, „but it’s really great to be with Jesus.“ „Wait, what do you mean?“ I want to introduce you to my great and living Friend Jesus, not to get you in any institution!“
This incident inspired me to a slogan, which sometimes shocks my unbelievers: „Um, religion is boring, it’s not for me, but I really enjoy it with Jesus!“
d) To a question I respond with a question
„You are a believer?“ a new friend sometimes asks when I star a first conversation about Jesus. „It depends on what you mean by ‚a believer‘. – Yeah, what do you mean by that?“ And I hear usual things answering one by one with a smile, „I’m not doing that, I’m not, I’m not“ Then the question comes: „So how do you have it?“ Which opens up the opportunity for me to share about living Jesus…
e) I say the opposite of what he expects
At other times, I say the opposites of what people think of me or of my „Christianity.“ I try to formulate it quite strongly. One guy speculated whether he believed or did not believe, and apparently did not know what to do if he wanted to „believe“. „Forget about faith, just ask Jesus to enter your life and to forgive you! Tell Him, ‚Jesus,‘ please COME into my life, FORGIVE all my bad things, LEAD me, be my boss. George, tell him this, now!“
f) I comment unusual way
Sometimes, as part of Discovery, I grab a Bible with unbelieving friends, look in it, and say, „Someone rewrote it for me here again!“ I explain, „I’ve read this section so many times, and I see new things in it again. The Bible is simply wonderful, as I talk with Jesus about it. ”
I like to observe how my new slogans are carried further by my new unbelieving friends.
I say some of my slogans when I look at the ceiling – that is, in an informal prayer: „Jesus, thank you for being here and now with us. In fact, everywhere and always…“
A few questions and comments of my unbelieving friends and my answers to them
„Your Jesus is just a crutch.“
Sure! I have a lot of such crutches, and I am very grateful for them! Every deep relationship is a great life support for me, which makes my life happy, beautiful and safe. For example, right after Jesus, the strongest crutch for me is my wife Danka, and my friends…
„What if someone disagrees with the Bible reading?“
I listen to what they disagree with, and when it comes to religion or the church, I usually disagree as well. So, cool…
„You really believe that?“
Suppose for a moment that it happened exactly as it is written here. – In that case, what does it tell us about Jesus?
„Why are there so many different churches?“
You know, for personal contact with living Jesus, it doesn’t matter if I’m a Catholic or an evangelical or a Baptist or none of that. The important thing is whether I am forgiven or not – whether I invited living Jesus into my life or not.
„How do you view evolution?“
Mr. Darwin was watching finches at the Galapagos and it was very interesting! In one environment they had firmer beaks, in another they had slightly different wing length, different color and so on. If he exchanged these groups and relocated them to another environment, in a few generations, their key features would probably be exchanged and adapted to the new environment. So this adaptation (evolution) is a clear thing that anyone can observe over and over again, and be excited about how beautifully it is all made. But be sure that no one has ever observed the fish trying to climb ashore and becoming an amphibian in future generations. „Big Evolution“ across the boundaries of the family simply remains a hypothesis (assumption), and an assumption it will remain…