Think Before you Stick

I had a conversation with a friend of mine recently, and this article caused that conversation to come up again, so I must post it. It is about the whole Christian bumper sticker/fish/and now license plate thing.

When my wife and I were moving from Orange County to the High Desert, we ran into some traffic while driving up the Cajon Pass because of wildfires. Firefighters had closed off 3 of the 5 lanes coming "up the hill" as we say, so, understandably, there was quite a traffic jam. Towing a trailer of the few things we own, I was driving more conservatively than normal as it isn't something I frequently do. I turned on my signal to merge lanes and began creeping into an opening in the lane to my left. Just as I was about to merge over, the truck in the lane I was merging into sped up, prevented me from making the lane change. So, there I sat...angry that this guy wouldn't let me over as my lane came closer and closer to an end. As he pulled forward, it revealed something that took me from angry to furious...the Christian fish.

So let me get this straight...the guy who wouldn't let me over, the guy who prevented me from merging out of a closed lane in the midst of a traffic jam...was a Christian? If I wasn't moving from one church job to another church job, I have no idea what fingers I would have trusted vigorously into the air.

So why does this matter? It matters because people associate our behaviors with our faith. Even if those associations are completely unrealistic, unfounded, or just plain wrong. For all I know, the guy driving the truck had no idea I needed to get over, and no idea my lane was ending. And yet, my reaction, even as a brother in Christ, was that he gives the faith a bad name. With that understanding, it is critical that we choose our actions and words carefully, as they are a reflection of our relationship with Christ.

This applies personally and organizationally. If you are rude while wearing your work uniform, or the logo of your school, people will judge the respective organization based on your actions.

We must be intelligent when we choose how we display our faith.

When you see the back of a car long enough to notice the stickers on it, you have just been cut off or are being forced to drive significantly under the speed limit and are angry (at least I am). Not exactly the best time to promote your faith... or just about anything else.

Know Your Market

When communicating your message, there are many things to consider. The most important however, is your market. You need to know what language they speak (literally and figuratively), and communicate your message in a way they can understand.

My wife an I are looking to buy our first house. We are very excited, and are constantly trying to be aware of properties available. One area has a lot of new condos that look very nice, so of course I have been casually watching it. I had a conversation with my boss about it today, and he said they were going for over $400,000. If we were still in Orange County, that would be a steal...but we aren't. We are in the High Desert. You can easily buy a nice house in a nice area for $250,000. That is a painfully clear example of the problems that beset you when you don't understand the market. While the O.C. lifestyle might appeal to people in the High Desert, the finances aren't here to support it.

The way we communicate our message as a church is no different. We need to understand our market, and make our choices based on it. How are we making our decisions? Are we looking at our needs in the context of our own community, or are we looking at what other churches are doing to meet their needs? Look to others for a guide on how to travel the course, but don't follow. Each church needs to solve its own problems in the context of it's community or it will not be as effective as it should be.

Blogging vs. Doing

I've been reading a lot of blogs recently that talk a lot about what other "movers and shakers" are doing with regards to a variety of trades and industries. Some of the individuals mentioned captured my attention, and I began researching them. What I noticed in my research, was that there wasn't a lot of information about them beyond a bio. No blogs, no podcasts, no twitter. That got me to thinking...is the blogging community a group of people who spend their time writing about doers rather than getting anything done themselves?

As I get older (I'm only 27, so don't read too much into that), I am starting to realize what a huge distinction there is between making an actual difference in the world, and a virtual one. Seldom does a blog post change my life. I can get some good information from a blog post, or find a neat little piece of software or new technology, but at the end of the day, nothing has really help shape me into who I am today.

Now as one who posts on a few blogs, I don't write to say that all blogs are worthless. Rather, I am writing to say accomplish something real with your life. Invest in your relationships and your passions. Spend your time acquiring depth in the meaningful things in life, rather than being shallow over a variety of fields an interests. Also, use technology for meaning. I am currently working on a blog that is exclusively for friends and family who are out of the area in order to keep our relationships connected and flourishing. Make the use of technology worthwhile.

Beyond us being church workers, we are Christians called to change the world for Christ. May we not spend our time distracted from the call that has been placed on us. I vow to blog less, and do more.