What Does it Mean to Be A CoJourner?

Here is a two minute explanation brought to you by CruPress Presents:



For more, visit http://crupressgreen.com/video/#cojourners

CoJourner Podcast: Power Play

Are you experiencing the power of the Spirit for witness?  Here is another of the CoJourner radio spots that I have done for MyBridge Radio Network.

Power Play

Every Life Has a Story-If You Care to Read it

One of the principles driving effective exploring in the CoJourner Explorer role is the recognition that "everyone has a story and every story is worth discovering." Seems that Chick-fil-a agrees. Enjoy...

I Once Was Lost

I was recently loaned Don Everts and Doug Schaupp's book, I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus, (IVP, 2008).

Though I am just in the process of becoming familiar with the book, I like what I see already. First, it starts with the audience. Perfect for the CoJourner paradigm (think, Explorer) and much preferable for our audience, as well!

Second, they emphasis the "path" to faith. How much more CoJourner-esque can you get. "Everyone is on a spiritual journey".

But the really valuable contribution is "the five thresholds" that mark similar "seasons of growth" or stages on the path to Jesus. Here is the essence:

1. The move from distrust to trust.
2. The move from complacent to curious.
3. The move from being closed to change to being open to change.
4. The move from meandering to seeking.
5. The move across the threshold of the kingdom itself.

Note the progression. Understanding the path helps create true empathy and understanding.

Can you see your own path to Christ through these "thresholds"?

I identify with 2-5.

The Explorer's Invitation

If you are familiar with the CoJourner paradigm, you know the first role in conversational witness is that of the Explorer. Your ability to help someone progress in their spiritual journey will be tied to your understanding of who they are, where they are and what they have experienced.

So what's the key to effective exploring? Asking questions and listening.

The primary questions (phrased in different ways in different settings) are really variations of a simple invitation, "Tell me about yourself."

• Did you have any church or religious background growing up? How was that for you?
• What have you tried in your spiritual life or journey?
• Where are you at now spiritually?
• What do you wish were true for you spiritually?
• Etc.

The key is empathy - listening to genuinely understand. Exploring is taking a genuine interest in the other person and their spiritual experience. Its not just finding a transition to a different subject. You will discover that good exploring will open the door to a deeper relationship and often lead to a conversation about your story and the gospel.

Keep sharpening your skills as a CoJourner with others in spiritual journey.

Diminishing Teen Witness - Barna Study

Interesting new Barna study on "How Teenagers Faith Practices are Changing". The study suggests a significant decline in believing teens attempts to witness.

Believing teenagers were asked if they had attempted to explain their religious beliefs to someone else with different religious beliefs with a hope that they might receive Jesus Christ as Savior. In 1997, 63% of "born-again" youth answered affirmatively. In December 2009, that number had dropped to 45%.

What does this suggest to those involved in campus ministry? Is the culture's aversion to dialogue about matters of faith taking its toll on youth witness?

My experience suggests that Christian students still desire to witness, but not necessarily in the "forms" that have been handed down from previous generations. This was a large part of the motivation behind the development of CoJourners.

Three Kinds of People

There are three kinds of people:

1. Those who pursue wrong things
2. Those who pursue the right thing, but in a wrong way
3. Those who pursue the right thing, in the right way

Though the first two look very different, both paths are disastrous. A skilled CoJourner must distinguish between the two and helping BUILD appropriate bridges for each.

It is these realities that Paul applies in Romans 9:30-10:13.

• Group 1: The Gentiles did not pursue righteousness (9:30; compare Rom 1:18-32; 3:10-18).
• Group 2: The Jews pursued righteousness as if it were based on works, seeking to establish their own righteousness (9:31-10:3; compare 2:1-3:20).
• Group 3: But righteousness (the right thing) is from God by faith through Christ (9:30, 32-33; 10:3, 4; compare 3:21ff).

[21st Century moralism is a weak sister to 1st Century legalism. But both seek what is right in the wrong way. 21st Century amoralism appears just as strong a sibling as 1st Century immorality.]

How skilled are we at diagnosing a person's condition? At helping them understand their issue? At GUIDING them to faith in Christ?

"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" (Romans 10:15).

Making Sense of It All (1)

I just finished reading Thomas V. Morris’ Making Sense of It All. I read it on the recommendation of a friend, Dave. Now I must admit Dave made this recommendation fifteen years ago when we were spending a summer together doing ministry in Keszthely, Hungary. But I never forgot the recommendation and finally this winter, I bought and read the book. I’m glad I did.

First, I must say I became a bit intrigued by the life journey (or what I have been able to discern of it) of the author, Tom Morris: a philosopher, former Notre Dame professor (and apparently a very popular one at that), now a “public philosopher” (or at least he has his own institute) working with corporations. Hmm… curious, indeed. I think I would like to meet the man, if Providence should ever orchestrate it.

But I have also become more intrigued by Pascal and his insights into life, captured for posterity in the classic collection known as Pensées. My real introduction (at least the one that caught my attention) came from seminary professor and mentor, Dr. Robert Coleman. I now wonder how Dr. Coleman, a man whose life has been defined and shaped by his Lord’s Great Commission, became interested in Pascal. Maybe I shall ask next time I have an opportunity.

But the question, you make ask, is what does all this have with my life and thoughts as a CoJourner? Well, I am growing convinced that Pascal offers us insight for the 21st Century post-postmodern (or whatever it is you’d like to call our world of thought and culture today.) He is a Guide par excellence. So I intend (and you know what often happens with good intentions) to reread this book (something I very rarely do. In fact, truth be told, though I love books and “read” many, I find very few books valuable enough to me to complete the reading the first time. ) I want to “harvest” valuable insights from this work to see if it can help me (a common Guide, in the CoJourner sense) “make sense of it all” for others on the journey of life.

CoJourners: Power of Metaphor

Aristotle wrote:

"The greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor."

That may be an overstatement (or miscalculation of greatness). Certainly we can come up with something greater.

But it hints at why CoJourners has been so well received. It utilizes five metaphors in evangelism:

• Journey: As the overarching metaphor for life, witness is joining others in their spiritual journey.
  
• Explorer: Discovering where people are at in their journey.
• Guide: Showing the way to Jesus.
• Builder: Constructing pathways over or around the obstacles keeping others from Christ.
• Mentor: Encouraging others on in their journey with Christ.
  

Master these five metaphors and you will be a "great" witness! Wonder what Aristotle would think of that?

Resources for Exploring

How do you engage in spiritual conversations? How do discover where someone is spiritually?

In the CoJourner paradigm, the four roles we can play in another person's spiritual journey are:

• Explorer: to discover where are person in spiritually
• Guide: to show the way to Jesus
• Builder: to construct ways over or around the obstacles that keep people from Jesus
• Mentor: to encourage the person on in the spiritual journey

The Explorer is one of the two roles (along with the Builder) that people request the most help for. Over the last number of years, we have been developing and sharpening an Explorer toolkit. It currently features four primary "tools".

Short-films are the most media sophisticated explorer tool. Utilizing 7-minute or less films, students use their iPhone, iPods, DVD players or laptops to show films with spiritual themes and discuss their implications.

Soularium continues with the creative. A set of 50 photographic images are the basis for dialogue regarding life, God and spiritual experience. This has quickly become the most popular Exploring tool on US college campuses (and is spreading rapidly internationally, as well.) To explore answers that are commonly given visit mysoularium.com

Perspective is a card based worldview interview we are currently field testing and refining. It explores a person's view of God, humanity, meaning of life, Jesus and source of spiritual knowledge. (Thank you, Barry!) I did two Perspective conversations last week at the University of Chicago - Illinois. Fascinating!

QuEST (Questions Exploring Students Thinking) is the most left-brained tool. It is a simple five-question interview. Translation - it involves only asking five questions & listening. The questions can be used formally or informally. (If used formally, the results should be submitted throught the QuEST website.)

Asking questions and listening is the fundamental skills of a good explorer. Creative media -- whether short-films, photography, cards or questionnaires -- can help make that easier for you and for your audience!

Overflow Show & CoJourners

New Overflow Show podcast on CoJourners.

JOURNEYING ALONGSIDE YOUR FRIEND (5 minutes)

Cardboard Testimonies

For years as I have equipped others in sharing their "life stories" I've used the example of the Samaritan woman who expressed her encounter with Jesus in sixteen words,

"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"

Her powerful witness led a whole village to encounter Jesus, with many coming to faith (John 4:28-30, 39).

I recently made aware of a modern expression of this -- Cardboard Testimonies -- from Hillside Christian Church (thanks, Larry, for cluing me in on this) and a Cru version from JMU: JMU Cru Cardboard Testimonies.

So how would you express your "faith story" in a sentence or two?

Freethinkers & Faithfulness: An Improbable Friendship

Just read an encouraging article, "Freethought & Faithfulness: An Improbable Friendship" from the Rocktown Weekly and Andrew Jenner. Jenner chronicles the amiable and constructive interaction between Campus Crusade for Christ believers and the Freethinkers of JMU.

Christian believers have been viewed as intolerant and combative. This is evidence that it doesn't have to be that way.

Way to go all you freethinking & believing Duke Dawgs!

The Spiritual Spectrum

I just received a request for a graph I've used in illustrating the spiritual spectrum of our audiences. These are general categories that expand and contract dependent on audience we are reaching out to.


The general explanation is that while we are doing outreach...

• We’ll discover Christians – some who are Connected to a community of believers and growing. Some who are Unconnected.
• We’ll discover Seekers – who are searching for God in their spiritual journey.
• There are individuals who are Open – they are not actively seeking God, but they are generally open, if approached appropriately, if in a safe environment.
• The greatest majority may be the Indifferent. For them it is just not on their radar screen, they aren’t thinking much about it, because it seems irrelevant to how they live.
• Another group is the Resistant . Their resistance is rooted in world-views and beliefs that conflict with the gospel.
• Finally, there are the Hostile. Their hostility could flow out of strong beliefs that conflict with the gospel, but often it flows emotional issues like bad experiences in their past.

All of them need others to enter into their journeys and help them along. But before we can help show them the way to Jesus (the Guide) or get beyond their obstacles (the Builder), or encourage them to keep following Christ (the Mentor), we have to discover where they are at.

CoJourner in Action

One of the privileges of campus ministry is the students one gets to work with. For me, one of those I have been privileged to know is Matt Penland. Here is a glimpse into his life and ministry:

http://www.ccci.org/training/evangelism/cojourners/overview-model.aspx

His life and ministry has been a model of CoJourners.

Two "Powerful" Truths

I have found that:

1. Every person’s life is a story worth telling. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

2. Every person is on a spiritual journey. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Those two statements are worth their weight in gold (actually, words don’t weigh much, do they?) But the point remains; they can stimulate some profound “exploration” for the CoJourner.

The first leads to a simple: “Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? What you are studying? Etc.” General conversation enables you to get to know another person.

The second enables you to enter into their spiritual journey. “Tell me more about your experience. What was your religious background growing up? For you was it positive or negative? Etc.”

After listening, ask permission to share some of your life and experience. “Can I tell you a little of my experience?” (That is the opportunity for a brief “faith story” or example of how Christ is transforming your life and experience.)

Or, “Can I show you something that really helps me understand how to experience a personal relationship with God?” (This is the opportunity to share gospel truth with simplicity and clarity.)

Two simple statements; two simple truths. Together they can shape profound spiritual conversations.

Soularium Update

Soularium continues to spread without effort. This photographic image-based, conversational tool is creating engaging dialogue enjoyed by believers and outsiders alike. It is an amazing Explorer tool (for those who know the CoJourner paradigm). The first two production runs are sold out now, without anymore than one e-mail announcing its completion. Requests are pouring in for more -- both in the US and Internationally.

One story from this week...

A co-worker's daughter (who is a university student) told her dad that this semester she has been using it and has seen 12 people come to Christ through it. She said that she's having the same types of conversations she has always done in evangelism but Soularium has opened doors like nothing else has done.

That is exciting!

BTW - the next production run becomes available in two weeks.

CoJourner: The Ultimate Explorer Commercial

Okay, the commercial says all it takes is a box of kleenex and a good listener to have significant conversations. Maybe really all it takes is a good listener. But how much more a good listener with the genuine love of Christ in his heart. Watch this...



or this...



But now for the rest of the story...

It turns out that it takes a little more than a listening ear and a box of kleenex. It takes the prospect of $200 if your footage is used in the commercial -- as revealed by our friends at Greenpeace:



So, now I'm even more convinced (from observation and personal experience) that what it really takes is a listening ear and the genuine love of Christ in your heart.

(Kleenex commercials are another media image manipulation. Our witness should never be...)

But it does make me wonder, what would happen if we put a couch on a college campus coupled with a genuinely caring, listening ear? Anyone want to try and let me know what happens?

PS - I really like the song by Starrfadu: Let it Out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsAMcpV6S8g&feature=related

The God Conversation

I just picked up The God Conversation by J. P. Moreland and Tim Muehlhoff. I have known Tim for years, at least on a casual basis, and I have known of J.P.’s work for probably an equal length of time. So I was with special interest when I heard that they had teamed up on a book together.

But even more intriguing then the author’s, was the title: The God Conversation. Being engaged in equipping believers in conversational witness has instilled a curiosity for new insights, ideas, resources anything that will help. First impression—The God Conversation is likely to be one of those resources I not only profit from myself, but will recommend commonly to those I equip.

Why? In the CoJourner paradigm, the third role we can play in other people’s spiritual journey is that of the Bridge Builder. The Bridge Builder helps those who are stuck on their journey, for whatever reason—intellectual questions, emotional baggage or simply misdirected desires—over and beyond the issues that keep them from coming to Christ. The God Conversation appears to be treasury ideas and illustrations to equip and sharpen Bridge Builders.

I’ll explore more in the days to come…

The Napkin Gospel

As we enter the spiritual journeys of others conversationally, there is often the opportunity to explain the gospel in short and simple ways.

One commonly used approach to sharing the essence of the of the gospel is with the napkin and a basic diagram.

The Napkin Gospel is one example of these from Craig Siebert, of Priority Associates.