First of all, I must confess something. I am a big fan of John Cusack and 80′s films in general. However, only after watching Cusack’s Say Anything for the first time after having had some experience in formal ministry, the movie was quite different for me. It became more about the underlying tale of lives intertwined in everyday stuff--where people aren’t always what they seem, and not everyone strives to be an achiever.
One of the things that stuck in my brain this time was when Lloyd Dobler (played by Cusack) was asked about his aspirations once he graduated from high school. His response was:
“I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that.”
When I heard this, my mind immediately went to ministry. I have stayed away from ministry for some of the reasons that Cusack’s character Lloyd Dobler mentioned staying away from choosing a career path. Yeah, it’s kind of a convoluted thought, but if you stop and think about it, don’t you know of someone in ministry that has been guilty of selling something (church, religion, tithing, serving), buying something (doing something in exchange for getting financial support), processing something for sale (personalizing a theology or doctrine and then preaching it, rather than Christ crucified) or ____________ ? (add your own thoughts here)
Ministry shouldn’t be about sales or buying something or having an agenda. It should be about people and connecting them with the eternal love of Christ.
Now, it’s your turn to say anything…
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Hi Dave
Great post! It really got me thinking about my thinking and how the script in my head runs a little differently.
I spent 34 years of my professional life in sales of some sort. I always thought of my profession as identifying needs and matching them with solutions. Of course I have never tried to sell something I didn’t believed in. The most convincing way to close a sale was either by personal testimony or demonstration. The ask was easy – not hard or pushy – because the answer to the need was so clear.
I know that experience gives me a different kind of context when I think about ‘selling’ in general. As a Christ follower, it is hard for me to not be painfully aware of the great need in the world, know the solution is Christ, and not do something about it. (professionally conditioned and spirit motivated)
So in the framework of my ‘thinking’…
with the Spirit and in the spirit of Matthew 28:18-20…
equipped with Truth, my testimony, and by grace my demonstration…
You will find me guilty.
Yes – I admit it. I am the one praying He will use my life ‘ to help close the sale’ for Him with somebody today ~
Bless you!
Tami, thank you for sharing your perspective and for all that you do for the sake of Christ! I just wanted to clarify something as you may not know my story behind this way of thinking. I’m 43 and was an atheist until I was 37. I’ve been evangelized to a lot, but I could always see it coming. Once I heard anything related to God, Christ, Church, the Bible or Christianity in a conversation it almost always started going to the question: Do I know what will happen to me when I die? I was in essence being walked down a path of words that was leading me to an opportunity to recite a sinner’s prayer. It was a turnoff. Of course, having faith in Christ now I completely understand that people outside of faith may–or even should–be repulsed by me and my Christ at times. However, having been through countless experiences with a perspective of being an unbeliever, it gives me a different lens to view evangelism.
For me, I don’t want it to be about selling, because I may have just one opportunity to do something to give a person outside of my faith a glimpse into what my God has in store for them that words simply won’t address. The words can sound an awful lot like a sales pitch, and once (some) people hear it, they tune out everything else said. Rather than words, I want my actions to speak. I rarely mention that I’ve been in pastoral ministry or that I have faith in Christ. I simply do my best every day to offer loving kindness filled with grace and lacking judgement. Through doing this, so many times people are moved to ask me about myself and I share my faith story or my faith perspective and it is received so differently. Being in a climate (First California, and now Portland, Oregon) where many people aren’t churched or Christian–and with my insight into the atheist experience–I feel like this just fits me better. It’s more natural and generally received with the same grace that I offer others since I’m simply just giving them answers to their questions.
I, like you, pray often for others to come to know the Lord and that I will do what is necessary to fulfill the Great Commission. I believe we all have a responsibility to do that as followers of Christ. I don’t fault anyone for the methods used as even a guy standing on a street corner and shouting “Repent!” through a megaphone can be used by God for the sake of transformation of someone far away from him.
Thank you for having something to say, and for saying it so well :)
Thanks for sharing your story. I love knowing it!
It’s your testimony – your demonstration. I’m sold.
I am traveling right there with you my friend!
Love – know – serve – (with or without a mega phone.) What you do is always the greatest amplifier.
Live it – full out!