Is it time to rethink the ‘testimony’?
At the Second Festival of Theology, Mike Starkey (who teaches at the Church Army eye in Sheffield) suggested that nosotros need to rethink the traditional 'testimony':
It is a truth universally best-selling that Christians invited to talk about their faith look terrified. Most people simply don't know where to start. And that's earlier you innovate the e-discussion. Outside the Church evangelism is seen every bit the province of wild-eyed loons who rant at passers-past. Inside the church it's seen, at best, as the province of extroverts with a gift for that sort of thing.
Testimony: the Positives
Of grade, the classic respond to faith-sharing paralysis is the Testimony. It involves encouraging people to tell their faith story, in three parts:
> Before becoming a Christian
> Coming to organized religion
> Life since conversion.
One version puts it in a mnemonic: BC>JC>Advertising.
There are many positives virtually the archetype testimony. Here are the two virtually obvious:
- It embeds truth claims in narrative. Look at whatsoever contempo written report of advice theory. For case, 'sticky communication' (Chip and Dan Heath), or studies of TED talks. One thing they all agree on is that story helps an idea stick. It makes information technology engaging. That's the reason so many scholars, Christian and secular, see Jesus equally a primary communicator. He communicates through story and everyday images, rather than philosophical abstraction. In a testimony, y'all're telling your story.
- Information technology'southward personal. In a testimony I'1000 saying, 'This is what I've found, this is what matters to me.' I may be implicitly making universal truth claims ('If it's true for me, information technology could exist truthful for everybody else as well'). Only that's not how I'm expressing it. I'k adopting the stance of somebody who has found something life-enhancing I want to share. Information technology'southward non confrontational or an invitation to an argument. A testimony is relatively teflon-coated: 'All I know is… that's my experience.' The only possible disquisitional responses are 'No! that's not your feel!' (which sounds weird and slightly unhinged), or 'That may be your experience, but y'all're deluded!' (which sounds rude).
So the classic testimony seems tailor-fabricated for our culture. Information technology's story-based, it's personal, and it makes truth-claims with humility.
Testimony: Hesitations
And so why would anybody have whatever hesitations about it? In essence, because its threefold structure imposes a shape on the story you're telling. And that shape can misconstrue the content. Let me unpack that a bit more:
i) BC. The classic testimony begins with an account of life earlier conversion. Before long I realise that savouring the evils I indulged in before I met Jesus makes for a more gripping story. When I was in a Christian youth group in the 1970s, I noticed a tendency to embellish the rakishness of our suburban teenage lives earlier nosotros came to faith. At that level information technology's relatively harmless, low-course distortion. But there have been higher-profile accounts of pre-conversion vice that turned out to be fabrication. And that's more serious.
In the 70s and 80s Mike Warnke was one of America'due south all-time-known Christian personalities. His autobiography The Satan Seller recounted his conversion from existence a Satanist high priest. According to the book, in 1 nine-month period when Warnke was xix all of the following happened. He:
- Joined a Satanic coven and rose to the rank of high priest.
- Was given a lavishly-furnished flat by the coven, which had 1500 members in three cities, and was financed by a worldwide Satanic organisation.
- Became addicted to drugs – to the point where his skin turned xanthous.
- Grew his hair down to his waist, and grew six″ long fingernails that he painted blackness.
- Got shot in the leg by a pimp.
Off the dorsum of this testimony he built a high-contour ministry. His books and albums were best-sellers. Until two journalists looked into his story and discovered it was a pack of lies. He'd made the whole thing upwards. More recently, a performer with a high-profile outreach group in the north of England was plant to have made upwards nigh of the dramatic testimony he shared with teens in schools.
The classic testimony tin subtly encourage people to exaggerate their pre-conversion badness. Because it seems like a win-win: it makes them sound more interesting, and brings greater glory to Jesus.
2) JC. The archetype testimony assumes my faith story has a certain shape, including a moment of conversion. Just what if that's not true? What if I came to faith gradually, over a long period of time? What if my story'southward more similar a roller-coaster or mountain road, with twists, turns and hairpin bends?
This is certainly true for my own story: nominal Christian background, awakening of organized religion in teenage years, secular media job, ordination, 20 years in Church leadership, life crunch and divorce leading to crashing out of ministry building, new doors opening. Information technology doesn't fit a bully before-and-after template.
3) Advertizing. The classic testimony ends with a phrase such as: 'And I've never looked dorsum!' It tends to imply life is plainly sailing since I met Jesus; I've experienced a constant sense of God's presence and guidance; I feel abiding inner peace.
At the risk of sounding similar the Psalmist on a bad day, it ain't necessarily and so. After Mother Teresa's death, her private correspondence revealed she'd experienced no sense of the presence of God for the last 50 years of her life. Sometimes Christian maturity can involve a growing sense of God's mystery, increased wrestling with life'southward complexities and ethical dilemmas, a realisation that the Christian life involves complaining too as joy.
And so the classic Testimony has positives. But past imposing a shape on my story, it also smuggles in problems and assumptions. At the very least, it runs the hazard of confirmation bias. In other words, the temptation to translate all data and feel in a way that confirms an existing pattern or design.
Come and remember nearly Christian Hope and the End of the Globe at the instruction morning on 10th November 2018.
Rethinking the Testimony
Three or iv years ago, the Archbishop's Evangelism Task Group was discussing the lack of accessible material to help people share their faith. And the challenge concluded up on my desk, partly because my groundwork combined communications and mission.
To me, it made sense to outset with the testimony. But to try to reinvent it in a way that avoided the more than obvious pitfalls. The result is a vi-function form for home groups chosen Organized religion Pictures. The idea is simple. A faith flick is a metaphor or give-and-take-pic that says something nearly my journey of faith. But, different the archetype testimony, information technology doesn't impose a shape on it. My give-and-take moving-picture show might be a roller-coaster journey that goes up and downwards. Or a wrestling lucifer. Or a pair of reading glasses that brings the world into clearer focus. Or a snorkel, which keeps me alive when I'k submerged.
It helps people call up about their faith and detect a discussion-picture show that rings truthful for them. That image can then be a starting point when they talk to friends and colleagues about organized religion.
So here are 4 cardinal points I was alarm to when I was creating Organized religion Pictures:
1) Honesty. In Faith Pictures, dissimilar shapes of organized religion journeying are OK. And it builds in honesty virtually the ups and downs and twists and turns. From the feedback I've received, a lot of people have plant that liberating.
It'due south also more convincing. People today are sensitive to hype, spin and hypocrisy. Information technology'due south improve to exist honest about doubts, questions and mess. Because that rings true. My friend's more likely to engage if I'k honest about the times of depression and the questions, than if I offer organized religion as a panacea for eternal happiness. Authentic is expert.
So Faith Pictures builds in honesty. Interestingly, the main thing I noticed in early on feedback was that the organized religion pictures people came up with were all mixed, ambiguous images (rollercoaster, wrestling, off-road driving on crude terrain, etc). I found that encouraging.
two) Uniqueness. Dorsum in 2011, I wrote a book called Ministry Rediscovered. It was a reaction to the assumption that Church should exist ane-size fits-all. Whether it'south a rigid churchmanship tradition, or the latest model of church from California or Sydney.
In the volume I say church should be more like a regional cheese, a craft beer, or an appellation controlée wine. Distinctive to this particular place, with these particular people. I wanted to behave this over into individual religion-sharing. Unique and creative is good. I don't have to envy somebody else's story, or clasp it to fit an existing shape. My organized religion film is about my own unique story, with all its quirks.
three) Obliqueness. In the first session of Faith Pictures, we ask a question: 'If you were a household appliance, what would yous be?' Information technology's like to the questionnaires yous observe in Facebook: If you were a Disney graphic symbol who would you be? If y'all were a car what would you lot be?
People enjoy filling in these questionnaires. And there'south something interesting going on, in terms of identity and psychology. It'south an oblique mode of talking well-nigh myself. Oscar Wilde said nosotros reveal more about our true selves when nosotros're wearing a mask: people relax more than when it's less direct. A faith picture is a way of talking about myself obliquely.
Incidentally, also as being fun, this is the ground of viral marketing. A helpful book on this is Contagious, by Jonah Berger. Berger was a educatee of the Heaths who wrote the Gummy book. He was interested in extending the 'sticky' communication idea: not just what sticks in my heed, simply why I then tell other people about ideas and products. What makes some stories on social media go viral? Plain, this is a fascinating question if our focus is mission.
The key issue: once more information technology is stories. People love a fascinating story. Story is a 'Trojan horse' that carries message. And Berger says information technology'southward near effective when it centres on me telling the earth about myself, my attitudes and experiences. Social media is similar my clothes: it says something to the world about who I am. So, I made a deliberate choice to base of operations Faith Pictures on telling stories and painting give-and-take pictures nigh my own attitudes and experiences.
Of course, in that location's an irony here. It'southward an approach that encourages people to start with themselves… in order to express a faith which is ultimately most decentring the self and focusing on God and others. As Rick Warren says: 'Information technology'south not nigh you lot!' He'due south right. Narcissism isn't the goal of the Christian life.
Merely information technology's a risk I thought worth taking, for religion-sharing to be contextual in a civilization focussed on the self. (If I start in another place, such as my doctrine of the cantankerous, mysteriously I find nobody's listening). Psychologically, and in terms of viral marketing, sharing information about myself through give-and-take pictures is a helpful starting point in our civilisation. And all mission is contextual.
4) Missio Dei theology. People often assume the Church has a mission to share expert news. Missio Dei (the mission of God) shifts the focus. Information technology'south a framework that assumes it's God who has the mission, to bring renewal to all creation. And God's out there getting on with the job, stirring up questions and opening hearts. It's our chore to go on our antennae sensitive to what God's already doing. In the words of Rowan Williams: 'Finding out what God is doing and joining in.' The whole of last session of Religion Pictures based on this idea.
This is helpful because it takes burden off my ability to be fluent or persuasive. I can trust that God will provide opportunities for conversations. So Faith Pictures ends on an encouraging notation: it's OK, nosotros can all do this. We just have to take the opportunities God is already sending.
Bibliography
- Faith Pictures course: world wide web.faithpictures.org
- Starkey, 1000 (2011) Ministry Rediscovered. Abingdon: BRF.
Communication Theory:
- Berger, J (2013) Contagious: How to Build Give-and-take of Mouth in the Digital Age. London: Simon & Schuster.
- Gallo, C (2014) Talk Like Ted. London: Macmillan.
- Heath, C and Heath D (2008) Fabricated to Stick. London: Random Firm.
Christianity and Story:
- Bailey, Thou (2008) 'Introduction to Parables', Jesus Through Heart Eastern Eyes. London: SPCK.
- Godawa, B (2009) Word Pictures. Downers Grove: IVP
Rethinking Religion Sharing:
- Stackhouse, JG (2002) Apprehensive Apologetics. Oxford: Oxford University Printing.
Come up and call up well-nigh Christian Hope and the End of the Earth at the education morning on 10th November 2018.
Follow me on Twitter @psephizo.Like my folio on Facebook.
Much of my work is washed on a freelance footing. If you have valued this post, would you consideraltruistic £1.20 a month to support the production of this blog?
If you enjoyed this, practice share information technology on social media (Facebook or Twitter) using the buttons on the left. Follow me on Twitter @psephizo. Like my folio on Facebook.
Much of my piece of work is done on a freelance basis. If you have valued this postal service, you lot can make a single or repeat donation through PayPal:
Comments policy: Good comments that engage with the content of the post, and share in respectful argue, can add together real value. Seek first to understand, so to be understood. Brand the nearly charitable construal of the views of others and seek to acquire from their perspectives. Don't view debate as a conflict to win; address the argument rather than tackling the person.
montejanohateardideft66.blogspot.com
Source: https://www.psephizo.com/life-ministry/is-it-time-to-rethink-the-testimony/
0 Response to "Is it time to rethink the ‘testimony’?"
Post a Comment