Gospel

I think sometimes the reason I think Christians are dumb is because they are so focused on evangelism.   You know it's true.
Someone says hello to you in Barnes and Noble, seems interested in your life, you feel like the moment could be a drop of pure glorious humanity - enough to keep you alive for one more tedious day filled with, well, Barnes and Noble and people talking about scenes from Gray's Anatomy and a miniature book filled with pictures of cute puppies in pearls - and suddenly they are asking the question... the question every man and woman in America has learned to avoid or despise or adopt as their own relationship-stiflying lifestyle: "If you died tonight, do you know where you would go?"  It is always amazing to feel how quickly the hope and interest and tiny spark of faith I had JUST had in the face of the person talking to me  evaporate into thin air and curdle into a constant riiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnging in my ears.   Time slows down and you revert to 'sales call' mode. 

Do I believe in heaven? Yes.  Something of the sort... something 'home-ish' yet occasionally exotic and filled with marshmallows and things that soothe and moisturize and intoxicate and fill my mind and hands with creativity and eroticism and perfect relationships and huge vats of olives and red wine and a few tears to make the good times sing.   
But that doesn't mean I have a recipe for it... or want to ask people to say words to get them TO the big vat of olives.  How empty.  They might not even like olives.  In fact for all I know olives give them hives and chills and to imagine a vat of them would be like asking me to imagine a big lucious revival filled with fat men and candy corn.  (...speaking of which, I also believe in hell).  I don't know what they love, espcially if I just saw them at Barnes and Noble.  Flip a switch.  Change a tire.  Say a prayer.  Yay we're Christians. 

I am realizing however, despite my obvious cynicism, that it is not evangelism that I am 'anti', but rather it is the gospel behind the evanglism that either sways or 'nays' me.   I believe fervently in gospel.  What I don't believe is that the gospel consists of a concise known-by-me recipe or crazy-bubba-God-lottery.  It consists of a love that is so unique to every person that I could never guess what it looks or feels or tastes like to the person at Barnes and Noble.... without knowing them... loving them... and maybe not even then.  If the gospel is alive, then how the hell can I know what it will do?

Anyways, tonight was a night where I was humbled in my anti-evangelism stance.  Here goes... If you died tonight... just kidding.  I encountered a book that pierced me so directly to my core that I wanted to spring up from my bath and indoctrinate the world... the words of David James Duncan spoke the gospel more clearly than I have heard it for weeks, months, years, and it made me weep and long desperately for others to hear it.  I felt the missionary pulsing in me.   

The River Why by David James Duncan.

READ it. 
read it.

I beg you to read it.

I have never read a book filled with such witty, earthy, hilarious, honest and cynical brilliance all shrouded and ultimately ringing in the end, and somehow all throughout with kindness.   It plucks tragedy and dances to the vibration... and not a high-on-ecstasy kind of dance, but a waltz  set to bluegrass whose rhythm always relies on a bit of sorrow. 

Read it.  And see if you feel a bit of missionary come back to life in you. 

Comments

[Karen Wunder Tracy]

Just the name David James Duncan sends me into soaring emotion! He is also the author of The Brothers K, one of my MOST favorite books, so to hear you speak of this one in words that I have used for K, I cannot wait to read it, my reading friend.

[Greg]

Word. I hate olives and love Candy Corn!

You sold me on the waltzing to bluegrass. Count me in on the book club!

[pablos]

I tracked down your site because of a Christmas card I got from a friend with your scrumptious photo of his daughters. After looking at your other photos and reading this post, I'm going to rush right out and get some kids so you can shoot them too.

[dtfischer]

good word here. And thanks for a reading suggestion. I think there are so many related, overlapping, and interrelated reasons (rational and irrational) as to why an evangelism approach can rub us the wrong way. And it doesn't make us bad that it does- and it doesn't make their approach (whatever it may be) right. It's just how these things work out. Still, despite the train wreck it often can turn into- It could be the perfect vehicle for that person (whoever they are) that needs that question. And it could be the worst for another. We're unique and I believe our strategies of approach must be unique as well- And even more than that, they must be GENUINE. I pray your approach and mine are our own, if nothing else. Feel me?

Do you travel, to do photos?

[Charis]

yes I travel to do photos.

and I think I feel you, but I also think I don't. I think my entry made you uncomfortable and you needed to tidy up a bit.
and I have no idea who you are.

We ARE unique, but the phrase 'our strategies of approach' is the very idea and drive that I am commenting on.
AND, I wonder about the idea that being genuine/authentic is the end all greatest thing. Surely what and who we long to be is more than just 'being genuine?' Or maybe authenticity is much different from how I hear it described.
Seems to me that the claim of authenticity can justify anything.
Would you apologize for a part of you that was being totally genuine, but greatly harmed someone else in the process?
I think we have a higher call than just being genuine. What about being responsible? Flexible? Changing? Permeable?
What if who we are one moment was the past moment's inauthenticity?

Great, I have a 50th Birthday party coming up for my Father, we will have LOTS of family. The location is in OH on their farm. My siblings have hired an illusionist.
Lots of faces to shoot! I'm a big fan, heard about you from someone on Eyefetch. I am also a fan of B&W, I feel using color is only appropriate when it adds something to the shot.

I'm not sure if the rest of that was meant for me, " I think I feel you"....but I think it's because I have a love of photography as well. I can tell you I'm soo going to read that book! Are you an author?
You should be.