Marketing God

I'm about to blow up.

This article is my version of an op-ed.?

For the past year, I've let the content that others share get the best of me. I've let it stop me from doing what I love to do. Connecting with others.

These are the things I've wanted to say but didn't have the courage. I'm not afraid anymore.?

In 2017 I was in Kolkata, India, with someone I would now say has had a positive spiritual influence on me, having a very in-depth conversation about faith & and politics. We covered almost every topic imaginable, from divorce, suicide, adultery, and substance abuse to homosexuality. At the time, I struggled with the idea that God would look down on one sin vs. look away on another. I was leading a Christ-centered recovery program back then and learning more and more about how to communicate with people who felt hopeless or, worse, that God didn’t love them. Having two kids I adore, a wife that I would die for, and newfound faith in God after I went through a similar experience of feeling lost, I was on fire for helping others. I didn't want to force God on people. I didn't want to just tell the resurrection story to those who didn't believe. I wanted to show them who HE is by my actions. That is why this one particular conversation played such a pivotal role in my faith journey.?

My friend Dave told me about the idea of Generous Orthodoxy. I'm not sure if Malcolm Gladwell coined it or if he was just the one to explain it to me, but it was his podcast that Dave used to help me process how I felt. In?Gladwell's podcast, he describes a letter penned to the head of the Mennonite Church by one of its leaders after his son was ousted from the Church for his homosexuality At the time, the father (and pastor) wasn't concerned with passing judgment on his son. He was worried about his son turning his back on Jesus. The point is that Jesus would never give up on you, so please don't give up on Him.?

For the past five years, I have loved the idea of "sneaking" God into the conversation. My pastor has always told our congregation to "live a life that demands an explanation." I love it so much that I've used it as my slogan. The response, "Are you talking about Jesus?" Or, "How did you find help?" is an opportunity to explain to someone why I believe in what I believe, and it's even more of a chance for me to ask them why they believe in whatever it is that they believe. I've never used it as a means to force Him on anyone. But, I have used it as a way for God to go to work and for me to get out of the way. It took a very long time for me to let Christ in. I guess that's just how I would see it with others. It's a relationship, not a one-night stand. I keep going back to the conversation I had with my friend in Kolkata when I found myself in that situation with others. I need to show love and emulate Jesus, and that's all I need to do. God will do the rest.?

Then 2020 happened...

At times like the present day, where we as Christians would think we would multiply in numbers because of our faith, we continually divide with our social interactions. We have wholly tied our faith to our political agenda (I'm obviously not referring to everyone here), and for what? What is our end goal with our actions? Doesn't Christ call us to go out, teach His message, and baptize others? Our social interactions and posts don't seem to reflect that message. For this reason alone, the idea of evangelism is drowning out.?

But you won't hear me call anyone out for two reasons.?

1. I would rather have a face-to-face conversation with you (and I have).
2. That would be a complete contradiction of the message I am spreading.?

I will only say this:?

Just because you're on one side of any social issue (pick one) or align with a political party doesn't make you better than anyone (no matter where you live), and it doesn't give you the right to criticize what someone else believes. For one, you don't know why they believe what they believe, and two, they may see the world from a different perspective than you do. There is also the idea that you may also be just full of s**t, but I'm guessing you never considered that a possibility.?Forgive me; I'm being facetious.

In 2016 just before the election, I was in Orange County listening to the left talk about their faith in God, and for the past twenty years, I've been surrounded by conservatives who love Jesus. I'm sure if we wanted to, we could peel back the clouded filter we are standing in front of and realize our most important commonality is not our political affiliation. It's our faith. It seems easy, I know. Yet, when we speak to each other, we constantly assume that we see the world through the same lens because of our faith commonality.?

Every time you say something online, you hit "like" or "share," you are telling the world who you are. You're marketing something. My question to you about my latest video is simple. "Is who you are online aligned with who you want to be?"?

• We call out someone else's sins when we all sin every day.?
• We say we don't judge others, while in the same breath, judge others.??
• We speak to those who agree with us without realizing we are pushing those who don't away.?
• We pray to God for answers.?
• We seek his sovereignty.?
• We ask for His grace.
• We pray.

Yet, we feel the need to defend God as if he needs defending.?When I think of God or Jesus, I see a vision of my creator. Why would my creator need to be defended? To me, that doesn't make sense. If anything, he defends me.

And the one thing God wants us to do, we SUCK at it.

Love

Don't we all remember the verse from 1st Corinthians? We should, there's a 75% chance it was read at our wedding.

This video is me, all me For me, my family, and my savior.?

I made the decision a long time ago that I'm going to do better. Are you??

• I will not stir the pot if I disagree with our country's leaders.
• If I disagree with a social issue, I'm not going to complain about it.?
• If I disagree with you, I'm not going to comment.?

Why? Because Why? It literally will do nothing. If you're right and if I'm wrong, nothing. Not one thing.?

I might have a conversation with you face-to-face if you want, but all we will do is get angry with each other. So, I'll just pass and go on living my life.?

Not sure about you but I will not be defined by my work or what I say and do but rather by my faith. And it's more intense than ever. In the words of Drake, "this is what I'm gonna do till it's over, till it's over, and it's far from over."?

My hope for this video is not to cause controversy or anger, God. It's meant for us to take away some perspective from it and use that same perspective in our daily lives for the betterment of God's Kingdom, not as a means to speak to others who believe in God but to those who don't. To prove to them that WE LOVE THEM and that Jesus loves them much more.?

~Derek