In January, I declared three personal priorities for the rest of my life, the first of which was, "encouraging the Body of Christ." I said that one way that I want to do that is by gathering people - first, neighbors on Race Street, then residents from all of Homewood - for a recitation of Paul's letter to the Epheisans.
On April 2, I emailed 17 people on Race Street an invitation to "An Evening in Ephesus." On Saturday, April 5, I dropped off printed copies of the invitation at 77 addresses.
Three people responded - two of them to say that it sounded interesting to them, but they wouldn't make it.
Saturday, the 12th, I recited/performed Ephesians for my wife and one other person.
I had explained to Janet at length the night before that I had not expected any particular number of people to respond - that I was maintaining a "Do it, and see" stance. And I don't think that having only one guest affected my proclamation of Ephesians that much. But it did totally throw off the discussion that I had planned afterward: instead of talking about the questions, "How has this evening affected your view of Jesus Christ? Of yourself? Of your fellow believers?" and "What do you believe God wants to do with the people in this room?", we talked about "How can we get a larger audience for this?"
That question was theirs, not mine. I had no apparent success in conveying the idea that how many people hear it is less important than how they hear it. Maybe I need to highlight the idea that the outcome, in terms of attendance, is up to God. The question is not, "How many people can we get to see/hear this?" - it's "Which people do You want to see/hear this?"
Anyway, the Race Street piece is done. I may do it once more on Monticello Street, as a neighbor there has expressed an interest in having me do it at her place. And I intend, still, to do it in some larger venue, for anyone in Homewood wishes to attend. And I might preserve that presentation on video.
Beyond that, we'll see.
On April 2, I emailed 17 people on Race Street an invitation to "An Evening in Ephesus." On Saturday, April 5, I dropped off printed copies of the invitation at 77 addresses.
Three people responded - two of them to say that it sounded interesting to them, but they wouldn't make it.
Saturday, the 12th, I recited/performed Ephesians for my wife and one other person.
I had explained to Janet at length the night before that I had not expected any particular number of people to respond - that I was maintaining a "Do it, and see" stance. And I don't think that having only one guest affected my proclamation of Ephesians that much. But it did totally throw off the discussion that I had planned afterward: instead of talking about the questions, "How has this evening affected your view of Jesus Christ? Of yourself? Of your fellow believers?" and "What do you believe God wants to do with the people in this room?", we talked about "How can we get a larger audience for this?"
That question was theirs, not mine. I had no apparent success in conveying the idea that how many people hear it is less important than how they hear it. Maybe I need to highlight the idea that the outcome, in terms of attendance, is up to God. The question is not, "How many people can we get to see/hear this?" - it's "Which people do You want to see/hear this?"
Anyway, the Race Street piece is done. I may do it once more on Monticello Street, as a neighbor there has expressed an interest in having me do it at her place. And I intend, still, to do it in some larger venue, for anyone in Homewood wishes to attend. And I might preserve that presentation on video.
Beyond that, we'll see.
