NW2BH Ch7 - Word & Work of Jesus

I appreciate the way Charlie has chosen to be a storyteller, not just propose his arguments of what life should be like in the "new way" Jesus has modelled for us. In chapter 7, he jumps into the gospels as Jesus invites His first disciples to "Follow Me" - I can only imagine how huge that was for them. The left everything to accept that invitation - career, social standing, family, friends. Or at least that's an assumption on our parts. I'd be curious to know how conversations went later on between disciples and their wives, disciples and their parents, disciples and their bosses.

On p. 217, the book poses this discussion topic: "Jesus didn't ask Peter and Andrew if they wanted to become Christians. Discuss what He did say and the invitation He offered them." Considering this, I also appreciate the balance given to Jesus' invitation: the calling to follow, and the exchange: following and receiving the grace & tools to do what they were being called to do, live as they were being called to live (p. 70). Where the call to be saved and have a "personal Savior" needs to be stretched is the area where that invitation needs to be filled more with the promise to be equipped for God's purposes & God's ways. Any thoughts?

Two more questions from the back of the book go together in my head:

"#3 - Discuss the Jesus model of Word and work, storytelling and storied living."
"#4 - Is the Jesus way of evangelism efficient?"

Answering #4, YES, but only in that it tends to build real dicsiples and real followers who are more real than the alternative pew-sitters who think "we're saved" - because more than a method or a list of qustions with expected answers, Jesus was real and inviting and relational with people. I don't see where Jesus dipped to letting the Message become the Marketing Strategy - and while I see some things in the marketing world that could definitely shine some light on our efforts in the kingdom, I think we sell out too quickly to the "easy evangelism" of guilting people into making a decision. Jesus called, and then promised to fulfill the calling - what if that was out message, too. "The kingdom of God is at hand - join us and live like it". Sounds arrogant, but not if we're actually doing it. The Message - what we're proclaiming in the world - and the Method - the way we're living life and proclaiming that message - need to sync up in the promises and grace of Christ. And more than just a lofty ideal, it needs to be a new way of living.