I found this bit VERY useful:
“There is a famous saying attributed to Francis of Assisi (but probably not spoken by him): “Preach the Gospel at all times; if necessary, use words.”
I have grown very much to dislike that saying, because it’s being used by many to mean, “Don’t go and preach the Gospel. Go live a good life and mind your own business. Maybe someone will ask you about it.” Yes, of course, our lives ought to reflect our belief in the Gospel, but we cannot leave that belief wordless. Preaching is fundamentally about language. You don’t see the Apostles going into all the world and setting a good example and hoping that maybe someone will ask about Jesus.”
I feel the same as Dreher. I want to PROCLAIM HIM! Then the world bites back. Hurts at first. Then the CHURCH bites back. Hurts continually.
Stop shackling believers with “niceness”, Church! That’s how the Zoe life of Christ in a new believer is quenched often...in service of the Bios. Is not our God a “consuming fire”?
Zip up your fire suit!
Firstly, thank you for posting.
Secondly, it's strange to me how my own mind works. When I read "PROCLAIM HIM!" my mind took me back maybe 60 years to street preachers we might encounter in small town East Tennessee (or even on the Market Square in Knoxville where the acoustics were awesome.)
I vaguely recall asking my Mama what that man was so mad about, and she probably did not really know how to answer except that is just the way it is. I had not up to then been exposed to such in Sunday School. But, it scared me and no doubt imprinted things that took a lot of years to undo.
So "use words" ????? ABSOLUTELY!!!!
Use them skillfully, precisely and lovingly.