Media Leveraging and Missional Living

The past two weeks I have been immersed in the American culture through our various forms of media.  I enjoyed a movie night with my wife (Lion, 2016), a family drama with my family (An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong, 2009), and caught up on local and national news (First Take, ESPN) while getting my hair cut.  Each movie/show demonstrated many things that point to the undeniable truth that there are absolute rights and wrongs, that all people want to be loved, and that this world is a jacked up place in desperate need of deliverance.

Being in the barber shop gave me a great opportunity to engage.  After watching ESPN, I turned to my barber and said, “So what do you think of the Mayweather/McGregor fight?!”  The connection was so natural and smooth that I was able to transition to the spiritual flawlessly. “You know those dudes worship money though.  And when two dudes who worship money are in the ring fighting, things could go wrong real quick!?”  We connected and I'll be going back there for another haircut.

One of the greatest barriers I have had was my inability to roll with whatever conversation came my way.  In my youth, I judged people by appearance and lost opportunities for relationships.  Now I am drawn towards people and leveraging media for discussion has been amazing: “what do you think of that plot?” or “what do you think has gotten into Justin Bieber lately?” are great questions to cultivate an incarnational-missional mindset.

I could care less if a person smokes, chews, or has tattoos.  I’m just looking for opportunities to talk to real people who have real passions and real problems.  Movies, documentaries, MMA, UFC, Surfing, Skateboarding, Punk Rock, Jazz & Blues, Jiu Jitsu, wrestling and functional fitness have been consistent avenues for living missionary/incarnationally.  The office and the locker room have been the most consistent contexts where I have made the most significant connections with others.  And I don’t see things changing anytime soon.

Staying abreast on what’s “trending” simply increases changes for making connections, building true spiritual community, and impacting lives.  To be in the world and not of it makes perfect sense to me.  It means living incarnationally with a mission mindset.