More insight from the great theologian, John Mayer.

In his song, “Belief,” he tackles a real bear of a topic, belief – duh. He doesn’t define what he’s addressing here but there’s statements in the lyrics that really stand out for me.

Is there anyone who ever remembers
changing their mind from the paint on a sign?

There’s signs everywhere. Generally signs are a means to communicate two things: information and/or advertisement. While signs do often guide us to make decisions, I think there’s some fact in what John’s saying here. Ask yourself, have you ever read a sign that informs or advertises something contrary to your liking or belief and had it affect you enough to bring about a mental shift?

I can’t think of any.

The most effective signs I’ve seen are ones that appeal to me on a personal/cultural level or seem to meet a need. If signs are meant to attract people, why then do so many religious folk hang signs that condemn and intend to invoke fear?

I remember a billboard I used to pass daily that pictured a man alone in a large room with a website URL www.mylifestinks.com and it captivated me. Daily. To the point, that I had to check it out. It was a church. That’s clever. (the URL seems to no longer be active, that’s a shame)

The very next lyric is:

Is there anyone who really recalls
ever breaking rank at all
for something someone yelled real loud one time?

A big pet peeve of mine. Someone yelling something at me. Especially someone I don’t know.

Just the act of yelling has all kinds of negative connotations, for me at least. I immediately think anger or hate. I think agenda. Depending upon the yell, I think pain. Indignation. Arrogance.

Yet, in a message steeped with hope and love, so many religious people find this means of communication to be appropriate. I cringe when I hear “Jesus” and “Hell” in the same context from the mouth of strangers to other strangers. There’s a great failure in this. It’s impersonal. And Jesus was anything but impersonal.

When someone yells at me, they’ve immediately lost me. I have no desire to hear what they say. Even as a Christian, if the message is Jesus’, I won’t stand around to listen. I want to turn up my iPod. I want to run. And sometimes, I want to yell back. Ultimately, the last thing I want to do is listen.

I don’t think I’m alone.

Why is there this general consensus within the Church that Jesus wants His message spread this way? I’m not saying it’s all together wrong, but I can’t believe it to be effective.

There’s a plethora of ways by which to spread the Message. Instead of embracing them, the Church all to often condemns them. Christian missionary Hudson Taylor has an excellent quote, “We need to stop criticizing culture and start creating it.” J. Hudson Taylor died in 1905, yet even then, he saw the failure in the Church’s means of collective outreach.

We live in a culturally savvy and media/technology dominated world.

The bullhorns and sandwich signs are tired.

The same methods of communication available to MTV are available to the Church.

MTV, FOX, and other media conglomerates are more than willing to get personal with their demographic base.

I’m thankful that I’m the part of a church (and that there are more out there) that realizes and embraces this.

God created all things, and through all things He desires His Glory be shown. (Colossians 1:16)

I think these ineffective means of communication are summed up in this lyric from John’s song.

Like punching under water
You never can hit who you’re trying for

Maybe the reason people aren’t listening is not because of what you are saying, but how you are saying it.

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