Adam McLane

Being Good News

Today’s video post is a synopsis of about 10 conversations I’ve had in the last 60 days. All of them get to the question, “Adam, something has changed inside of you. I like it sometimes and I don’t like it sometimes, what is it?”

One thing I’ve learned to get comfortable with in the last 10 years of ministry is people asking me hard questions, diving into my motivations, and even offering critical responses. I can handle it. I am not intimidated by it. In fact, questions like this actually encourage me.

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Adam McLane

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7 responses to “Being Good News”

  1. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    I love your honesty. Thanks for being vulnerable and sharing your heart.

    Funny about what you said. I have been wondering if everyone hasn’t already heard the church’s gospel presentations but just don’t understand what that means. I’m not sure if they have heard it and it just isn’t remarkable to them, or if they just haven’t heard it. Either way, I am thinking more about it after your post.

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  2. Andrew Avatar
    Andrew

    I’ve only been working with youth for about six years and I’m still amazed by the number of kids who are a part of the youth ministry who cannot thoughtfully articulate what it means for them to follow Jesus in their own lives – some of them are older kids who’ve been through all of the church “programming” we’ve got. These days I’m beginning to think that things have got to change and that no program or “method” is going to do the trick.

    I’m also struck by the fact that our family lives in a townhome community in very close quarters with three other families and I’m not sure I can tell you my neighbour’s names – much less that I’ve been “good news” to them. I think it’s so easy to be so busy with “church work” that I forget to do the work of the church – i.e. getting to know and learning to love my neighbours. If I I’m not able to model what it means to be good news to those around me should I kids I work with to know what that looks like? Moreover, I wonder if these kids’ parents know what that looks like?

    Good thoughts…a lot of questions raised for me.

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  3. Andrew Avatar
    Andrew

    Woops, that last phrase should say, “should I expect the kids I work with to know what that looks like? Moreover, I wonder if these kids’ parents know what that looks like?”

    Reply
  4. adam mclane Avatar
    adam mclane

    @andrew- A couple weeks back I said something along the lines of, “Until you get to know your neighbors and love them as yourself, you have no right to have a ministry in the local church.”

    One reason I say that is that your life/lifestyle has to affirm your message. As soon as you say, “Bring a friend” everyone in your group is wondering… “Who is Adam inviting?” Does Adam even have any friends that don’t go to church?”

    These are little catch-phrases I repeat to myself all the time.
    – “Before they will hear good news, I need to be good news.”
    – “In a world full of fakes, all people want to know if that you are for real.”

    In a post-Christian world— I really think these are two things you have to nail before you say a single word.

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    1. Andrew Avatar
      Andrew

      Definitely good stuff — thoughtful and helpful. Glad to have found your blog!

      Reply
  5. Adam Avatar
    Adam

    Good stuff again Adam. Honestly, I think until very recently, I don’t think I was in a healthy place of ministry because I was so afraid of what people thought that I wasn’t free to express the deeper truths of what God was revealing to me. The recent drive has infused courage that has helped me to understand heavenly priorities vs worldly (and even, at times, a misinformed church’s) priorities. I have found that this is a re-occuring matter that we even see in the Bible, and the results of being motivated by fear is where we see doctrine getting so far off that it resulted in Pharisee-ism and other problems with religion of Christ’s time.
    If you are free, what you teach reflects that freedom, and is more easily caught by those who are being taught…imo.

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  6. Daryl A Avatar
    Daryl A

    As someone who really only knows you in the internet sense, I just want to encourage you that you don’t come across as an anti-church guy to me. Honestly, as I have wrestled ALOT, over the last year especially, I find your words a source of encouragement, reminding me of the beauty of the church. I regularly find myself inspired – what the church really is, when I read your blog. So DONT buy the lie that you come across as against the church. Atleast from my perspective, you keep helping me fall in love with the church, and what we can be. Thank you.

    Also, really enjoyed the video. Nice switch up from text.

    Reply

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