When I was little, my dad had a poster of an adorable chimpanzee next to his desk. This was long before the days of memes, but you may have seen an updated version. The chimpanzee held a thinking pose above the caption, "I think, therefore I am ... confused."
My dad explained to me about the concept of philosophy and a man called Descartes. I felt incredibly grown up to be in on what I considered to be such a sophisticated joke. I loved that poster as a child, but adulthood continuously teaches me how correct both Descartes and the chimpanzee were. I now suspect that my dad enjoyed more about the poster than simply the cheesy joke.
I freely admit that for me, thinking and confusion go hand in hand. Nothing worth thinking about is simple, straightforward, or without struggle. This especially applies to thinking about "self" or self-evaluation. While discerning things about my own heart, mind, and soul, I have experienced various degrees of success. I am always self-critiquing. It is that kind of thinking that makes me who I am.
I may not be perfect, but during the evaluation process, I have learned three important things not to do: Don't lie to yourself about your self-appraisal; don't ignore the voices of reflection, and don't let those voices shut you down.
Our brains' preservation instincts are probably too strong to ever let us be completely accurate while self-evaluating. The mind has an amazing and slightly terrifying ability to make excuses for itself and block out things that it doesn't want to deal with. This skill is best used as a short-term tool, a triage for all of the things that we think about each day. It is not supposed to last forever. Playing mind tricks on yourself can be useful in the moment, but damaging in the long run.
Figuring out the underlying reasons why you snapped at someone, took an unnecessary risk, or ate fifteen cookies in one sitting is an important thing to do. Understanding yourself is the first step to being able to grow as a human being.
When our self-reflection is able to make it past the protective barriers our brain puts up, it is important to listen. Too many people resist and ignore thinking about unpleasant things. It is not fun or easy to view yourself honestly. It is often downright exhausting, but it is crucial. Lack of self-reflection not only leads to a lack of personal growth, but also to a lack of compassion and empathy.
If you don't think about how you can improve into a better worker, parent, friend, or partner, then you won't realize how hard it is for everyone else to be the best of those things that they can be. If you are perfectly fine with the way you are and don't acknowledge how you can improve, then it can easily seem like everyone else just doesn't care enough to do things correctly. As hard as it can sometimes be, refusing to self-evaluate is not the answer.
The opposite of not reflecting on your thoughts and actions is to reflect on them too much. I once spent a stressful two weeks trying to fill out a self-evaluation form because there was too much information to put down. It seemed like an impossible task. At the time, the pressure of sitting still, picking out the most important sections of my unrelenting self-talk, and then having to also see those thoughts in print truly felt like a larger burden than I could bear. It was bad enough that I had to live with the self-evaluations floating around in my brain. I spent a lot of effort trying to get a break from my thoughts, and now someone wanted me to write them down.
This path is not any emotionally healthier than those who refuse to reflect in the first place. Growing and improving should be something that we never stop doing. There is no failure or condemnation in needing to evaluate and then improve. It is simply a part of life. As human beings, made in God's image, we have the awesome abilities of thought, decision-making, and growth. Yes, thinking often inevitably leads to moments of confusion along the way, but that's okay. It's all a part of the process.
Descartes also famously said, "It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well." Using our brains well and in an emotionally healthy way is a lifelong journey. If we listen and evaluate ourselves honestly, with a dose of kindness, we will be truly present and able to make an impact on the world around us.
How do you self-critique? Too harshly, or maybe too leniently? It's tough to take a look at ourselves and be honest. There are so many narratives we've built up through the years to justify our actions or explain away certain circumstances.
Have you come across any self-evaluation method that works for you?
Written by Elizabeth Rehwaldt
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Community—Have You Found It?
Recently, I interviewed an administrator for a coalition of churches in another state struggling with an enormous drug problem.
"How can churches be useful in tackling a drug crisis?" I asked him.
Frankly, I was a little skeptical. In many parts of the country, churches are treading water, along with other social pillars we used to take for granted: volunteer charitable organizations, bowling leagues, shopping malls.
His answer surprised me.
In some communities, he said, there's no grocery store, no bank, no school left. The church is the only institution still standing. It has a role to play when there is a need for dialogue, comfort, or help in a time of crisis.
Admittedly, I was speaking to someone who lives in a state which is struggling with high unemployment, persistent problems with addiction, and poverty that is passed on from generation to generation. The question of where and how to build community -- a place where people come together to listen and to help each other -- is crucial if they are going to have the resources to deal with the issues they face.
Perhaps you live in Minneapolis, or San Francisco, or Boston. Maybe your town, your city, your country village still has a Starbucks on every fourth corner, and a yoga studio and library right down the block.
Whether you must drive 50 miles to get to a restaurant with decent grub or can look at six out your apartment window, the places and people who anchor our lives are still important -- even if we sometimes take them for granted.
Where do you hang out on a Friday night? Who do you take with you on your weekend adventures? Where do you go for a shoulder to cry on or a quiet space in which to reflect when life gets tough and you feel that you are only hanging on by your fingernails?
For centuries in America, the church and other faith communities meeting in fancy buildings and humble homes were anchors for families from childhood to marriage to grave. Do you think it's possible that they still could have a role to play in being that inviting, sustaining, consoling and (even) enjoyable place in which to, hmm, "congregate"?
Community is a state of mind as much as a concrete place. Share your stories of where you have found it, and maybe you'll help someone who is still looking.
Has your sense of community and people gathering together changed in the last year? Where do you go to get together with people? Is church the place you go? Is it the local coffee or donut shop? Were these places important to you before COVID-19? Are they possibly more so now?
You can share your comments with us at the links below.
Written by Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
"How can churches be useful in tackling a drug crisis?" I asked him.
Frankly, I was a little skeptical. In many parts of the country, churches are treading water, along with other social pillars we used to take for granted: volunteer charitable organizations, bowling leagues, shopping malls.
His answer surprised me.
In some communities, he said, there's no grocery store, no bank, no school left. The church is the only institution still standing. It has a role to play when there is a need for dialogue, comfort, or help in a time of crisis.
Admittedly, I was speaking to someone who lives in a state which is struggling with high unemployment, persistent problems with addiction, and poverty that is passed on from generation to generation. The question of where and how to build community -- a place where people come together to listen and to help each other -- is crucial if they are going to have the resources to deal with the issues they face.
Perhaps you live in Minneapolis, or San Francisco, or Boston. Maybe your town, your city, your country village still has a Starbucks on every fourth corner, and a yoga studio and library right down the block.
Whether you must drive 50 miles to get to a restaurant with decent grub or can look at six out your apartment window, the places and people who anchor our lives are still important -- even if we sometimes take them for granted.
Where do you hang out on a Friday night? Who do you take with you on your weekend adventures? Where do you go for a shoulder to cry on or a quiet space in which to reflect when life gets tough and you feel that you are only hanging on by your fingernails?
For centuries in America, the church and other faith communities meeting in fancy buildings and humble homes were anchors for families from childhood to marriage to grave. Do you think it's possible that they still could have a role to play in being that inviting, sustaining, consoling and (even) enjoyable place in which to, hmm, "congregate"?
Community is a state of mind as much as a concrete place. Share your stories of where you have found it, and maybe you'll help someone who is still looking.
Has your sense of community and people gathering together changed in the last year? Where do you go to get together with people? Is church the place you go? Is it the local coffee or donut shop? Were these places important to you before COVID-19? Are they possibly more so now?
You can share your comments with us at the links below.
Written by Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Do We Make Faith Too Complicated?
If you ask me, religion has a funny way of complicating things.
For example, take something as straightforward as faith. I don't necessarily mean faith in the religious sense; I'm simply referring to the idea of trusting in someone.
Can someone be faithful and not religious? Is faith reserved for those that believe in and practice a specific religion? Can those of us that don't identify with a religion still have faith?
I'd like to think so. From where I stand, I've always considered myself to be an optimist and, if you ask me, faith and optimism sound eerily similar.
Faith: complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
Optimism: hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.
After reading between the lines, it looks like both words are grounded firmly in trust. Having faith means you completely trust in someone or something, whereas having optimism means you trust that things will be okay in the future.
As an eternal optimist, trust means a lot. Every day, I tell myself that, no matter what, I have to trust that everything will be okay. Weirdly enough, this feeling never really wavers and this tends to be all the assurance I need.
When it comes down to it, my problem is sharing this optimism, or faith, with others.
Take this recent tragedy for example: a few days ago, my mom called me in the middle of the night. As soon as I saw her name in my phone, my heart began to pound. While crying on the other line, my mom told me that her brother, my uncle, had just died. He was due for transplant surgery, but died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Since this call, I've been grappling with one simple question: how can I reassure her that everything will be okay?
Most people would tell her, "He's finally at peace," or, "He was a good man who lived a great life," or possibly some combination of both.
To be honest, I have no idea what happens to us after we die. As an optimist, I would like to think we actually do find peace and finally have a chance to see the people who died before us, but as someone who doesn't necessarily believe in heaven, I can't say for sure.
Do you see my problem here? As much as I want to comfort her, I can't, in good faith, tell her something I don't necessarily believe in myself. It wouldn't feel right to tell someone something just because you think it's what they want, or need, to hear. I try to steer clear of doing this.
Maybe I don't need to say anything at all. Maybe, just maybe, being there for her is enough. When I think about it, actions really do speak louder than words, and many times, words aren't even necessary to show someone how you feel.
After reflecting on this entire situation, I can confidently say I have complete faith in my mom. I have confidence that she will make it through this and she will be stronger because of it. After all, she is the toughest, most independent person I've ever met and she has witnessed her fair share of tragedy. I know that doesn't make it any easier for her, but I really do think she will get through this.
I realize now that faith doesn't have to mean life or death. It shouldn't only be reserved for gods and higher powers; we can have faith in each other, one human to another. You can have faith in someone and, sometimes, that's all they need to hear to get through whatever life throws at them.
This has nothing to do with my mom having faith in someone or something else; it's about us having faith in her. It means trusting that she is strong while also reminding her that she has a support system and isn't alone.
In my opinion, faith isn't all that complicated after all ... as always, we just make it more complicated than it needs to be.
Written by William Frazier
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
For example, take something as straightforward as faith. I don't necessarily mean faith in the religious sense; I'm simply referring to the idea of trusting in someone.
Can someone be faithful and not religious? Is faith reserved for those that believe in and practice a specific religion? Can those of us that don't identify with a religion still have faith?
I'd like to think so. From where I stand, I've always considered myself to be an optimist and, if you ask me, faith and optimism sound eerily similar.
Faith: complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
Optimism: hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.
After reading between the lines, it looks like both words are grounded firmly in trust. Having faith means you completely trust in someone or something, whereas having optimism means you trust that things will be okay in the future.
As an eternal optimist, trust means a lot. Every day, I tell myself that, no matter what, I have to trust that everything will be okay. Weirdly enough, this feeling never really wavers and this tends to be all the assurance I need.
When it comes down to it, my problem is sharing this optimism, or faith, with others.
Take this recent tragedy for example: a few days ago, my mom called me in the middle of the night. As soon as I saw her name in my phone, my heart began to pound. While crying on the other line, my mom told me that her brother, my uncle, had just died. He was due for transplant surgery, but died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Since this call, I've been grappling with one simple question: how can I reassure her that everything will be okay?
Most people would tell her, "He's finally at peace," or, "He was a good man who lived a great life," or possibly some combination of both.
To be honest, I have no idea what happens to us after we die. As an optimist, I would like to think we actually do find peace and finally have a chance to see the people who died before us, but as someone who doesn't necessarily believe in heaven, I can't say for sure.
Do you see my problem here? As much as I want to comfort her, I can't, in good faith, tell her something I don't necessarily believe in myself. It wouldn't feel right to tell someone something just because you think it's what they want, or need, to hear. I try to steer clear of doing this.
Maybe I don't need to say anything at all. Maybe, just maybe, being there for her is enough. When I think about it, actions really do speak louder than words, and many times, words aren't even necessary to show someone how you feel.
After reflecting on this entire situation, I can confidently say I have complete faith in my mom. I have confidence that she will make it through this and she will be stronger because of it. After all, she is the toughest, most independent person I've ever met and she has witnessed her fair share of tragedy. I know that doesn't make it any easier for her, but I really do think she will get through this.
I realize now that faith doesn't have to mean life or death. It shouldn't only be reserved for gods and higher powers; we can have faith in each other, one human to another. You can have faith in someone and, sometimes, that's all they need to hear to get through whatever life throws at them.
This has nothing to do with my mom having faith in someone or something else; it's about us having faith in her. It means trusting that she is strong while also reminding her that she has a support system and isn't alone.
In my opinion, faith isn't all that complicated after all ... as always, we just make it more complicated than it needs to be.
Written by William Frazier
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Seeing Myself As Never Truly Alone
We live in a lonely world. Some people have even said that despite (and maybe even because of) our global and immediate connectivity online and on our smartphones and tablets, we are experiencing a "loneliness epidemic."
It's strange, but even as we live in a world where we are bombarded with people at work, in school, on the streets, at the movies, or on social media feeds with hundreds, or thousands, of friends, contacts, and followers ... we all know that modern life can get kind of lonely. We know that there is a deficit of true, fulfilling, and meaningful connection.
No matter how many likes we get on our photos online, no matter how many friends we think we have on Facebook, no matter how many people we text with on a daily basis ... we feel lonely. Deserted. Isolated.
Fortune Magazine published a study in June 2016 and reported that "The percentage of Americans who responded that they regularly or frequently felt lonely was between 11% and 20% in the 1970s and 1980s ...." Now, it's closer to 40% or 45%.
That means that nearly half of us regularly, or even frequently, feel lonely.
Maybe that's you. Perhaps you know what it is to feel alone. Perhaps you've felt lonely recently. Perhaps you feel isolated right now as you surf the web and seek out articles on what to do about your increasing despair about it.
Back in 2009, I volunteered with an organization called the Themba Trust in Mpumalanga, South Africa. When I was living there, I got really lonely.
Don't get me wrong, I had a wonderful network of fellow volunteers, friends, and community members to connect to, plus Facebook and Skype to connect with friends and family back home. But I still couldn't shake my feeling of isolation.
About six months into my time there, I went to a conference called Amahoro, which means peace. Claude Nikondeah, from Burundi, kicked off the conference by introducing us to the concept of "ubuntu": the sub-Saharan philosophy that we are persons through other persons. Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu, is how it is said in isiZulu.
Nikondeha explained it like this: "Our humanity is all bundled up together -- yours, mine, those outside this camp, even those across the world. We are interconnected, and we are affected by the well-being of one another."
He went on to talk about when someone else is hungry, we cannot feel full; that when someone else is thirsty, we cannot feel satiated; that when someone else is hurting, we cannot be at peace.
Suddenly, I had an entirely new perspective on my loneliness. Better yet, I had a whole new perspective on my place in the world.
No matter where I was, no matter who I was around, I was meant to be in community with the people in my life. In fact, I was meant to be in community with everyone.
I know that may sound really ridiculous and insanely idealistic, but walking away from that camp I had a new point of view.
When I was lonely, I knew someone else out there felt that pain, too. And so, automatically, I wasn't alone. Even more, when I thought about the other person feeling alone, I felt driven to connect -- maybe not to find that person, but to find somebody to talk to, relate with, and share life with.
Taking it one step further, when I felt fulfilled socially, I could not help but think of people out there who don't feel good enough or wanted enough. And so, I wanted to reach out to them, invite them into my home, share a meal with them, or connect in some other way.
I wanted to reach out because I sensed -- for perhaps the first time in my life -- that I was not truly alone.
And why? Because I was needed. Other people who were hungry, thirsty, or alone needed me to feed them, slake their thirst, or be with them for a while just to let them know they weren't alone ... and neither was I.
I suddenly understood what Archbishop Desmond Tutu meant when he said, "We are set in a delicate network of interdependence with our fellow human beings and all of creation."
My hope is that if you're reading this and feeling lonely, feeling isolated, feeling like you don't belong, like you aren't worth it, aren't pretty enough, aren't good enough, don't have enough "likes" on Instagram, or followers on Twitter, or friends on Facebook ... that you would know that you are not alone.
You are part of something bigger and greater and grander than you can possibly imagine -- a global, cosmopolitan, human community -- that needs you.
You are part of, and called to, a community.
To learn more about how you can be involved in your own local community in a positive way, check out LHM's brand new Hopeful Neighborhood Project. It's full of resources, activities, and inspiring real-life stories, so you can interface with your neighbors -- and neighborhood -- and imagine the possibilities right where you live!
You can dive into this fun and exciting way to get to know your neighbors and explore your neighborhood by clicking here.
Written by Ken Chitwood
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
It's strange, but even as we live in a world where we are bombarded with people at work, in school, on the streets, at the movies, or on social media feeds with hundreds, or thousands, of friends, contacts, and followers ... we all know that modern life can get kind of lonely. We know that there is a deficit of true, fulfilling, and meaningful connection.
No matter how many likes we get on our photos online, no matter how many friends we think we have on Facebook, no matter how many people we text with on a daily basis ... we feel lonely. Deserted. Isolated.
Fortune Magazine published a study in June 2016 and reported that "The percentage of Americans who responded that they regularly or frequently felt lonely was between 11% and 20% in the 1970s and 1980s ...." Now, it's closer to 40% or 45%.
That means that nearly half of us regularly, or even frequently, feel lonely.
Maybe that's you. Perhaps you know what it is to feel alone. Perhaps you've felt lonely recently. Perhaps you feel isolated right now as you surf the web and seek out articles on what to do about your increasing despair about it.
Back in 2009, I volunteered with an organization called the Themba Trust in Mpumalanga, South Africa. When I was living there, I got really lonely.
Don't get me wrong, I had a wonderful network of fellow volunteers, friends, and community members to connect to, plus Facebook and Skype to connect with friends and family back home. But I still couldn't shake my feeling of isolation.
About six months into my time there, I went to a conference called Amahoro, which means peace. Claude Nikondeah, from Burundi, kicked off the conference by introducing us to the concept of "ubuntu": the sub-Saharan philosophy that we are persons through other persons. Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu, is how it is said in isiZulu.
Nikondeha explained it like this: "Our humanity is all bundled up together -- yours, mine, those outside this camp, even those across the world. We are interconnected, and we are affected by the well-being of one another."
He went on to talk about when someone else is hungry, we cannot feel full; that when someone else is thirsty, we cannot feel satiated; that when someone else is hurting, we cannot be at peace.
Suddenly, I had an entirely new perspective on my loneliness. Better yet, I had a whole new perspective on my place in the world.
No matter where I was, no matter who I was around, I was meant to be in community with the people in my life. In fact, I was meant to be in community with everyone.
I know that may sound really ridiculous and insanely idealistic, but walking away from that camp I had a new point of view.
When I was lonely, I knew someone else out there felt that pain, too. And so, automatically, I wasn't alone. Even more, when I thought about the other person feeling alone, I felt driven to connect -- maybe not to find that person, but to find somebody to talk to, relate with, and share life with.
Taking it one step further, when I felt fulfilled socially, I could not help but think of people out there who don't feel good enough or wanted enough. And so, I wanted to reach out to them, invite them into my home, share a meal with them, or connect in some other way.
I wanted to reach out because I sensed -- for perhaps the first time in my life -- that I was not truly alone.
And why? Because I was needed. Other people who were hungry, thirsty, or alone needed me to feed them, slake their thirst, or be with them for a while just to let them know they weren't alone ... and neither was I.
I suddenly understood what Archbishop Desmond Tutu meant when he said, "We are set in a delicate network of interdependence with our fellow human beings and all of creation."
My hope is that if you're reading this and feeling lonely, feeling isolated, feeling like you don't belong, like you aren't worth it, aren't pretty enough, aren't good enough, don't have enough "likes" on Instagram, or followers on Twitter, or friends on Facebook ... that you would know that you are not alone.
You are part of something bigger and greater and grander than you can possibly imagine -- a global, cosmopolitan, human community -- that needs you.
You are part of, and called to, a community.
To learn more about how you can be involved in your own local community in a positive way, check out LHM's brand new Hopeful Neighborhood Project. It's full of resources, activities, and inspiring real-life stories, so you can interface with your neighbors -- and neighborhood -- and imagine the possibilities right where you live!
You can dive into this fun and exciting way to get to know your neighbors and explore your neighborhood by clicking here.
Written by Ken Chitwood
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Jesus Christ, Inc.
*Disclaimer: I currently do not identify with any specific religion. You could say I'm spiritual, but not religious. I'm a curious person. Especially when it comes to religion. When I think about Christianity, I tend to obsess over the same question: "If Jesus was alive today, how would He position Himself?"
This might seem like a weird question, until you get to know me.
I've been helping others brand and position their ideas, businesses, and themselves, for my entire professional career. I'm always dissecting the most effective way for someone to communicate their value to someone else who may want what they have.
When I think back to my childhood, I vaguely remember passages from my children's Bible (with pictures, of course) recounting Jesus as an outsider who wasn't necessarily understood until the end of His life.
This sounds like every misunderstood genius who was posthumously recognized for their contribution to humanity. Think Vincent Van Gogh or Emily Dickinson.
So, this is where my curiosity piques. "If Jesus were alive in today's world, how would He deliver His intended message to His followers?"
 Would He go the life/business coach route and create an online empire of endless e-books that share the "10 Steps to Success" using Christianity?
 Or, would He decide to be a lone wolf and freelance, converting followers one by one as He works remotely from coffee shops all over the world?
 How about going for broke, establishing Himself as Jesus Christ, Inc., and launching a franchise of McDonald's-esque pop-up churches that successfully systematize the Bible so He could pay anyone minimum wage to share it with others?
 Would He try and dazzle potential investors by pitching the next "Snapchat for miracles" claiming He was going to "disrupt the religious ecosystem by offering a more pleasant user experience for millennials who don't believe in God?"
Regardless of His chosen business entity, it's safe to say Jesus would inevitably have to face today's challenges head on while capturing the attention of His followers. Here are a few ways He could grow His community in today's world.
Music Festivals: Watch out, Bonnaroo! Jesus is coming, and He's bringing His posse. If you think Chance the Rapper puts on a good show, just wait until Jesus rolls up with His opening act, Kanye West! After all, anyone with a song called "Jesus Walks" has to be down for a Christ-like music collab.
Reality TV: Real Sinners of Orange County? Keeping Up with the Corinthians? Praying with the Stars? Pick your poison. You wouldn't be able to turn the channel without seeing a "real-life" depiction of what it's like being the Big Man Himself. What better way to amass an audience than to show what happens when Jesus stops being nice and starts being real?
Social Media: Snapchat would obviously have to be part of His social media strategy, especially among His younger potential customers. Imagine receiving a Snap-storm of Jesus performing miracles among His followers at the nearby Starbucks? You better believe that would go viral.
Sponsorships: Personally, I could see brand alignment with Jesus and Red Bull. Who wouldn't want to see Jesus parting the Indian Ocean while base jumping off Mount Kilimanjaro, all while chugging Red Bull?! Once again, another opportunity to reach the masses.
Vlogging: With daily vlogs becoming more popular on YouTube, would Jesus build a team around His daily exploits? His video crew would follow Him wherever He goes, from Nazareth to Narnia, capturing the daily grind.
Webinars: What better way to reach a large audience than to spam the internet with the next series of webinars that will change your life and help you reach your dreams (for the low price of $299)? Tony Robbins doesn't have anything on Mr. Christ.
These are just a few channels Jesus would have to conquer in order to compete for attention in today's hustle and bustle. How do you think Jesus would spread the good word today?
Written by William Frazier
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
This might seem like a weird question, until you get to know me.
I've been helping others brand and position their ideas, businesses, and themselves, for my entire professional career. I'm always dissecting the most effective way for someone to communicate their value to someone else who may want what they have.
When I think back to my childhood, I vaguely remember passages from my children's Bible (with pictures, of course) recounting Jesus as an outsider who wasn't necessarily understood until the end of His life.
This sounds like every misunderstood genius who was posthumously recognized for their contribution to humanity. Think Vincent Van Gogh or Emily Dickinson.
So, this is where my curiosity piques. "If Jesus were alive in today's world, how would He deliver His intended message to His followers?"
 Would He go the life/business coach route and create an online empire of endless e-books that share the "10 Steps to Success" using Christianity?
 Or, would He decide to be a lone wolf and freelance, converting followers one by one as He works remotely from coffee shops all over the world?
 How about going for broke, establishing Himself as Jesus Christ, Inc., and launching a franchise of McDonald's-esque pop-up churches that successfully systematize the Bible so He could pay anyone minimum wage to share it with others?
 Would He try and dazzle potential investors by pitching the next "Snapchat for miracles" claiming He was going to "disrupt the religious ecosystem by offering a more pleasant user experience for millennials who don't believe in God?"
Regardless of His chosen business entity, it's safe to say Jesus would inevitably have to face today's challenges head on while capturing the attention of His followers. Here are a few ways He could grow His community in today's world.
Music Festivals: Watch out, Bonnaroo! Jesus is coming, and He's bringing His posse. If you think Chance the Rapper puts on a good show, just wait until Jesus rolls up with His opening act, Kanye West! After all, anyone with a song called "Jesus Walks" has to be down for a Christ-like music collab.
Reality TV: Real Sinners of Orange County? Keeping Up with the Corinthians? Praying with the Stars? Pick your poison. You wouldn't be able to turn the channel without seeing a "real-life" depiction of what it's like being the Big Man Himself. What better way to amass an audience than to show what happens when Jesus stops being nice and starts being real?
Social Media: Snapchat would obviously have to be part of His social media strategy, especially among His younger potential customers. Imagine receiving a Snap-storm of Jesus performing miracles among His followers at the nearby Starbucks? You better believe that would go viral.
Sponsorships: Personally, I could see brand alignment with Jesus and Red Bull. Who wouldn't want to see Jesus parting the Indian Ocean while base jumping off Mount Kilimanjaro, all while chugging Red Bull?! Once again, another opportunity to reach the masses.
Vlogging: With daily vlogs becoming more popular on YouTube, would Jesus build a team around His daily exploits? His video crew would follow Him wherever He goes, from Nazareth to Narnia, capturing the daily grind.
Webinars: What better way to reach a large audience than to spam the internet with the next series of webinars that will change your life and help you reach your dreams (for the low price of $299)? Tony Robbins doesn't have anything on Mr. Christ.
These are just a few channels Jesus would have to conquer in order to compete for attention in today's hustle and bustle. How do you think Jesus would spread the good word today?
Written by William Frazier
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Tuesday, March 2, 2021
When It Comes to Religion, We'd Better Get an Education
The famous American playwright Wilson Mizner is attributed with saying, "I respect faith, but doubt is what gets you an education." Given America's current lack of "religious literacy" -- the knowledge of, and ability to understand, both your own religion and that of others -- Mizner may be correct.
Several years ago, the Pew Research Center put out its Religious Knowledge Survey. They found that America is one of the most religious countries in the developed world. However, the report also reveals those declaredly without religion in America scored highest on the religious knowledge quiz. Atheists and agnostics, not people of faith, recorded the best scores on a test that examined individual knowledge of various religions. Questions ranged from the Hindu pantheon to who sparked the Protestant Reformation.
It seems that white evangelical Protestants had some of the lowest knowledge concerning other religions, averaging only 16 correct answers out of 32 questions on the quiz. On the other hand, atheists and agnostics "excelled" with an average of almost 21, just beating out Mormons and Jews who averaged closer to 20.
Although most Christians missed questions about other religions, even questions from an individual's own religious tradition proved stumpers as Catholics failed to identify transubstantiation as their own belief, and Protestants did not note that Martin Luther kickstarted their own church movement. That said, Mormons and Protestant evangelicals scored the highest on questions of a biblical nature.
Rather than making atheists and agnostics look like religious gurus and white evangelical Protestants look like stereotypical uneducated bigots, the survey points out an altogether more depressing fact: America is fundamentally, and woefully, religiously illiterate.
If the best average of any demographic is a barely passing 21 out of 32 (65 percent), Americans fail in making the grade on religious literacy. In one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world, it should not be acceptable that our religious knowledge is somewhere between failing and barely passing.
As the Pew Research Center explained, educational attainment was the single greatest determining factor in religious knowledge. This being the case, it is much more poignant to point the finger at the leaders of our educational system, churches, synagogues, and other centers of education for our lack of religious knowledge rather than shaking the finger at any particular religious adherents or non-adherents.
Those with more education on religion, particularly those who took a course on the subject, did much better on the quiz than the average American. Although there are those who rightly point out that religion is more than head knowledge -- that faith involves experiential knowledge as well -- a basic education covering other religions (whether experiential or book-based) goes a long way in building bridges.
As an educator, I am personally concerned with the evident poverty of religious education that the average American receives. Over the last seven years since the Religious Knowledge Quiz was released, things have not improved. They may have even become worse.
If we do not get an education on religion, it is to the nation's, and the world's, detriment. Teaching world religions over the last few years in a variety of settings, I frequently observe that those who take the time to learn about another religion come away a lot more compassionate and understanding and much less cold and condemning towards those of another faith.
What America needs is a movement of those with faith, and those without, to learn more about world religions both in theory and in practice. It is time that we the people of either faith or doubt, get an education when it comes to religion.
Written by Ken Chitwood
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Several years ago, the Pew Research Center put out its Religious Knowledge Survey. They found that America is one of the most religious countries in the developed world. However, the report also reveals those declaredly without religion in America scored highest on the religious knowledge quiz. Atheists and agnostics, not people of faith, recorded the best scores on a test that examined individual knowledge of various religions. Questions ranged from the Hindu pantheon to who sparked the Protestant Reformation.
It seems that white evangelical Protestants had some of the lowest knowledge concerning other religions, averaging only 16 correct answers out of 32 questions on the quiz. On the other hand, atheists and agnostics "excelled" with an average of almost 21, just beating out Mormons and Jews who averaged closer to 20.
Although most Christians missed questions about other religions, even questions from an individual's own religious tradition proved stumpers as Catholics failed to identify transubstantiation as their own belief, and Protestants did not note that Martin Luther kickstarted their own church movement. That said, Mormons and Protestant evangelicals scored the highest on questions of a biblical nature.
Rather than making atheists and agnostics look like religious gurus and white evangelical Protestants look like stereotypical uneducated bigots, the survey points out an altogether more depressing fact: America is fundamentally, and woefully, religiously illiterate.
If the best average of any demographic is a barely passing 21 out of 32 (65 percent), Americans fail in making the grade on religious literacy. In one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world, it should not be acceptable that our religious knowledge is somewhere between failing and barely passing.
As the Pew Research Center explained, educational attainment was the single greatest determining factor in religious knowledge. This being the case, it is much more poignant to point the finger at the leaders of our educational system, churches, synagogues, and other centers of education for our lack of religious knowledge rather than shaking the finger at any particular religious adherents or non-adherents.
Those with more education on religion, particularly those who took a course on the subject, did much better on the quiz than the average American. Although there are those who rightly point out that religion is more than head knowledge -- that faith involves experiential knowledge as well -- a basic education covering other religions (whether experiential or book-based) goes a long way in building bridges.
As an educator, I am personally concerned with the evident poverty of religious education that the average American receives. Over the last seven years since the Religious Knowledge Quiz was released, things have not improved. They may have even become worse.
If we do not get an education on religion, it is to the nation's, and the world's, detriment. Teaching world religions over the last few years in a variety of settings, I frequently observe that those who take the time to learn about another religion come away a lot more compassionate and understanding and much less cold and condemning towards those of another faith.
What America needs is a movement of those with faith, and those without, to learn more about world religions both in theory and in practice. It is time that we the people of either faith or doubt, get an education when it comes to religion.
Written by Ken Chitwood
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
My First Trip to a Counselor
"You know there are people you can talk to about this, right?"
My first instinct was to tell my mother, rather vehemently, that I was not crazy. I had a loving family, great friends, and a rock-solid Christian faith.
I was also 26, living in a small town with very few local friends, and spending the majority of my time working. Overworking, really. I was definitely having a bit of a quarter-life crisis, and I kept filling my life with more and more things, saying yes to whatever came my way.
I was stressed to the max, and because of that, had no idea what I should do with my life. I was offered several opportunities for new work, and each would require significant life changes. The stress left me with no tools to make those big decisions.
That's how I ended up in my first appointment with a counselor.
I was totally skeptical, and I felt embarrassed for allowing myself to believe that I was potentially mentally unstable enough to see a counselor. That's what society had taught me to believe: only crazy people need therapists.
National Public Radio was a staple on my radio, and as I drove to my appointment it seemed like a stroke of fate when I heard the counselor's name mentioned on air as a recent donor to the station! I felt a certain kinship to her as we listened to, and supported, the same station. But, that didn't stop me from plopping down in her office and saying, "You know, I'm not sure if I believe in this 'therapy' thing." She assured me that I never had to come back if I didn't want to!
It took her about ten minutes to peg me. As I talked to her about my confusion and overwhelming sense of not knowing what to do, she was hard at work writing on her desk. Was she even listening?
But when I stopped speaking, she handed me her work: a stack of sticky notes each containing the word "No." Instead of actually saying "no" to people, which seemed to be a huge struggle for me, I could give myself permission to just hand them a sticky note. It seemed small and silly, and honestly I don't think I ever handed one to anyone, but it was exactly what I needed to hear in that moment.
I left her office with a little homework, and a huge shift in mentality. There was nothing scary that happened in that office, and definitely nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it was really helpful.
This experience definitely made me wonder why there's such a stigma surrounding mental health. Shouldn't we be encouraging people to be as healthy mentally as we encourage them to be physically? Is this really less important than having routine bloodwork done, or a healthy BMI? Is there any danger in seeing a counselor -- or talking to your doctor when physically you're healthy, but you just don't feel right?
"Use Your Resources" has become a bit of a battle cry for me. I say let's end the stigma!
Written by Rachel Legoute
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
My first instinct was to tell my mother, rather vehemently, that I was not crazy. I had a loving family, great friends, and a rock-solid Christian faith.
I was also 26, living in a small town with very few local friends, and spending the majority of my time working. Overworking, really. I was definitely having a bit of a quarter-life crisis, and I kept filling my life with more and more things, saying yes to whatever came my way.
I was stressed to the max, and because of that, had no idea what I should do with my life. I was offered several opportunities for new work, and each would require significant life changes. The stress left me with no tools to make those big decisions.
That's how I ended up in my first appointment with a counselor.
I was totally skeptical, and I felt embarrassed for allowing myself to believe that I was potentially mentally unstable enough to see a counselor. That's what society had taught me to believe: only crazy people need therapists.
National Public Radio was a staple on my radio, and as I drove to my appointment it seemed like a stroke of fate when I heard the counselor's name mentioned on air as a recent donor to the station! I felt a certain kinship to her as we listened to, and supported, the same station. But, that didn't stop me from plopping down in her office and saying, "You know, I'm not sure if I believe in this 'therapy' thing." She assured me that I never had to come back if I didn't want to!
It took her about ten minutes to peg me. As I talked to her about my confusion and overwhelming sense of not knowing what to do, she was hard at work writing on her desk. Was she even listening?
But when I stopped speaking, she handed me her work: a stack of sticky notes each containing the word "No." Instead of actually saying "no" to people, which seemed to be a huge struggle for me, I could give myself permission to just hand them a sticky note. It seemed small and silly, and honestly I don't think I ever handed one to anyone, but it was exactly what I needed to hear in that moment.
I left her office with a little homework, and a huge shift in mentality. There was nothing scary that happened in that office, and definitely nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it was really helpful.
This experience definitely made me wonder why there's such a stigma surrounding mental health. Shouldn't we be encouraging people to be as healthy mentally as we encourage them to be physically? Is this really less important than having routine bloodwork done, or a healthy BMI? Is there any danger in seeing a counselor -- or talking to your doctor when physically you're healthy, but you just don't feel right?
"Use Your Resources" has become a bit of a battle cry for me. I say let's end the stigma!
Written by Rachel Legoute
You can share your thoughts on this blog by clicking here and leaving a comment.
You can let the folks at THRED know what you think by clicking here.
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