WDJS not WWJD

Lately I have been in conversations which in one way or another center around the issues of evangelism and how we are best to effect this oft talked about but seldom acted upon notion.  St. John's has just finished a great week of community mission and part of the equipping that took place before the mission started had to do with teaching peope how to engage people in conversation as to one's personal experience of God.  While I won't dismiss this approach, as it works as a good starting place, I think that in our pluralistic culture, it is far too easy to dismiss another's experience.  You might tell me that you see blue monsters in your backyard.  And while you earnestly believe it, I can acknowledge your experience while all the time never believing you for a second.  The same is true for our own experience of God.  The other popular notion is to think of What would Jesus do WWJD in times when we are uncertain.  I would like to propose that we move on to What did Jesus Say WDJS instead, which requires that we actually know scripture well enough to recall what Jesus did in fact say.  Scripture says of itself that it is powerful, alive and active.  It does not make the same promise of our personal words which recount experiences.  Don't get me wrong, I think that the Holy Spirit can use whatever means he might choose to, but I also think that as Christians we are called to know His word so that when asked we can respond with scripture rather than our own thoughts or opinions.  For example, rather than trying to argue or cajole someone into the kingdom, why don't we just direct people to the words of Jesus; something like "you know that is a great question, and this fellow I know named Jesus said this about that..."  Anyway, enough of my rambling thoughts, obviously you can tell that it is a slow morning at Transcend Coffee, feel free to post a comment or better yet pop down for a cup of the Sumatra that is brewing and we can continue the conversation in person.