#42 Seeing Jesus in 3D

Towards a more 360 degree view of Christ

Back when I was a Christian Schools Worker, I had arranged for a well respected Christian speaker to visit hundreds of young people who were gathered in the school assembly hall ready to learn about faith for the first time. The crowd listened intently to an engaging presentation, which was being passionately delivered as the atmosphere became more electric by the minute. Even the teachers seemed happy for once. Yet right in the middle of this seemingly perfect moment, I had a nagging doubt I couldn't quite shake. I had heard this message many times before, but I was starting to lose my faith in it. And I was the one who had organised the event!

As I watched many students respond well to the energy of the presentation, I noticed others struggled to resonate with the core message.  I began to wonder if we were only telling part of the story. Were we stuck sharing about a Jesus who was nothing more than a transaction to get us into heaven when we die? Did our theological answers, while being delivered with succinct logical arguments, have anything to do with the questions young people were dealing with before they walked in the room? Were students walking out the door having agreed with the principles but missing the point altogether? Was the good news…. actually GOOD NEWS to this generation?

Today's teens are overwhelmed by school, social pressures, and constant media bombardment. They're asking big questions about who they are and what their purpose is. The traditional message about Jesus dying for our sins might feel initially distant to them even though Christians know it has incredible repercussions. This initial disconnection means that the starting point for stirring spiritual curiosity has to land with their real-life struggles and provide meaningful answers to their real world questions, not just deliver theological explanations. This doesn't mean we water down the good news but rather reframe it. 

The challenge with the standard two dimensional “Jesus died and that’s about it” message is that it fails to:

• Explain what that actually means for a teenager in non-religious terms

• Answer the longings of this generation

• Resonate with the issues that young people are facing now

• Call people to transformation and a higher purpose

The cross is vital to the message but it is not the whole picture. Jesus died for a purpose worth retelling. Maybe we need to ask ourselves some tough questions for the sake of the next generation?  Does our message meet young people where they are at? Does it lead them into a revelation of who Jesus is or merely tick a box for our gospel quota?

May we never settle for something that looks great for our church newsletters but fails to move the dial of discipleship.

The experience of losing my faith in that narrow presentation of the gospel in the assembly hall has been shaping my life ever since. Though the story of the gospel is now unusual to our culture the themes and resonance are everywhere. The leader of popular Christian festival Creation Fest, Sarah Yardley, recently Tweeted this thought:

“These two edges are true: The story of Jesus is alien to our culture… and, at every time, in every place, people are longing for life, hope, faith, peace.”

We need to tap into what people are searching for and then give them the answer in Christ. This includes understanding how Christ’s life, death, and resurrection matters today. That’s what I mean by a 3-dimensional gospel.

Are we content for our message to remain on mute?

In my new book Like or Follow: What every teenager needs to decide about Jesus we look at six key aspects of who Jesus is to help provide a more 360 degree view for young people.

• Looking for satisfaction? Christ provides us with everything we really want from life. Jesus is relevant.

• Looking for something to trust? History proves that Christ was a real person who made a real difference. Jesus is real.

• Looking for identity? Christ shows us exactly what God is like and reminds us who we really are. Jesus is God’s reflection.

• Looking for forgiveness and a second chance? Christ saves us by dying for us. Jesus is a rescuer. 

• Looking for purpose? We are invited to join Christ’s adventure to bring hope. Jesus is a revolutionary. 

• Looking to feel close? When you put your trust in Christ, you never have to feel alone again. Jesus offers you a relationship.

Of course this is not a magic formula but rather an attempt to broaden the playing field for how we engage teens with the message of Jesus. I am sure you will have a relevant remix for your context.

Our good news needs to unpack the entirety of Jesus’ life, not solely focusing on his birth and death. While the cross remains central, let us not overlook the significance of what transpired between Christmas and Easter. Jesus lived a life demonstrating a new way to be human—a life filled with identity and purpose. There exists an entire generation of young people who must realize that following Jesus is preferable to adhering to their distorted digital algorithms. For this to happen we have to prayerfully share a more three dimensional vision of Christ. After all, the last thing we want to do is to become part of a young person’s story, only to tell them half of ours. 

Like or Follow is available now in the UK

It's been a cracking start to the launch of “Like or Follow” which available now for bulk order from 10ofthose. You can grab individual copies from either 10ofthose or Amazon.

In the first few weeks since the launch I have heard...

• Hundreds of copies have been sold during the pre-order deal

• A Youth Group is using the book chapter by chapter on a weekly basis

• The book is being used as a follow up to a massive Youth Outreach event

And it feels like there is so much more to come...

‘Curiosity is key to your future – the questions you have, the interest in your mind, and the stirring in your heart – allow these to take you on a journey with this book to discover life, purpose, and hope for the future’

Dan Randall, YxYA Director – HOPE Together