TK Chapter 13 :: The Hello Experiment

In Patch Adams, we see the missionary life in two related processes.  The first we call “living out,” and the second we call “inviting in.”  Living out is what missional people do.  Inviting in is about how Sojourners move into our communities.  These are the two overarching processes that bring missional people and Sojourners together. (p123)

So many times, people ask me what our church is going to do if we don't do all of the "church stuff" that other churches do.  We do some of the same things, but we hopefully will also do some things differently.  If not, then we aren't really needed in our community, right?  Here is where the book makes another shift.  We now move into the application portion of what it means to live as missional people.  What do we do?  While, my plan is to spend tomorrow's post talking about the four things, Halter describes as missional activity (leaving, living among, listening to and loving with no strings attached), I didn't want to pass up this short little chapter.

If you haven't seen Patch Adams, you may want to.  It will definitely help you see this whole thing a little more clearly.  

Early in the movie, Truman says to Patch, “We start out so open and spontaneous, we’re real individuals, and then somewhere along the way, we’re drawn to conform as if we’re conditioned by a programmed response.”  Patch says, “Ah, but sometimes you can alter the programmed response, just by changing some of the conditions, altering the parameters...Let me show you.”  Patch then begins the “hello experiment” by hanging from light poles and surprising a lady, making random phone calls to people, etc. (p124)

Check out this clip of Patch inciting a change in people "programmed response" by creatively changing the parameters in which he says "Hello."

I love this portion of the movie.  This whole experiment makes me want to go and say "hello" to someone.

Many people have a "programmed response" to God and those who follow Him.  If we want to see a different response, we must be willing to change the parameters.  They have to be able to see that we are one of them.

What are some parameters that we might be able to change as a church, to help the people in our community see us differently?  What are some personal parameters that we might need to adjust to help our neighbors, co-workers and friends see God more clearly?

In order for us to change the incorrect assumptions that people have about God and his followers (their programmed response), we’ve got to get to the point where they consider us one of them (the parameter change).  To do this is not a matter of “evangelism” or “outreach” or “missions.”  It’s a matter of living out like Jesus did. (p125)