Understanding Lostness

John Kramp, in his book Out of their faces and into their shoes develops what he calls his Laws of Lostology, twenty-four in all.

The book begins with this comment:

If Christians really understood the spiritually lost people around them, they would talk about their faith more naturally. Evangelism would be more of a conversation and less of a high-pressure sales pitch. (p1)

People, Kramp asserts, have great value to God (no arguments there). Being lost is simply a matter of not being where you should be. I’m going to pick out what I think are the most helpful ones for this discussion, but the book is worth a read.

I’ll number them in accordance with his book so you can read about them more fully if you want to.

Law #1: Being lost can be fun

Put simply, when we begin a conversation with a non-Christian on the basis of their awareness of a need for God, we’re being naïve. Many lost people are quite happy being lost. It’s not a big issue for them. It will therefore take time for them to see any need for God.

Law #2: No one gets lost on purpose

Either through carelessness, or miscalculation or preoccupation with other things, getting lost happens.

Law #3: It’s easy to get lost

Do nothing special and you will get lost every time. Lost happens. Lost is life’s default mode. (Out of their faces p27)

Law #5: You cannot force people to admit that they are lost

No one likes to hear someone else say, “I told you so.” If someone isn’t ready to admit they are lost, you can’t make them say it, and you shouldn’t try.

Law #8: Just because you are lost doesn’t mean you are stupid

When lost people encountered Jesus the last thing they were likely to feel was stupid. Unfortunately 2000 years on we have the church with all its rites and rituals, its language and customs. Most lost people will not know anything about these things and are more than likely to feel stupid if made to look stupid.

It is imperative that we do everything we can to communicate that we recognise the difference between being lost and being stupid.

Law #9: It’s tough to trust a stranger

Here’s a simple question: If you were to visit another church in a new town, would you let them look after you child on your first visit? Maybe yes, given that it’s a church and you trust church people. You might even do it at an event or a workshop if it was specifically designed for children. But what if you were invited by a friend to go with them to their New Age church. Would you let a stranger look after you child there?

You get the point. When we come against strangers we have a number of safeguards in our minds. In a strange place you might zip your pockets or conceal you mobile ‘phone. You look after your wallet etc. When a lost person comes into church for the very first time, we are all strangers to them and we will need to win their trust.

Law #11: Directions are always confusing

People who are familiar with their surroundings often leave out vital information when giving directions. It’s probable that they will give directions in a way they understand without thinking about how you understand. My sister once asked me for directions somewhere that involved using the M25. I said, “Go anti-clockwise”, she said, “Is that left or right?” American roads are built on a block system oriented north-south, east-west. When an American gives you directions it will normally be based around these blocks. If you don’t think north, south, east west, and if you don’t think block, it’s highly probable that you’ll end up down an alley miles from your destination.

Local knowledge goes a long way, and if you don’t have it most directions will be confusing.

Law #13: A search reveals your values

We search for things we value. If they have little or no value we don’t search for long, but if they are really important to us, we search for as long as it takes to find that which was lost.

Law #14: Searches are always costly

We want evangelism that does not demand time and church outreach that doesn’t cost money. (Faces p102)

I once visited a church were they had set their mission budget at £200. When I asked about it they said it was this much because of some material they wanted to purchase. We, my fellow visitor and I, pointed out that we weren’t asking why it was so high but why it was so low. £200 represented less than 1% of their total budget.

Law #15: Love pays whatever the search costs

We search because our hearts leave us no option. (Faces p109)

Law #17: A search is always lost-centred not searcher-centred

Jesus said: “Go and make disciples.” He didn’t say, “Wait for them to come to you.” When people saw that Jesus was approachable, that he ordered his life around being with spiritually lost people, that he went to be with them, they came to him.

Law #18: A search is urgent because the lost are in danger

If we sing the words but our lives fail to play the music the search will go undone. The task is urgent and the urgency of the task should prompt us to action.

Law #23: If you are searching, the lost may find you

Simply by being in the search we are making ourselves available to the lost. They may stumble out of the woods and come across our path as we look for them. Perhaps the lost are actually looking to get found but can’t find anyone to help them.

Have a think about your response to these laws, I find then fascinating and helpful.