Noise Torture
When the gospel loses love, the world only hears noise.
Return
G’day Everyone and welcome back to another edition of “The Holy Go”, a newsletter designed to help you share the gospel and make disciples in the Spirit of Jesus!
Also, a special welcome to those who have recently subscribed from the Churches of Christ in Mildura and Red Cliffs! I’m looking forward to seeing how God leads us as we follow Him in multiplying disciples throughout this region.
Today wraps up the series on the The Three M’s of Evangelism and Discipleship. Over the last two months we have explored how LOVE is our Motivation, Message and Method.
Last week we delved into the method, or “how” we minister. Today we continue that theme with a challenging question, “If sinners flocked to Jesus, why are they running from us?”
Equip
Noise Torture
Have you ever heard of “Noise Torture?”
In December 1989, the Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was forced out of power by U.S. forces and fled to the Papal Nunciature in Panama City to avoid capture.
The American troops wanted to apprehend him but weren’t allowed inside. So they set up outside and started blasting music from giant loudspeakers… Originally the plan was just to keep journalists from overhearing the negotiations, however someone in the psyops team had another idea:
If we keep the music going non-stop, maybe the noise itself would drive Noriega out.
So they aimed the speakers right at his window and non stop blasted music, turning the siege into a surreal battle of noise meant to wear him down.
This method is called, “Noise Torture” and has since been used in various warfare scenarios, and used as a form of torture, perhaps most memorable in Guantánamo Bay.
“Noise Torture” is sensory overload or psychological torture and is used to prevent sleep, heighten heart rates and induce stress, drive people mad, and break their resistance.
Noise Torture turns things of creativity and beauty into a tool of torture.
Noisy Gongs
The Apostle Paul warns us that the same thing can happen when we share the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 he tells us that when followers of Jesus preach and act without love, we are “a noisy gong or clanging cymbal.”
I believe that for far too long we have equated this noise with something “annoying” or “slightly-uncomfortable.”
The Church has often prioritised “Biblical” over “Love” despite the abundantly clear teachings and warnings of Jesus. As a result we have deemed collateral damage as acceptable. Upsetting people, degrading them, and making them feel judged has simply been written off and seen as a necessary byproduct of sharing the gospel. For example,
When the church speaks about the LGBTQ community being an abomination it downplays the very real concern of the alarming suicide rate among this community.
Or when Christians carry signs that say, “Abortion is Murder” it downplays the very real financial and emotional struggles that many young women face.
Just like Noise Torture psychologically abuses people, when we share the gospel without love we’re in danger of psychologically abusing our listeners.
I believe Paul is warning us that when we twist the gospel of love that is supposed to bring peace, freedom and life, and instead we bring judgment, condemnation and fear, we are committing noise torture!
History is full of people who have professed the name of Jesus without actually loving others. We would all agree that,
the crusades, (Gong!)
witch hunts, (Clang!)
hate groups like the KKK, (Gong!)
and genocides (Clang!)
are all evil and nothing like the Christ they professed.
In these instances they perverted the gospel of love that brings life, freedom and peace and turned it into an instrument that condoned injustice, death and destruction.
When the gospel loses love, the world only hears noise!
Beautiful Feet
Jesus is our model for truth and grace. Yet sinners ran to Him. They wanted to be around this man whose nickname was, “The Friend of Sinners.”
The fact that sinners flocked to Jesus but run and hide from us should cause us serious concern. It should cause us to stop and evaluate what we are doing differently.
If we want to be like Jesus, then we need to hold ourselves to the standard of love that He set. If we really believe that the Gospel is Good News, then people should be celebrating when we come. As Paul reminds us, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!”
In order to bring good news that makes the people cheer we have no other option but to love in word and deed!
The “how” matters because people matter.
We can no longer lazily accept collateral damage.
Instead we must commit ourselves to the way of love.
Our motivation, our message and our method must all be love. Whenever we drop love from one of these “M’s” we end up misrepresenting the heart of God, pervert the gospel, and torture the very people we’re called to minister to.
Activate
This weeks challenge is to reflect on how you are sharing the gospel.
Ask the Holy Spirit to convict you and to encourage you. Spend some time in repentance and rededicate your life to sharing the gospel in love.
How have I been a noisy gong?
How have I been a beautiful sound?
How can I bring a beautiful sound to those in the world around me?
Let’s Go!
P.S Come back next week as we kick off our Easter series, “Making Sense of Easter: Equipping you to understand it, trust it, and share it.”