By Ashley Huizenga
Ashley Huizenga writes from Byron Bay, Australia, where she and a group of friends creatively shared the redemptive message of Jesus through cardboard signs:
Byron Bay has been educational in finding new ways to approach ministry. The people here are mostly comprised of backpackers who come to get drunk. It’s a surfing town and a magnet for people hanging on to the hippie lifestyle. Spirituality here is common and open for discussion with most of the population.
If you like reading the Bible, check out Zephaniah — Byron is a lot like that book.
Creativity and tactic in how you present your message is extremely important in a place like this. Because it’s spiritual, a lot of people already know a lot of what we might have to say. And a lot of them have heard it from people coming in but sharing the truth of Jesus in ways too brash for this community that’s left a worn-out bad taste in their mouths.
One way we’ve found to be effective with sharing our message is by standing on a street corner with a cardboard sign. We write a phrase or question that will provoke conversation with passersby. The phrase/question gives us an opportunity to talk about God and salvation. Check out this video, and you can get a better idea:
Has the Gospel message become old and worn-out in some cultures? How could you creatively share it in a new, paradigm-shifting way… as it was intended?
Ashley is a 23 year-old native Floridian with a passion for art. She is currently on The World Race, an 11-month mission trip around the world.