Author: Jim Henderson

Attention Management?! Sounds like a fortune 500 - high level executive business concept. What could this possibly have to do with evangelism? In the 6th chapter of Evangelism Without Additives, entitled "Evangelize With Your Ears," author Jim Henderson plainly states that as followers of Jesus, Christians need to become experts in the economics of attention management. Having laid a foundation in the first five chapters as to why seemingly simple things like conversations can mean more to people than we know, he adds another component - our attention and time.

There are so many things in life that vie for peoples attention. I'm a primary case study in how "Smart Phones" can capitalize ones time and attention. If it's not digital communication in all its forms, its television, print media, the noise of the office or city, and for parents, the pleasant, but constant hum of kids playing around the house. Paying attention to anything, let alone SOMEBODY, or receiving genuine human attention from SOMEBODY is in short supply for many. Although Jesus did not have iPhones to contend with, His culture, like every other one in history contained distraction and loneliness. Jesus, a master at noticing people, showed us that giving our attention away to others is the loving and gracious thing to do. Since most people form their impressions about God through interactions they have with parents, friends, or random Christians, being a person who gives away valuable attention reflects positively on God's character. I believe Jim correctly states that, " when Christians show genuine interest in others, people sometimes begin to believe that God might actually like them."

When it was appropriate for Jesus to talk about faith, He majored on great questions instead of declarative statements. Most people have some internal interest in knowing God, and great questions about life and faith draw out those inherit, created interests. The simple practice of asking a friend a question, and then giving them 5 to 10 seconds to begin an answer shows that you are in the moment and that your conversation partner has your attention. The people that Jesus misses most deserve my attention and time, and as relationships are built, attention is an easy way to care for new friendships.

Joedy Zapara - book reader