Recently, I was stressed out with all the changes and work that come with starting a new ministry. A young adult in our community gave me some advice: “You need a new comedy sitcom. Try Modern Family.” Let me tell you, this show has been a gift from God. I love Modern Family!
Why do I love it? Because it’s so relatable—normal people doing their best with work, family, school, and friendships, often ending up in hilarious situations. The show tackles big topics like divorce, inclusion, teenage years, money, love, and hate. The characters in Modern Family are just like us—unique, weird, crazy, silly, human.
So, here’s my idea: over the next few weeks, I’ll consider how I would share the good news of Jesus with each character of Modern Family. From the hilarious yet wise Phil Dunphy to the fierce and loving Gloria Pritchett. Why? Because maybe we’ll all learn how to approach the unique people in our own lives!
Sharing Jesus is hard and confusing. If it were easy, our churches would be full. One of the greatest downfalls of modern Christianity is assuming that one size fits all when it comes to reaching people. We attend conferences, seminars, and training sessions, learning formulas and steps, thinking these will help us engage with the world around us. But these methods don’t really work. Can you imagine sharing the Gospel with Haley Dunphy the same way you would with Alex Dunphy? Of course not. We need a new approach—one that sees humans as unique individuals who each need to encounter God in their own personal ways.
Scripture is clear on this. We should be all things to all people and meet them where they are. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul writes: “Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.”
In his context, he is talking about reaching the diverse groups he lived with, Jews and Non-Jews. For us, it means understanding and respecting each person's individuality and background. This sometimes means stepping out of our comfort zones and into theirs.
We mustn’t see people as numbers to convert but as real humans with backgrounds and stories. One reason I think I can create a tailored approach to each character is because I know them. I am invested in their lives! I understand how they think, their motives, likes, and dislikes. Many of us know the characters of Modern Family better than many people in our own lives. Imagine if we knew people like this! We’d have a much better chance of reaching them than with cookie-cutter methods. As we move forward, let’s remember that the heart of the Gospel is relationships—God's relationship with us and our relationships with each other. Let’s take the time to truly invest in people, just as we do with our favorite TV characters. After all, the best way to share the Good News is to live it out in love, every day, with every person we meet.
Colossians 4:5-6 says, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Let’s embark on this journey together, one character at a time, and see how God’s love can transform lives in the most unexpected ways. Stay tuned for next week’s post, where we’ll start with none other than the easy-going, mischievous Luke Dunphy. How would you share the Gospel with him? Join me to find out!
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