Steve Sjogren

Recently the St. PetersburgTimes contacted me with the news that they were doing a series of articles on the one place we all spend a lot of time each day – the toilet! To their surprise when they put the word “Toilet cleaning” into Google my name popped up several times in connection with toilet cleaning outreaches (What a thing to be known for! And I thought that being on the Jerry Springer Show was tough to beat – I'll write about that another time) Over the past 15 years my wife Janie and I have traveled the world cleaning toilets to show the love of Jesus in a practical way.

They asked lots of interesting questions like, “What's the most interesting place where you have cleaned a toilet?” That one was easy – Larry Flynt's Super Porno Store – Janie and I wanted to make a statement of love to him in spite of local Christians who were protesting his presence by marching in front of his store. It was interesting, later when I was severely wounded – read about that situation at DayIDied.Com – he was the first person to call to say he was praying for me!

There is a lot I could say after cleaning many thousands of toilets on many continents, but to boil it all down here is a sampling of what I've learned.

People don't listen to what leaders say – they listen to what we do.

All people – in all cultures – have built into their hearts a sensitivity to the acts of Jesus. One of the most common responses I get when I go into a gas station to offer to clean a toilet is, “This sounds like something Jesus would do…” Mind you, this is usually coming from completely not-yet believing people. Then the person in charge typically follows me back to the john to watch me like a hawk. I don't think they are afraid I'm going to steal the toilet paper – rather, they ask me lots of questions – simple things anyone could answer… “What do you believe? What time are your services? What kind of a Bible should I get? (I always tell them, “Get a big black one that's easy to read!”) In light of the sheer practicality of their questions it is obvious that they have been thinking about spiritual things already – even about coming to church. They are just waiting for someone to invite them who seems level-headed and safe.

More on the questions they ask…

Sometimes I wonder if those who are writing books that are intended to equip believers “defend the faith” to those who are “asking common questions” aren't actually doing more harm than good, as well-intentioned as they are with their books and articles. As believers read these pieces they get the messages that:

1. Sharing Jesus is a complicated issue (absolutely not true);

2. It takes a LOT of training to become effective at sharing Jesus with others (again, absolutely not true); and

3. One has to be fairly intellectually-skilled to be able to answer these “common” questions that everyone is supposedly asking (God bless him, but do you really think that Peter the most skilled evangelist of all time went to MIT? That would be a big NO!)

I read literally every book that comes out on the topic of evangelism as a matter of course. The questions that authors claim common people are asking just aren't being asked. I don't know where these people live, but as I travel and I travel a lot – around the US and around the world, virtually none – that's 0% - of those questions are being spun toward me… See the above questions for the kinds of things people are really asking. Not to be cruel, but I wonder if these authors get out much to mingle with the general public. Do they hang out at Starbucks? I spend 80% of my time at my “office” – i.e., Starbucks and Paneras, and I am NOT SHY! I talk to lots of not-yet believers.

To make a “dent” in our city we need to listen to the Spirit for his specific assignment to us. Every effective leader has a sense of his or her niche. They don't shoot 12 gauge shotguns – rather they operate a laser guided pistols.

I have a Glock 9mm pistol (standard issue for the FBI and the ATF). I have a collection of 9mm pistols – just target shooting, thank you very much! Hey, you collect Precious Moments figurines – I collect firearms – a fine thing for loving pastors to get into). When aiming my Glock with traditional sights at the indoor range the best I could accomplish was to keep the shots in a 10 inch pattern at 50 feet. Then I added the laser sight. Wow – what a difference a laser makes (is that a common expression? If we all start saying it it will become one soon!) Even when I held the Glock at waist height and was shooting rapid fire the pattern of shots was consistently within 3 inches. THAT is accuracy!

We need to hear our specific assignment from God. Think of it as a unique voice, versus an echo or a copy of someone else's assignment.

There are many operating off of an echo these days in the Church. We wonder why there is a lack of the Spirit's presence in our gatherings and why there are so few world-changing leaders alive today. Perhaps it has something to do with our lack of being willing to press in to God – to not rest until we have received our specific assignment from on high. It really isn't that complicated.

Right now in the Church world there are very very few who take the time to listen to God to hear their special calling from God. As an author, I see this to be especially true in the writing world. Confession time: I've pretty much given up on reading “Christian” books – 95% of what comes out is either so obvious it's not worth the price of the book or, worse yet, it is rehashing someone else's original thought (how many dozens of books on Servant Evangelism / the Outward Focused Life have come out in the past decade since Conspiracy of Kindness hit the shelves? I have stopped counting…)

We need to take the time to listen – to expect God to show us new things – especially our part – our unique role in his kingdom. Make that, the specific people we are to go after.

Every good doctor or nurse has an assigned number of rounds that they make each day – patients under their care they check on regularly. They help them along their way in the healing process.

In the same way, there are “assignments” for each of us from the Holy Spirit. Paul was assigned cities by the Spirit. Jesus made it clear in John 5:19 that he had daily assignments from the Father – “I only do what I see the Father doing…” In my experience, as we slow down enough to listen to the Spirit's call upon our lives, we will see him call us to strategically focus on between 12 and 20 people to strategically sow seeds of love, generosity and serving into as we show them the very life of Jesus. And then we will begin to make our daily rounds helping people to move on to the next step in the process knowing God.

We might start with:

* Toilet cleaning for the Taco Bell manager or
* cleaning the restrooms at the local Sam's Club might be the beginning point for connecting with the manager of the morning shift there.

Right now there are 15 people I have been called to currently, strategically sow into. Listen for the Spirit's invitation. He is calling out – not only to leaders, but to your people as well. I know that doesn't make sense – how can someone listen to what you “do?” But in today's worldwide culture, there is little patience for mere talk. The day for talk is over whether you are selling widgets or attempting to convey Jesus' love. You'd better have a way of showing versus chattering or you won't get out of the starting blocks.