Burning Man and the New Evangelization
I was at dinner with church leaders and they were super interested in Burning Man. I explained that Burning Man is the “short term mission trip” in the larger Mission to the New Age and an outstanding example of the New Evangelization.
In 1983, Pope John Paul II saw our post-christian society and called for a New Evangelization, saying the content, the Good News, remains the same, but the evangelization must be new "in its ardor, new in its methods, and new in its expression.”At Burning Man, I saw Missionaries full of "new ardor" (they moved with passion, purpose, and excitement) using "new methods" (creative worship with drum circles, dancing, and painting ) and giving the faith a "new expression" (a creative, spiritual language to share the Good News, that remained truthful to the nature of God and His message.)
"Wait, wait, wait.... but what exactly is Burning Man?"
85,000 people from around the world come to the Nevada desert, where there is no water, no shade, no life, and build Black Rock City. It is art. It is a community. It is self-expression. This is a great video that explains the ins and outs of the creativity and functionality of Burning Man.
However, what I think is more important is the "why" behind why Burners come. Why do people spend thousands of dollars to camp in the desert for a week? When I was an outsider, all I could see was the heat, dust, and strangeness of it all. So I asked them, and they responded …
“I come to encounter the Divine.”
"I come for spiritual transformation! It is my yearly retreat!"
“To love and be loved!”
Burners are seeking the Triune God. They know they are made for a relationship with Spirit and are seeking the Communion of Love that is the Father, Son, and Spirit. Unfortunately, counterfeit deities are finding and deceiving them through reiki, tarot cards, crystals, shamanism and there are little to no Christians among them to represent Christ.
Watch this brief testimony video of a reiki healer experiencing an encounter with the purity and goodness of our Heavenly Father.
A New Expression
Before arriving at Burning Man, I was given brief instructions on a “new expression” of evangelization. I was told that many Burners have had negative experiences with the Church. Words such as Jesus, prayer, and Christian can put up walls and shut down conversations. Jesus may be associated with guilt and shame. Prayer with disappointment. We must introduce our seeker to the True God and His life and love before using words that have twisted and painful definitions. So, we evangelize creatively.
New Agers love words like divine, energy, healing, unity, abundance, spirit ... So, we use creative words as we talk about The Healer (Jesus), The Creator (God), The Spirit of Truth (The Holy Spirit), and Infinite Love (The Trinity).
Oftentimes New Agers come up to me and ask, "Why are your eyes so bright?" I respond, "Because I am connected to the Divine and Divine radiates through me." They then ask, "Who is the Divine?" I say, "I am in a relationship with a Creator, Healer, and Spirit of Truth.”
However, when I was at Burning Man I was not so competent yet. I watched my team members for three days before giving it a go and when I did this happened …
Solari’s Story
It was early in the morning and I heard the chicken dance playing from our neighbor’s tent. This was a normal ritual, and a way to announce and gather neighbors for coffee.
I left our tent, danced the chicken dance, and met a man dressed in white linen named Solari. I can tell he is weary.
He asked me for a hug, and I hugged him. He then asked if I would “go to the cuddle dome?" I declined.
I invited him into our tent which I knew was an anointed and interceded for space and where I knew he would find rest and healing. After being declined more hugs, he accepted.
In the tent, he told me about the migration patterns of monarch butterflies. I could see he was desperate for Love. I wondered, how do I steer this conversation to the love of God? I asked the Holy Spirit, "What's the move?"
I am prompted to ask, "What are you seeking?"
He’s stunned.
I said, “I think you are seeking Love.”
He opened up, tears were falling, about how he yearned to be loved.
I told him I knew Infinite Love (Jesus) and that I connect with Divine, Infinite Love (the Trinity) every morning. I asked,
“Do you want to connect to Infinite Love right now?”
He said, “yes,” and I led him through breathing techniques to invite Divine Love into his life and he rested in Love.
A New, Creative Evangelization
The content of the New Evangelization is the same. "We are here to share Good News! Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Turn to Him, He is waiting for you (Pope John Paul II.") The New Evangelization is new in its ardor, methods, and expression, and our mission team is partnering with the Holy Spirit to evangelize in a creative, new way.
I am part of God's plan to seek and save the lost in a creative, new way.
You are part of God's plan to seek and save the lost in a creative, new way.
Stay tuned to articles written by Nova, to see how God is moving in a new, creative way.
About the Author
Nova worked inside church walls, evangelizing and building programs for those in the pews, for 12 years. In 2022, she followed Jesus into the nucleus of the New Age people group. She realized they are seeking Jesus and understood His great love for them. She is now developing a ministry to the New Age.
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Nova is a pseudonym that signifies a new, bright star. If you would like to be invited to the private blog, see pictures from the field, and hear more stories, please fill out this short form.
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