About

Thanks for joining us today for this exclusive interview with Grady Bauer of {missional} space.

So Grady, if that’s your real name, tell us about you….were you raised to live this type of life?

No, not at all…actually if you look at where I came from you never would’ve expected this type of life.  I was raised in a relatively small minded, non-Christian home.  I struggled through school, much more interested in girls than studies, and even failed several classes including Spanish 101 and World Geography. So would one have expected young “Grady” to be living overseas doing this type of work…not in a million years.

So after you became a Christian, you must have gotten involved in missional type ministry?

No actually the opposite.  I began my faith journey at a very traditional,large landmark church.  Their ministry philosophy was very much based on the attractional approach.  I learned evangelism through such things as CWT, Visitation, and Friend Day.  I’m grateful for the time there and I deeply care for many of the people that I know from that world but even then I was bothered by the sales pitch approach of sharing our faith.  I quit CWT two different times because I couldn’t make myself share based on a method.

So I would guess that you learned how to be missional from a church or seminary?

No actually I learned it from Starbucks where I worked for three years.  The problem that I found with working at a church is that all of my friends were believers.  We all listened to Christian music, wore Jesus t-shirts, drank Jesus Java and watched bad Kirk Cameron Christian movies. When I left the bubble and found myself surrounded by witches, lesbians, atheists and Muslims I had to figure out a way to reconcile my life and faith.  I had better, more authentic conversations pulling espresso shots than I had ever had at a “planned” time of sharing.  And they wouldn’t take my trivial bumper-sticker Christianity answers for things…they wanted to see it in my life and they wanted to be able to question it.

So based on what I’m hearing I would guess that you now work for an organization that does life missionally?

While there are a few of us that try to live our lives missionally, the vast number still seek to be attractional in their lives. This is where the struggle lies….trying to do life and be something that many don’t understand.  I’m not trying be something new….this isn’t some crazy West Coast idea….this is the way Jesus did ministry.  He ate, drank, worked and played with people and shared life as he did so.  He never handed out things, held crusades or used a method.  He connected to people in authentic, believable ways and lives were changed forever.

So are you single?

(Blushing a little)…no I’m married with three amazing kids.

Would you be interested in being cloned?

(Blushing alot) You’re not the first woman to ask me this question…I’ve even been told there is a waiting list if they ever do clone me….but not right now…I need to get this blog working.

Last question…so what is an ideal day for you?

Sleep late, have breakfast (mainly coffee) with the family.  Then head out to the office for a little bit.  Lunch back with the family…then take some photos with friends, drink some coffee, listen to the iPod (Dave Matthews, Coldplay, Jason Mraz, John Mayer)….edit some photos, blog some….drink some more coffee with friends….maybe watch a little TV (Lost, Amazing Race, Life on Mars, Eleventh Hour) and go to bed.  That would be a great day!