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Why have you titled the book Jesus Unbranded? 

During my time as an adman I’ve encountered a whole bunch of brands that have lost their way and strayed from their original purpose or mission.

A succession of marketing regimes may have added, subtracted, or in a variety of ways, ‘tinkered’ with the product or service itself.

A succession of advertising executives may have tried to make their mark by putting their own stamp and ‘spin’ on the brand messaging.

And so the brand ends up in a very different place from which it started.

I have found that the only remedy is to strip all that ‘baggage’ away and go back to the brand’s roots.

To rediscover the original purpose and proposition that made it great in the first place. To see, understand, and respect the original, authentic brand. And then allow it to speak for itself again.

I’ve given that stripping away process a label. I call it ‘Unbranding.’

Over the centuries Jesus has been constantly interpreted and re-interpreted. Some things have been added, others lost.

Some people and organisations have sought to hi-jack Christianity, and even Jesus himself, to use them to serve their own agenda. For reasons good and bad.

Let me stress, I’m simply observing here, not judging.

But through the lens of the stories he told, we can come face to face with the original, authentic, unadulterated, Jesus.

‘Jesus Unbranded’.

Why did you feel compelled to write Jesus Unbranded?

I’ve asked myself that question lots of times over the many years it took to bring this book from conception to inception!

“Why, Lord, why??”

I’ve arrived at two answers.

Answer One.

A few years ago my pastor asked me to preach on the parable of the Good Samaritan.

This parable is so well known that I was struggling to find a fresh angle.

I think that’s why he passed it onto me!

I prayed and received a flash of insight.

How would Jesus tell this story if he were telling it to us, here and now, today?

What he wouldn’t do is talk about a Samaritan.

Casting him as the hero of the tale was a truly shocking thing to a Jewish audience who despised Samaritans.

But we wouldn’t know a Samaritan if we tripped over him!

Who would Jesus choose to shock us today?

And so the ‘Caring Russian Ultra’ was born.

My pastor felt this had brought a whole new dimension to the parable. It had shocked the congregation. Made them sit up and take notice. He asked me to do another.

And so the Lost Sheep became the Missing Pupil: a schoolkid caught in a white-out on a ski-trip.

A member of the congregation, a keen skier, said this had caused her for the first time to consider the parable from the sheep’s point of view. She suddenly realised how empty and afraid people must be, disoriented, lost and utterly alone in a spiritual white-out.

She asked me to do another.

So I did. The Selfish Lawyer, aka Rich Fool, was the next up.

People would ask me for copies of them that they could share them with faith fence-sitting friends and family.

These stories were clearly touching a nerve, just as they had done 2000 years ago.

It was at this point I felt God pushing me to continue.

A divine finger, prodding me on the shoulder.

‘How many should I do?’ I asked.

ALL OF THEM was the reply I received.

That’s when I felt compelled to write this book.

Answer Two

In my advertising career I learned that a brand could survive many things.

But one thing that would kill it was irrelevance.

When a product became irrelevant in people’s lives, they would move on.

Faced with this, the brand would surely die.

Fewer and fewer people are reading the Bible. Fewer and fewer are attending church.

Both are increasingly seen as an irrelevance.

So fewer and fewer people are reading or hearing the parables that Jesus told

The stories are dying.

I felt compelled to write this book to help keep them alive.

To re-connect the stories with people who need to hear them.

In a relevant and interesting way.

Just as Jesus did.

How has your experience and expertise as an adman contributed to the development
of Jesus Unbranded?

Advertising seeks to create awareness of a product, service or even a cause.

It then seeks to create interest and curiosity, a desire to find out more.

Good advertising achieves this by tapping into emotions.

Great advertising is memorable and persuasive.

Jesus achieved all those things with his Parables. He’d have made a great Adman!

In Jesus Unbranded, you “rewire” the parables to reach today’s world with the
timeless truths of Jesus. Can you explain this process?

It’s a reasonably straightforward process, but challenging, nevertheless.

There were two stages to it.

The first stage was to study each parable really closely to understand why Jesus was telling it, to whom he was telling it, the key messages he was communicating, and why.

The second stage was to map out the original storyline and then ensure that the rewired story followed it exactly. No additions, omissions or deviations.

Not an easy task, but with God all things are possible.

So the whole process was embedded in prayer.

In the book, you mention the need to ‘rewire’ the parables in order to make Jesus’ teachings more culturally relevant and impactful for 21st-century audiences. How did you approach this process with the sensitivity needed to ensure the overarching themes and core messages remained unchanged? 

Key to the whole project was humility.

Jesus was a better story-teller than I and I needed to acknowledge and respect that.

So, there was one question I found myself praying time and again.

Is this rewiring saying What Jesus Would Say?

There were times when the answer was ‘no’.

It’s a good story Mike, but it’s not my story.

I’d then go back to the storyboard.

And something far better would invariably emerge.

Why did you choose to place the parables in chronological order?

Short answer?

Because that’s the order in which Jesus would have told them.

Longer answer?

Because it added so much contextual depth.

Seeing them in the context of his ministry enables us to understand them better.

It also enables us to experience his ministry better.

To be there, walking alongside him, and conversing with him.

Each parable is structured by five sections—Rewiring, Reminding, Interpretation, Reflection and Response. Why did you choose to structure each story this way?

It’s a question of logic really.

And my preaching and small group leadership training.

First it was essential that the rewired parable should be followed immediately by the original as Jesus told it. Because the original text is paramount: these are the words Jesus himself
spoke!

It also enabled the rewired version to be contrasted and compared with the original.

Which then meant that the subsequent ‘Interpretation’ could call upon both.

And what else could follow that, other than a prayerful reflection; along with an opportunity for the reader to respond on what the Parable may be saying to them personally in their own personal circumstances.

How did co-author Ivan Filby aid you in creating Jesus Unbranded? What unique qualities, expertise and/or insights did Ivan bring to the project?

I’m a Brit. I’ve visited the USA many dozens of times on business, holiday and marathon running.

But I’ve never lived there for an extended period.

I understand and appreciate the culture, but I’ve not been immersed in it.

That’s the first thing Ivan brought to the project.

A deep understanding of the culture into which the rewired parables would be speaking.

The second thing he brought was theological discipline and guidance.

I’m a good lay preacher, but Ivan has qualifications!

As an added bonus he brought creativity, a great sense of humour, oodles of common-sense and great friendship.

We loved working together, bonded together and the book is all the better for it.

You have created two volumes of Jesus Unbranded. How are the two books similar and different?

They’re similar in that they follow the same structure.

Plus the introduction and set-up are the same, so that each book can stand alone.

But there is a distinct difference between the two, driven by Jesus himself.

Volume One follows the early part of his ministry as he travelled around Galilee, delivering the Sermon on the Mount and teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven to willing listeners, enlightening them with the scriptures.

Volume Two follows the latter part of his ministry, after he had set his face towards Jerusalem. There is a distinct difference in the tone and purpose of the parables he told as he found himself confronted by objecting adversaries, and confronting them in turn with his stories.

In the first Volume he is teaching with content; in the second Volume he is preaching with intent.

Who is the ideal reader of Jesus Unbranded?

Anyone who has a conscious or unconscious desire to come closer to Jesus: to the original,
authentic, unbranded Jesus. To hear him speak to them in his own words.

That may be a preacher, seeking new insights.

Or a believer, wanting new inspiration.

Or a faith fence-sitter hoping for new hope.

The ideal reader is the one that Jesus wants to speak to with his stories, for whatever reason.

He knows better than me!

How can readers help keep the stories of Christ alive in their own life?

Quick answer: to listen, really listen, to them.

And act on them.

But I think the better question may be: how can the readers help keep the stories alive in others?

The quick answer to that is: pass them on.

Once you’ve read these books, don’t place them on your bookshelf; place them in the hands of someone you know who needs to know Jesus.

They are good books, so it’s not difficult!

What do you want readers to take away from this resource?

The words of the authentic, ‘unbranded’ Jesus, spoken directly into their hearts, minds and souls.

Learn more about Jesus Unbranded here. Volumes 1 and 2 are available for purchase individually or as a bundle.