I recently bought Paulette a new printer, and I feel pretty good about the fact that it only took six hours to install it. The instruction pamphlet consisted of three pages of impossible to read lawyer speak very small print, followed by three pages of instructions, which were almost all pictures. I couldn’t understand the pictures, so I decided to turn on the printer and see if things became clearer. It then began an initialization process, not mentioned in my “instructions”, during which there were several times that the small LED screen called for user input. Unfortunately, the writing was all in French, but it was Greek to me. I went to the customer service website, but none of the sections gave information on how to change languages (or even mentioned initialization). There was a chat option, but there was also a polite message saying that it was out of service. I then searched both my instruction pamphlet and the website for a customer service telephone number, but it was nowhere to be found.

Finally, I googled my problem. I didn’t find the answer, but one of the Google links went to a post that talked about another problem, AND gave a customer service telephone number. It was a fairly old post, so that there was a chance the number wouldn’t work. When I called, however, I was almost immediately connected (probably because no one had the number) to a friendly, helpful person, who not only solved my immediate problem, but walked me through the process of connecting the printer to my router and then setting the default on my computer to the new printer. The way to change languages turned out to be to reboot the printer by depressing and holding for ten seconds the lower right hand part of the LED screen (there was no icon there).

Afterwards I again examined the documentation that came with my printer and again searched the customer service website, but indeed the telephone number was missing. I wondered why a company would not make it easy to access such wonderfully helpful people. I think I know the answer. Some bean counter forgot about the person who was buying the bean soup.

When this printer episode happened I was in the midst of reading the book unChristian by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. It is a report, written for a Christian audience, on attitudes towards the Christian church by young adults (those born after 1984). It is based on extensive polls and interviews, and in addition it quotes a number of other studies. It attempts to explain why this group has turned away from the church more than the young adults in previous generations did. The authors gave seven somewhat overlapping answers, one of which is that the Church is perceived as being sheltered and insular. One-quarter of respondents describe Christians as “using special words and phrases no one else can understand,” – like an LED screen in French. Many report that “Christianity seems like a club that only certain people can join,” – like having a hidden customer service number.

I strongly believe that the Christian message is helpful and important to all; even more than that of the wonderfully helpful customer service people I was finally able to reach. We have a God who extends grace to all, regardless of their sins, and who loves us all unconditionally. We need to do all we can to ensure that everyone has clear and obvious access to this message.

Jim