Evangelism, is one of those dirty words that we use in the church today. So dirty in fact that when it is mention in conversation its almost like you used a four letter word only reserved for someone who cuts you off while driving or when your football team throws an interception. This morning, as I reflect on how we view evangelism today, how do we break through the stereotypes that have given it the four letter connotation? We have to start by remembering we are all evangelist. No that doesn't mean we need to get on our local cable access show, stand on the street corner with a megaphone and a sign that screams "Turn or burn!", or even walk around the grocery store passing out those popular tracks. Unfortunately those are the stereotypes we think of when we think of the "E-word", but what is the "E-word" exactly? Like many things in the western protestant culture we have complicated evangelism to the point where we have to have a process, formula, piece of paper, or scary message to get our point across. Have we forgotten that
evangelism isn't about forcing people to have the same experience you have with God, its giving them the opportunity to have an experience of their own. An experience that warms their heart.
So how do we give people the opportunity to experience God in their own way? How did Jesus do it? Jesus didn't spend his three years in ministry preaching turn or burn or passing out tracks that ask very scary vague questions. He spent it building relationships with people, all kinds of people. We see throughout the gospels Jesus hanging out with people with bad reputations, tax collectors, prostitutes, sinners as the locals call them. He also hung out with religious leaders, Romans, the poor, the rich, and people who down right hated him. He built relationships with all people, and then he began to speak into their lives. People were able to experience the Love of God in their in ways that spoke to them. Then they had a desire to bring people to Jesus so they could experience that same Love, not in the same way, but in a way that would change their lives.
So how have you shared your experiences with God in a way that would allow someone the opportunity to experience God in a new, heart warming, live changing way? Who in your life is begging for an evangelist? Where is God calling you to be an evangelist?
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and
proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness.
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed
and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest
is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into his harvest.’ – Matthew 9:35-38
The harvest is plentiful and we are the laborers, go out and be the evangelist the world needs today!
Love God, Love People, Change the World!
Zach
