Evangelism?

Evangelism?

Romans 3:21-26

My home church supported a mission ship offering free books, and other supplies to poorer countries. They also sponsored students who volunteered to do evangelism wherever the ship docked. In each city, the ship would open the library and give out books and supplies. The students would go into town passing out tracts and talking about Jesus. People would often talk about their faith and how Christ impacted them.

A few years ago, they visited my city to thank their supporters. They opened the library to give out free books and supplies. The students went into town passing out tracts and talking about Jesus. Can you guess what happened? It’s not pretty. They were yelled at, ignored and shoved aside. Their tracts were often thrown into the trash.

We are bombarded with so many messages damaging our trust toward anything religious. Maybe, it’s because we saw evangelists pleading for money while traveling in private jets. Or, it’s a stranger who shakes your hand and says, “If you died today, do you know where you’re going?” Evangelism has gotten a bad rap that in some ways is deserved. Does this mean we should stop all evangelism? Of course not! There is a form of evangelism that is still very effective even today.

What if you knew that by simply saying hello to a neighbor or listening more closely to a friend you could impact that person forever? This has nothing to do with methods and everything to do with taking a genuine interest in someone, allowing God to lead you out of your comfort zone and in your own way, help another person see Jesus in you.

Paul wrote: “But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” (Romans 3:21-22)

This is a gift God provided for us. We should be excited enough about that gift to share. As a pastor I’ve learned that I can only personally talk to a few people. But what I can do is enable our church to be a potentially life-changing experience for those who come.

Here are some practical ideas: Take prayer walks in your neighborhood and pray for your neighbors as you pass by. When you ask how others are doing, slow down, listen and ask questions. Be a generous tipper at restaurants and start conversations with those who serve you. Invite neighbors over for coffee and dessert.

Wherever you go, God is giving you the opportunity to make an eternal difference in someone’s life. Respond to that God-given opportunity today!

Prayer Challenge: Who needs to hear this? How can you creatively share your story?