When simple ways of evangelising will do
EVANGELISM. Has it become an expensive enterprise? Though we have new methods of creative evangelism, I wonder whether we have lost the art of using the simple habits that open the doors for evangelism.
Evangelism, in some churches, has not only become expensive but so impersonal! Christian groups and churches organise mega-evangelistic events – youth concerts, healing ministries, prophetic schools and other eye-catchers. These are costly undertakings as huge halls or even stadiums are hired and equipped with laser lightings and mega-sound systems as part of the props for mega-crusades. The hope is that these events will be a platform for congregation members of participating churches to bring their non-Christian friends to be evangelised. This seems to be the preferred model for evangelism today. Perhaps, this model of evangelism does help the churches to increase their membership but I believe that it also does have a negative affect on the Church.
Have we lost the simple but personalised joy of evangelism that brought many of us to Christ? As a pastor, I recall hearing these testimonies: “I was reading my Bible as I travelled in the train to work. My colleague saw that and asked me about my faith in Christ. It was a golden opportunity to share the Gospel.” Another said, “I said grace before I ate my lunch at the same table with my colleagues and one of them asked if I was Christian. We discussed Christianity and I shared my faith in Christ.”
However, I find it very strange that today whenever an invitation is given to share testimonies, hardly anyone comes forward to say that he or she shared Christ with someone. Today’s sharing is about God’s miraculous healing or some dramatic event in which they saw the intervention of God or a prophetic word that was given for the future. I wonder whether many of these testimonies are the result of these “evangelistic meetings”.
Whatever has happened to the Christ-taught practice of lifestyle evangelism which looked for every window of opportunity to share the Gospel? Whatever has happened to the many testimonies which shared the joy of being able to be a witness for Christ through our simple actions? Has this impersonal world led us to shy away from living our faith in public with individuals? Are we ashamed to practise our faith when we are with our non-Christian friends? Are we as churches and individuals satisfied to give cold hard cash when we receive stacks of glossy and colourful promotional flyers from the organisers who solicit funds for the modern evangelistic events?
I believe that for individuals to be excited about and engaged in evangelism, we have to return to our practice, at fellowship and prayer meetings, where the sharing of personal testimonies of how God is moving in and through us to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ by our “simple lifestyles” is the norm.
“I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” – Romans 1:16.
The Rev