I remember my early days as a Christian. I knew nothing. Well, almost nothing. I understood that Jesus was God incarnate who came to earth to forgive. But that was about it. It wasn’t long before a bunch of my friends got wind of my new-found faith. They dared me to meet and try to convince them. I took their challenge seriously, but I soon realized that all they wanted to do was to have some fun. One of them said: “Jesus was not perfect. He lost it. In a rage he threw the money changers out of the temple swinging a whip.” I was caught completely off guard, and so I stumbled and fumbled. Finally, I said something that made no sense at all. “Uche augh Ache bleep.” In other words, I had nothing to say. I could have simply asked: “Do you think that anger is always wrong?” I didn’t know enough to even consider such a response. It was so embarrassing. I still shudder when I recall that day.
It gets me to wonder. The Bible commands: “Go into all the world and make disciples.” Peter tells us: “Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you to explain the hope you have.” Finally, there are the verses in the gospel of Luke:
When people bring you before synagogue leaders, rulers, or authorities, don’t worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, because at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you are to say.” (Luke 12:11-12)
On that day, my friends were not leaders, rulers, or authorities; this is true. I doubt I would have done any better if they were. God did teach me a lesson though, “You’ve got a lot to learn, buddy.”
There was another encounter that I recall from my early days. I had just become a member of a small church in New Jersey. They had an active visitation program where congregants would go door to door offering to share the good news. It was obvious. I was the rookie. They were wise enough not to let me loose on my own. So, off I went one day with an experienced caller. We rang bells of house after house. Each time I thought: “I hope no one answers.” There was not much success that day, but one family did welcome us in. I recall diddly-squat except sitting there like a bump on a log. I was so happy when it ended. The whole thing was painful.
“Go into all the world and make disciples.” What does this mean? I’ve heard pastors many times saying things like: “Don’t wait till you are ready. If you do, you’ll never be ready.” We live in a post-Christian era. Many people have heard it all. Lots grew up in church and had bad experiences. I wonder. How do they feel? How do I feel when I’m approached by someone with another faith? What about when I’m approached by a Christian who assumes that I need salvation? It gets uncomfortable. I don’t like it. It is not fun being a target.
Okay, so let’s start wrestling with this issue. Joe is a new convert. In church he hears that the unbelievers are lost and totally depraved. If they don’t convert, they are hell-bound. Every believer is obliged to witness to each lost person that they meet. Unfortunately, Joe is an introvert. Even the word, witnessing , scares him out of his wits. But no matter, because he wants to please God, he goes to a Christian conference to learn how. It is called “Five Steps to Effective Evangelism.” The facilitators equip him with lots of reading material and explain the five steps. They are:
Put yourself in places where you will have social contact with unbelievers.
Take the initiative to reach out to people around you.
Take advantage of opportunities in regular conversations to turn their attention toward spiritual matters.
Bring the person to a realization that they are a sinner before God.
Present the full truth about Christ.
Programs like this are loaded with good intentions. Their goal is to train the flock. Do you think they will work? Perhaps for a natural born salesman it could, but that’s not Joe. After all, he is an introvert and it takes time for him to warm-up to each new acquaintance. He never has been, nor wants to be, the center of attention. Besides this, he knows almost nothing about his Christian faith. He is also unaware that evangelical prepackaged plans often present a stereotypical good news message that is not very good. If Joe does give it a try, he’ll likely stumble, get embarrassed, and decide never to do it again. Even worse, he could run into a person who has given religion lots of thought. Overwhelmed with philosophical arguments, doubt easily could spring up. Joe might even begin to wonder if the Christian faith is no more than an imaginary fantasy.
So then, what is wrong with many of these cookie-cutter evangelical programs? The first obvious thing that comes to mind is this. “It pressures people to become what they are not.” Their authentic selves are pushed aside and replaced by fake ones. Their Christian walk becomes a smiley façade, covering over turmoil and doubt rising up from the inside. Eventually, they could simply give up.
A second problem is the agenda implied. One can’t simply enjoy the experience of meeting a potential friend. They have to be thinking: “Is this one saved? How can I turn the conversation to Jesus? They have to know they are a sinner, heading to hell. How do I tell them all of this?” Wouldn’t it be better to treat those we meet as equals, and not as bulls-eyes at which we aim our conversion arrows? Christians are not always right. We don’t have all the answers. If we have the humility to be willing to listen, we can learn lots. Christian subculture group-think leads to intellectual laziness. We all, regardless of our belief systems, need our worldviews challenged and refined. I’ve found that I learn the most from those with whom I disagree.
Another problem: objectifying others. We meet, explain, challenge, convert, and then disappear. People quickly recognize this kind of hit and run, belt-buckle evangelism. They don’t like it. Is the goal conversion, or is it relationship? We should always ask ourselves whether we will lose interest as soon as it becomes clear that the target is not likely to see the light. If the answer is yes, it may be that we are seeing others as objects. C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton were known to establish life-long cherished friendships with those with radically different worldviews. God was pleased, I’m sure.
Finally, when we put our trust in a program, we remove God from the equation. He does not work in a mechanical manner. He has his own plan and has no obligation to tell us what it is. Why not simply be available when God calls, rather than to try to force it on our own? There is a unique path to each person’s heart and I don’t have the insight to figure out what it is. A program’s one size fits all approach may succeed occasionally, despite its shortcomings. But is it the best way to go? I think not
So then, what is the role of an evangelist? I submit that it is not seeking to change the worldviews of our neighbors. Yes, our friends will of course come to know what we believe, and they will quickly learn whether we are genuine. Perhaps we will have friendly back-and-forth discussions on all sorts of matters. If the topic of Christianity comes up, it may be that we can honestly explain what our faith means to us. No pressure here, just friendly sharing. I am convinced that another person’s worldview is sacred, private property. Each person should be afforded the dignity to choose for themselves. Jesus is the gatekeeper, not us. It is arrogant to presume that we know another’s eternal destiny. The Holy Spirit’s still small voice will be heard in time, if not already. God best understands the traumas that our neighbors live through. It is for us to trust, to be trustworthy, and ready to offer help whenever needed. In the meantime, God is in control.
So, what did Jesus mean when he said: “Go into all the world and make disciples”? I submit that it was not primarily directed at individuals, but at the community. It is the Church, the body of Christ, that should go into all the world. As individuals we each have our unique role that contributes to the whole. As Paul taught:
God has appointed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, those who have gifts of healing, those who help others, administrators, and those who speak various kinds of languages. (1 Cor. 12:28-30)
We each have our part, and no part can boast over another.
For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, form a single body, so it is with the Messiah. … For the body does not consist of only one part, but of many. If the foot says, “Since I’m not a hand, I’m not part of the body,” that does not make it any less a part of the body, does it?” … So, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” or the head to the feet, “I don’t need you.” … If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is praised, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the Messiah’s body and individual parts of it. (1 Cor. 12:12-27)
The trick is to find who we are in Christ, and not succumb to the pressures put on us. What is our true identity? If we can establish this, we then can grow as authentic trees producing good fruit. Single trees do not have to be world changers. We don’t have to be looking at people as conversion targets. The love of Jesus shines brightest through honest relationships, and that is contagious.
Thanks for listening,secondlooknow.com
Whew!
On producing “converts”: Jesus also said that He is our example. We should be examples of what being Christian is all about. I believe that being an example will speak loudly. As my Uncle Warner Parks would quote, “What you do speaks so loudly, I can’t hear what you say!”
I have often struggled with this issue. Why? I am a missionary kid, (now gramma). But my experiences have been based on the teaching that we are supposed to go out and preach the gospel to all the world.
On furlough years, (the year in between each of the 4-year periods of our folks’ career as linguistic missionaries to Ivory Coast) I felt only the driving of “YOU have to…” witness to the high school students, and would – be friends..tho’ most of the time, I was afraid I would say the wrong thing and further alienate myself from any possible friendships.
For one thing, I felt like I was a “hit n run” witness; i could not have “real” friends because my “job” was to “SAVE Souls”.
I would not be “there” to actually befriend any one of possible friend relationships..Our family would be moving back to the African Continent at schools end. How badly did I want to have good friends..but there was no time to actually develop those.
Speaking from our heart, and sharing the Truth of Who GOD is, not our own badly construed ideas..but sharing Truth has to be led and guided by the gentle inner glow of our personal experience and relationship with JESUS..
Not with a threat from The All-Mighty One.. but the inner glow of Truth and confidence in God’s love for “me”..