Evangelism

An article in the OurDailyBread website, titled "Evangelism in the Twenty-First Century," begins with a quote from George Barnum. It reads, "We are physically detached from each other. We change places of residence frequently. One survey revealed that seven in ten do not know their neighbors. As many as one-third of Americans admit to frequent periods of loneliness, which is a key factor in the high suicide rate among the elderly.” (1)

As a Christian, I have heard the message that others don't want to hear the gospel. They don't want to be evangelized. They want to be left alone. Yet, here is a quote that is especially pertinent during this coronavirus scare. It shows that loneliness can have life and death consequences. In fact, Tim Keller, in a lecture titled "How to Become Evergreen" (April 30, 2020), highlighted a recent Harvard report, which studied the importance of church attendance. The author of that study reported a 68 percent drop in the likelihood of a "death from despair" for females who attend church once per week, and a 33 percent drop for men. (2) The prevalence of that despair seems apparent from recent statistics from the Disaster Distress Helpline, which reported a 338 percent increase in call volume in March compared to February, and 900 a percent hike compared to the same time last year. (3)

It's clear that we need each other, and I'm convinced that the church--while imperfect--offers not just a social outlet, but a hope that others need. Moreover, it is we, as Christians, who have that hope inside us, and thus it is crucial that we be willing to share it with others.

On March 14th, in a Life Church sermon, Craig Groeschel spoke in the context of the current coronavirus scare with a sermon titled "Hope is Contagious." With the theme of being contagious, he said at one point, "We're all carriers. Is what you're carrying worth catching?"

He then highlighted 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10, verse seven of which reads,"And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia." Paul says earlier what that involved: He said that he remembered their "work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."

It was their faith, hope, and love, Groeschel shows, that activated their deeds. Those deeds were a consequence of what they already had inside them. What they carried (faith, hope, and love) became evident and was caught by those around them. (4)

Still, my question was, How do we express this faith, hope, and love?

I know of Jesus's words in John 13:35, which reads, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

By loving one another in the church, we become a beacon to those outside it.

However, we must also speak the gospel to those outside the church directly. In a lecture titled, Tim Keller distinguishes between "word evangelism" and "deed evangelism," saying that both are required. He suggests what he calls "lay ministry behaviors." These include the following:

1. telling people that you go to church;

2. telling people that you're a Christian, even in passing.

He gives an example of a Christian woman talking to another woman, both of whom are angry with their husbands. The Christian woman says that her Christian faith has really helped her with her situation, then moves on.

Keller explains that these things tend to lead to organic conversations about your faith. Those you shared with may ask about these things later. Evangelism, he goes on, can start simple. You don’t need to fit the gospel into one conversation or have a debate about creation-evolution. Since his ministry is in New York City, he also emphasized that it's important to be sensitive to others' cultures in cities especially. (5)

Helping others come to a faith in Christ, moreover, involves helping them experience the love and community that Christ can bring. One way to lead people to Christ is to introduce non-Christians to other Christians.

John Burke writes, “In today’s post-Christian context, people often need the intersection of three elements in order to find faith and become the church:

A friendship with someone who truly acts like Jesus—listening, caring, serving, and talking openly about faith in a non-pressuring way.

Relationship with a ‘tribe’ of four to five other Christians whom they enjoy hanging out with and who make them feel like they truly belong.

A ‘come as you are’ learning environment where they can learn, usually for six to eighteen months, about the way of Jesus.” (6)

What I've learned from all of this is that we not only need each other, but we need each other in the context of the hope that Christ offers. Thus, we as Christians need to be willing to share our faith with others. As I thought about this, though, I am reminded of the fear I have of rejection from those who don't want to hear the gospel. Still, I was comforted as I remembered 1 Corinthians 3:6: "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow." While we do need to share our faith with others, it is God who makes himself known to the heart of each individual who hears the gospel, and who works in that person to know him personally. We can take comfort that God is doing most of the work. We are his instruments. He chooses to present himself through our message, but it is not we who save others. It is him.

1. “Evangelism in the Twenty-First Century.” Our Daily Bread Ministries, 19 Apr. 2018, ourdailybread.org/resources/evangelism-in-the-twenty-first-century/.

2. Chen, Ying. “Religious Service Attendance and Deaths Related to Drugs, Alcohol, and Suicide in US Health Care Professionals.” JAMA Psychiatry, 6 May 2020, jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2765488.

3. Thayer, Kate. “Coronavirus Pandemic Creates Suicide Risk. 'This Could Last Years'.” Chicagotribune.com, Chicago Tribune, 23 Apr. 2020, www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-life-coronavirus-pandemic-suicide-concerns-tt-20200423-fpf7opllirauve77gbzgqx6e4u-story.html.

4. Groeschel, Craig, director. How Should the Church Respond to Coronavirus? Life.Church, 14 Mar. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=HANQASntcww.

5. Keller, Timothy, director. Tim Keller on Evangelism in the 21st Century. Tim Keller on Evangelism in the 21st Century, Evangelical Alliance, 8 Sept. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHQBoLo31Ns.

6. "Evangelism in the Twenty-First Century." Our Daily Bread Ministries, 19 Apr. 2018, ourdailybread.org/resources/evangelism-in-the-twenty-first-century/.