evangelism

The pastor was really courageous. After the evangelism class he taught, I chatted with him about how courageous he was. Evangelism and Giving are two subjects likely to make people uneasy. Many leaders avoid them or minimize the time.

Why?

I think that evangelism (and giving) dredges up guilt and shame. We know we should be more active in talking with others about Jesus. And we are ashamed to admit how little we proactively initiate with others.

I visited church with my son and daughter-in-love yesterday.  That’s where I attended the pastor’s evangelism class. Training others in evangelism is what I’ve done all my adult life. It doesn’t make me an expert evangelism trainer, just an active participant in trying to help others experience the amazing privilege of seeing someone open the door of their lives to Jesus. Getting to see a new birth is a tremendous privilege.

I had several thoughts during the class. Here are some the things I’ve found helpful.

• Having the proper perspective: Success in evangelism is simply taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God. This simple explanation frees me to be successful because the results are God’s.
• CoJourners is one of the best approaches to evangelism I’ve used in recent years. The focus is coming alongside others on the roadtrip called life. I’ve written about my experiences here and here.
• Sharing your personal story is an excellent way to share with others. The 5clicks.com site is very helpful in preparing your story in a compelling, winsome way.
• A friend of mine uses a very intentional approach to prepare to share with someone every day. Each morning, he takes a booklet or a New Testament or a Jesus Film DVD in his hand. He prays, “Lord, this belongs to someone else. Please lead me today to its new owner.” Then he goes out for his day eagerly expecting to find someone to give the booklet or DVD.
• Don’t be afraid of a question you can’t answer. I don’t hesitate to ask someone to play basketball because I’m afraid they might ask a question I can’t answer. And if I am asked a question, saying “I don’t really know a good answer right now. How about if I think about it and get something to you tomorrow?” Then go to search.ccci.org which searches across 2,000 websites in 50 languages for the best articles to questions like “How do I know if God really exists?” or “How can a good God allow all the evil and suffering in the world today?” Go to the search engine and type in one of these questions. See, good results that you can forward to your friend.

My son wrote about another misconception voiced yesterday.

It works! It takes courage. It takes overcoming all sorts of little whispers from the one who would have us keep silent. “He’s not interested.” “Don’t interrupt her now!” “You’ll only embarrass yourself.” I hear these and more every time I’m about to take the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results to God.

As Nike made famous, just do it.

What is your favorite story from past Olympics? I think my all-time favorite is Derek Redmond from Barcelona 1992.

Here’s another video clip that shows more of how his Dad came to help him finish the race.

Another favorite is Kerry Strug from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

It’s Olympics time. In our house, we watched the opening ceremonies last night. Well, mostly Kay and Michelle watched last night. Daniel and I are waiting for the more competitive events!

Struggle and Triumph is a DVD and a website from the Athletes in Action ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. It’s a great tool to share with your friends. Read stories from athletes, view video clips, and explore a personal relationship with God that the athletes talk about.

The DVD is being used in many countries as part of Olympic outreaches. It is being broadcast throughout the Middle East. It is on local television in Turkey and other countries in the area. Thousands of outreaches are happening in India and in Brazil and other countries. It is available in 36 languages. Order copies and give to your friends.

By the way, what is your favorite story from past Olympics?

“M” had many questions about God. He was returning from two weeks in Columbia visiting his family. He is a senior manager with a major telecommunications company and has lived in the U.S. for over 30 years. As we flew from Atlanta to Dallas, I explored areas where our lives are similar. We both trained as electrical engineers. I am familiar with his company campus in Plano, having friends who work there and having visited the campus. He teaches data security courses at a major university as an adjunct professor. We both think deeply about spiritual things.

“Why would God tell Abraham to kill his son Isaac as proof of his love for him?” “Why would God tell the Israelites to wipe out other nations?”

“M” has knowledge of the Bible from his Catholic education. But he does not personally know the loving God of the Bible. As we continued to talk, I realized there are some barriers in “M’s” mind that need to be bridged as he continues on his journey toward Jesus. I need to become a bridge builder to help him over these barriers.

“M” had not heard of C. S. Lewis nor his book Mere Christianity. With his permission, I sent him a copy with a note about our conversation. I invited him to email me with his thoughts and questions as he reads the book. I am becoming a guide to help him on his journey.

I have been greatly helped in thinking about evangelistic opportunities by training from CoJourners. Understanding the roles of Explorer, Guide, Builder, and Mentor help me sharpen my ability to connect effectively with others.

Our flight did not start out as an evangelistic mission. As we boarded the flight in Orlando, Kay and I were looking forward to meeting grandchild #3, Luke Andrew. The plane pushed back and moved out on the taxiway, then sat. And sat. And sat. It rained hard. Flights were not allowed to depart. The pilot shut down the engines to conserve fuel.

What do you do when you are waiting for two hours and you know you will miss your connecting flight? Henry Blackaby says that what you do next reveals what you believe about God. Is this a time to get mad at the airline? A time to take out your frustration on the attendants? Or a time to recognize that we are on a grand journey that is daily orchestrated by the God of the universe?

We did miss our connecting flight. We were put on standby for the fully loaded 7pm flight to Dallas.
Successfully getting on the flight, I was seated next to “M”. I don’t know how this twist in the journey will turn out, but we are on an exciting journey under God’s sovereignty. Stay tuned…

… and please pray for “M” as he begins reading Mere Christianity. Pray that his eyes are enlightened and his soul is inflamed by the God of the universe.