the tale of two evangelists

Evangelism. I don't know about you, but there is something about this word that makes me a little uneasy. Maybe it is because I think of the person standing on the street corner yelling at those walking by... telling them to repent of all their sins or they will enter the gates of hell.

This would not win me over.

Evangelism is defined as the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness. When I hear the definition, there is nothing that makes me uneasy - we should all be sharing the gospel in one way or another. But in my current job, I am encountering many Christians who feel uneasy about sharing their faith and ill-equipped to do so.

This peaks my curiosity... and when my curiosity is peaked, I seek to learn... 

So is it any surprise that on my most recent trip to Ethiopia, God gave me the opportunity to spend some time listening to two men share about their faith? Both men love the Lord. Both men want everyone they encounter to know Him. But their approach to sharing came in two very different ways.

One gentleman's evangelistic technique came in the form of questions. He asked me about my spiritual health... the spiritual health of my church, of my husband, and of my children. He talked about his worries of the Christian church in America. And although he said nothing wrong, I felt cornered with every question he asked. I felt judged and the air around me felt suffocating. As I looked at this man, I thought for sure flaming daggers would pierce me if he knew of the spiritual poverty I sometimes felt in my life. So when it came to answering, I felt defensive and tried to avoid any discussions with him regarding my faith or the faith of anyone close to me. 

The second gentleman had a much different technique. He sat down and shared his story. He talked about growing up having a faith... but a faith that wasn't centered on Jesus. He shared how he didn't have direct access to pray to God and how Jesus was not the Truth, the Way, and the Life. As he shared all the intricacies of his story, he exuberated such joy. God was in every single detail! He was sharing God's story through his life's story. Anyone listening couldn't help but want what he had. Pure love and joy and peace!

Two men evangelizing - sharing their faith in very different ways.

As I mull over the two conversations I had with the men from Ethiopia, I am convinced one thing must always be present when we share Jesus... love. When the love of Christ is present, people listen. And they are moved.

When I heard the second gentlemen's story, I listened. And I learned that sharing God's story through our own is a powerful testimony and witness of the gift we have in Christ. I am convinced this is one of the most powerful forms of evangelism - being a personal witness. I read it this way in Irresistible Evangelism, "True evangelism is not merely proclaiming a message of good news; it is becoming a living representative of God's heart toward people.

May people see God in every detail of our lives by what we say and what we do. May we be a living representation of God's heart towards others.