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"Evangelism - Done"

Just a quick note to finish up these thoughts on evangelism. I recently read here what Peter John Courson wrote, “While Romans was the Book of Luther’s day, James will be (or ought to be) in ours. We are justified by works, and not faith alone.” And it made me begin to think about the way we view and represent the Christianity we so proudly profess when it comes to evangelism. I think there is much to regard in the book of James. Believe me when I say that we are justified by faith but I think it goes further than that. Yes, it’s Christ and Him alone but there are a lot of things that are direct byproducts of knowing Him.

Read chapter 2 of James again and look for yourself. It’s clear, it’s plain; Abraham was justified by his works. Now it wasn’t his works that justified him in themselves but it was because of the faith behind the works that he was found justified. God seeks a broken and contrite heart and if we are doing for Christ what we ought we are found justified, works working through faith. We do because we have faith in Christ, without faith those works are dead.

In saying these things I believe that if we have faith in Christ we will do what pleases Him. And if it signifies us living a missional life within our culture for Jesus, those works working through faith will continually bring honor to God. So I believe true evangelism comes down to this: It doesn’t really matter how and what we say to share the gospel but rather it’s how we exist to represent Him.

"Evangelism - Continued"

Is evangelism really being bold to share the gospel when we feel prompted? Doesn't conversion begin with simple belief? I find in reading the book of Acts that the majority of people that condemned the Apostles were the Jews and others that were demon possessed. Most other people were willing to hear what Paul and the Apostles would say. Back then it was a new fresh thing to hear, today its history to our ears. We've all heard it before and people want something new and different. They aren't longing for Sunday church, they don't find identity in a sanctuary, and to them it is foreign.


What are they looking for? Well, it's the same thing we are all looking for, a relational Jesus. All aim is to God for patiently walking us through our experience of simple belief and through years now finally coming to maturity. But to the unbeliever, that thinks church and modern fundamentalist are the lamest ever, how do we share? Well to me, it's not by being bold but rather being relational. I know that if I spend enough quality time with an unbeliever I won't be able to hide the Light that shines through me.

I use to always pray for boldness to be able to walk up to people and ask if they have ever heard the gospel, but now to me that is so futile and so weak. Actually, it's the easy way out. When I used to do that I would feel afterward that I have accomplished something dramatic for the Kingdom of God. When in all reality I was sharing a mystery with a baby. Babies don't get it and they never will, they just look at you and spit up a little bit. I am sure seeds were planted and there is a benefit to those ways of being bold.

But how many people have you heard of that have come to know Jesus by street witnessing? Not many. Sure there are stories of how people said the sinner’s prayer and took a bible but then what, where are they now? I once led a Coast Guard to the Lord at Mission Beach in San Diego, we prayed right on the shore with the waves crashing at our feet. His name was Paul. Where is he now? I don't know, I hope he is a believer and a lover of God. I do think that these events happen and need to happen but why do we have to do it like this. Why is it an activity we do? Shouldn't our lives be a witness continually all day, every day? Christ would command, “Go and make disciples”, and “Be witnesses of me…to the ends of the earth”.

I am just waiting for the multitude to ask me, "What must we do to be saved", they see the light shinning, they know there is something different about me and until then I will continue to live out Jesus to all of them.

I will share my faith not by what I say when the opportunity comes but by what I do.

"Evangelism - Systematical or Relational"

I went out to the usual Sunday Night group that I attend and we had some sweet conversation about evangelism. As we began to talk about the many ways of evangelism in today’s culture I was slightly annoyed by our typical systematic way of evangelism. Don’t get me wrong, I have been street witnessing my fair share of times in the past but times are changing. I have even gone as far as leading a few guys through the traditional sinner’s prayer after a time of evangelistic talk.

I am one of those bible thumping non-fundamentalist that love it when a JDub (Jehovah’s Witness) comes to the door. I get all excited. I think I get excited not necessarily to scripturally battle with them but because I get to talk spiritual things with people right at my front door. Seriously, I have had deeper theological conversations with JDub’s than with I have with most twenty something lukewarm believers. I found that I don’t tend to battle Scriptures but rather share with them the relational Jesus that I have come to know and love.

And that’s what I believe as a church culture that, we have created in America and abroad, we have systematically set up a plan of attack to save the world. It’s either using the techniques of “The Way of The Master-Ray comfort”, or “The Romans Road”, and even going as far as reading word for word out of a “Chick Tract.” Now please understand I do believe that these are beneficial ways of sharing the gospel but the problem that I see is that they have become the mainline way of evangelism. We have grown to seek to hear the lost say the sinner’s prayer and end it there. But isn’t Jesus so much more than that?

I feel that we have more to offer the world than a ten minute Chick Tract. The relational Jesus that we know is so much more than a plan systematically lined out on a piece of paper. And that’s how I have begun to share Him with others. No longer do I ask people if they have ever heard the good news of the gospel or if they have ever met Jesus but relationally I ask them what they do for fun. I begin to invest in a wondering soul and spend my energy getting to know them and talk with them. I get on their level and hang out with them. I eat with them and drink with them and laugh at their jokes and make some up myself. I become their friend and they become mine. And the most insane thing this entire time they have no idea I am even a Christian.

Is this the right way to evangelize? Maybe and maybe not but all I see in the gospels was a relation Jesus. He loved people, mostly the messed up ones. He ate and drank with them and shared with them the mysteries of the Kingdom. They listened to Him and began to respect and trust Him and become His friend.

Now these guys that I am becoming conversant with are drinkers, partiers, and they cuss a lot. I confess I don’t go with them to the bars or partake in their lifestyle but when I hang out with them I talk of things in life that matter. Things like marriage, family, and work. I even use innuendos to aim toward something spiritual that maybe our conversations would stray that way. I encourage and build them up while the rest of the world tears and beats them down.

Do they wonder why I don’t cuss, nor drink, nor party? I hope so. Do they see my life and see the light? I think so. I am the only one within this group of friends that has goals, and a purpose ahead of me. These guys look at me and think that I have all my aces in a row, they wonder why I used to party like them but I don’t anymore. Do they ask? Not really. I think I have more work to do to earn their trust and transparency. But I know those days will come, those days when their life takes a turn for the worst and they look to the ones who “love” them the most.

My plan is to love them like no one else in the rest of the world does. I will encourage them to find purpose and to set goals to meet in life. And when those times in life come when they begin to wonder what it’s all about Jesus will be the one to rescue their weary souls. With or without me He will have His way. Oh how difficult it is to just invest in one life for the sake of Jesus Christ. May we all invest and become relational with our lost and dying generation…

"What Does it Mean to be Missional?"

I have had friends over time ask me again and again, “what does it mean to be missional?” Actually, I just had to add that word to my dictionary because it was unrecognized. It is a fairly new and fresh term that has been tossed around for the past few years within and without the emerging church movement. However, the word is around 100 years old according to the Oxford English Dictionary. It states that missional is an adjective that describes the way in which we do all of our activities, rather than identifying any one particular activity. Within the last few years, it has come into more common use.

So what does it mean to be a missional? I believe that it has many definitions and that’s what you will get with the different people you ask. I have read so many definitions that I have begun to believe that no one really has it down for sure. I do think that it will get narrowed down in definition and become such a common word these days as purpose-driven and seeker-friendly.

Are there any missional churches where I live? Many churches already have begun the journey to become more missional, but have never recognized themselves as such. Some believers are becoming more missional and are eager to share the story of their journey. Others make a distinction between witness outside the church and the rest of church life because to be missional means to be witnesses of God in the midst of our culture and daily life and not only in foreign lands.

To be a church in the world but not of the world is the mind set of being missional. Missionally minded is to be a believer that embraces culture not to be defined by it but to be an influence in it. Modern church has created a sub-culture within the four walls of the sanctuary but missional churches are breaking down those barriers and bringing church to the culture.

Fortunately, we have smarter people that take their time to really think about this stuff and make it available for others to read. Here at a friend of missional you will find a very detailed and thorough description of what it means to be missional…