Do you regularly share your faith verbally with others? Do you courageously proclaim the Gospel in speech to both people within and outside of your circles?
Evangelism and verbal witness have some negative memories in my experience. I've seen word without deed, belief without action. I joined a church group on a trip once where I watched people in the group rudely interrupt diners at fast food tables to hand them tracts and talk "at" them. Though I'm a friend of Jesus, I am part of the vast majority of our culture who is suspicious of "proclamation" unless I've seen love demonstrated and know the person is someone with integrity whose life backs up their claims. I'm aware that the way Jesus has been shared in my culture has largely led to a consumer brand of Christianity where people try to get from Jesus what they want, claim a "fire insurance policy", try to live pretty morally, but all with no real intent or evidence of actually being his disciple. Personally, the most positive experiences I've had in witnessing verbally one-on-one have always been in tandem with demonstrating the Gospel through service or in relationship with someone who I'm getting to know, or in a conversation/speaking engagement where there was some expectation that I would talk about a relationship with Christ.
So, why then am I taking an evangelism course that is going to talk about witnessing to strangers and talking about salvation through Christ with just about everyone you meet? Here's a list of reasons why I felt compelled to take the class:
1. I've grown timid and weak, especially with people in my family and close friend circles. I grew up with a church history that was more about demonstration than proclamation, so I grew used to a "non-verbal" witness. I also end up spending too much time concerned about self than I do the other person or the power of the Holy Spirit. I tend to worry about words to speak, rejection, or I end resigning myself to the belief that if I am active on my journey of discipleship, then I'll just wait for people to come and ask me questions when they're ready or seeking. I try to leave it all to the Holy Spirit without actively doing my part. I need to strengthen my verbal evangelism muscles.
2. I'm taking the course because my friend, Brion, is teaching it. Brion lives and breathes Jesus, and he talks about Jesus with just about everyone he comes across in a day. Now, that would normally make me "itchy" as my friend Alice says. But I know Brion. Jesus has changed his life so radically, and I'm watching Brion's life as he allows God to deal with him and grow him in so many areas....financial stewardship, time management, responsibility, relationship skills. He genuinely seeks to honor God with his life, to glorify God at his own expense, and to serve people sacrificially. I trust his loving heart, and I'm challenged by his passion for Jesus and gift of evangelism. I've heard how the young and old need one another because the young have enthusiasm and energy and the older have experience and wisdom. I've offered a few learnings from experience into Brion's life, but I also need to receive and learn from his fire and faith.
3. I'm reading the book of Acts. Have you read the book of Acts lately? Just read Acts 5:12-42. There's no doubt throughout the New Testament that I must be bold and courageous in my life of faith- both in action and word.
4. I have become too comfortable with my understanding that faith is a journey, a marathon. I read several books about spiritual growth, and I only have to look at my own life to see how long it takes for change to occur. Yet with my focus here, I tend to lose the sense of urgency that I think is important. I also lose the expectancy for the power of the Holy Spirit to move in mighty ways. My focus, again, can too easily get snagged on the strength of the person and not the strength and power of God. To fight this, I usually try to balance my reading and experiences. I've been particularly challenged as I read books about the white-hot faith of people where big movements of conversion and transformation are happening.
5. John Perkins, founder of CCDA, is a deeply inspiring evangelistic hero to me. Not only does he speak the Word of God passsionately, but his life backs him up, and his modeling of a wholistic Gospel can't be rivaled. Social justice is important but is all for naught unless people are being reconciled to God and one another through Christ. Some people might believe that CCDA is growing because there's more of a social conscience in the Church again. I believe it's because Perkins unabashedly preaches Jesus Christ as the center. He's inspired me to strengthen my witness, both in life and in word.
6. I may or may not agree with everything said in the class, but I think it will give me a chance to think through what I believe and what I practice, and I think my attention here will give God a chance to stretch me.
What about you? Give me some of your own thoughts and journey on this topic of verbal witness....
1. I've grown timid and weak, especially with people in my family and close friend circles. I grew up with a church history that was more about demonstration than proclamation, so I grew used to a "non-verbal" witness. I also end up spending too much time concerned about self than I do the other person or the power of the Holy Spirit. I tend to worry about words to speak, rejection, or I end resigning myself to the belief that if I am active on my journey of discipleship, then I'll just wait for people to come and ask me questions when they're ready or seeking. I try to leave it all to the Holy Spirit without actively doing my part. I need to strengthen my verbal evangelism muscles.
2. I'm taking the course because my friend, Brion, is teaching it. Brion lives and breathes Jesus, and he talks about Jesus with just about everyone he comes across in a day. Now, that would normally make me "itchy" as my friend Alice says. But I know Brion. Jesus has changed his life so radically, and I'm watching Brion's life as he allows God to deal with him and grow him in so many areas....financial stewardship, time management, responsibility, relationship skills. He genuinely seeks to honor God with his life, to glorify God at his own expense, and to serve people sacrificially. I trust his loving heart, and I'm challenged by his passion for Jesus and gift of evangelism. I've heard how the young and old need one another because the young have enthusiasm and energy and the older have experience and wisdom. I've offered a few learnings from experience into Brion's life, but I also need to receive and learn from his fire and faith.
3. I'm reading the book of Acts. Have you read the book of Acts lately? Just read Acts 5:12-42. There's no doubt throughout the New Testament that I must be bold and courageous in my life of faith- both in action and word.
4. I have become too comfortable with my understanding that faith is a journey, a marathon. I read several books about spiritual growth, and I only have to look at my own life to see how long it takes for change to occur. Yet with my focus here, I tend to lose the sense of urgency that I think is important. I also lose the expectancy for the power of the Holy Spirit to move in mighty ways. My focus, again, can too easily get snagged on the strength of the person and not the strength and power of God. To fight this, I usually try to balance my reading and experiences. I've been particularly challenged as I read books about the white-hot faith of people where big movements of conversion and transformation are happening.
5. John Perkins, founder of CCDA, is a deeply inspiring evangelistic hero to me. Not only does he speak the Word of God passsionately, but his life backs him up, and his modeling of a wholistic Gospel can't be rivaled. Social justice is important but is all for naught unless people are being reconciled to God and one another through Christ. Some people might believe that CCDA is growing because there's more of a social conscience in the Church again. I believe it's because Perkins unabashedly preaches Jesus Christ as the center. He's inspired me to strengthen my witness, both in life and in word.
6. I may or may not agree with everything said in the class, but I think it will give me a chance to think through what I believe and what I practice, and I think my attention here will give God a chance to stretch me.
What about you? Give me some of your own thoughts and journey on this topic of verbal witness....
Laura, I'm catching up with all you've written. Man, I can so relate to #4, and I need to do what you've done... balance my whole "it's a process, a slow, fits and starts, transformation" with "God can light a fire, grab hold and work miracles"!
ReplyDeleteWhat does "mighty to save" mean, after all????