How To Not Stink At "Evangelism"

by Phil McFarland, member of the Praxis 24 Fellowship

Americans love shortcuts. We value expediency and hate waiting. Let’s face it; we are accustomed to getting what we want, in the shortest possible time. A mere twenty years ago, a single phrase universally described a bygone era: “Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.” As Christians, we’re not immune to impatience. In fact, I suggest we’re worse off. With God on our side, why should have to wait? With the full force of Scripture behind us, we’re genuinely confused why the majority of lost and misguided people surrounding us fail to recognize what we’ve discovered. We want to believe our Lord’s words, that the ‘fields are white for harvest’. Yet, Christ’s prayers in Gethsemane seem to often go unrealized. Why?

Over the course of the past year, through prayer and reflection, I’ve compiled a list of simple truths I believe are essential in order to communicate God’s love in today’s world. I’ve adopted a practice of rereading these occasionally to remind myself of the depth of relational investment required to effectively model Christ’s sacrificial love.

1. There’s no two ways around it; you really must love people; this means having other people’s best interests in mind and being genuinely (and solely) motivated from compassion. 'Witnessing' for any other reason is merely arguing about your beliefs.

2. Learn what's important to others first, then communicate God's love in a way that's meaningful to them, based on their values. They’ll never adopt your values before experiencing your love for them.

3. Unbelievers can't be expected to learn jargon; if genuine communication is going to occur, you must speak their language –fluently. Do you think “Christianese” is holy?

4. If you can't communicate your core, foundational beliefs in common, everyday language, then chances are, you really don't understand them to begin with.

5. Don’t wait to tell others about Christ. Live-out the change He’s making in your heart and describe to others what’s happening in your life when God presents the opportunity to do so.

6. Speaking to someone about Christ is far more personal than talking to them about their weight. If you don't know them (or care for them) enough for that discussion, than you probably need to lovingly invest more into their lives before trying to talk to them about their errors of belief and spiritual destiny.

7. Christians are far better at drawing distinctions between themselves and others around them than they are at recognizing the connections that already exist between them and those that God has placed in their lives.

8. Contrary to what you believe, most non-Christians have not rejected the God you serve. They've rejected a half-formed set of ideas, based on their godless experiences. If you don't believe that, ask them to describe the god they've rejected -and see how it little it compares to God's true character. If you still doubt this, ask yourself, “What would I believe about God if I had not met Jesus?”

9. Christians place a supremely high value on what they believe. Non-Christians truly aren't concerned about what you believe; they only care about how you treat them and others. If they see a significant difference in how you act, they may listen to what you have to say in relatively small, digestible chunks.

10. Don’t perpetuate the idea that people are loved more when they act right. That only reinforces the (wrong) belief that love is earned. Instead, merely love them. Unconditionally. In time, they may want to know why – live out 1 Peter 3:5. Then, connect them to Christ, our Cause and Source. At that point, a transformation of heart and values will occur. Their behavior will change in response to the birth of love, forgiveness, grace and appreciation in their lives.