1 John 5:1-12
I often have people ask me how to "do evangelism." We like many churches, are wanting to grow. We have a New Life team in our church to explore ways to invite people to this encounter with God in community. Most of the activity surrounds mailing campaigns, events at the church, hanging literature on door knobs, and occasional (expensive!) newspaper ad. We're trying to get the web site updated. Sadly, only a few have participated in this.
But the rest of us? Dare we invite people to Church, let alone into a relationship with Christ? Share our testimony? Well these invitations can be awkward; sharing our testimony with others is just, well, too Baptist. We're Presbyterians. We seem to have a different order to evangelism: build the church, hire a preacher and round up Sunday School teachers to teach Bible stories, and they will come, and they will hear. If the music is good and we're friendly enough, maybe they will join. If they do, then we can go on mission trips together, and feed the poor together.
But share personal testimonies? Leave that to the Baptists.
Now I'm messing with some of you, I know. You have not dared speak the name of Jesus at a restaurant as you pray for the server out loud. You'd never think of giving God the glory in public on your child's soccer field. You have never "witnessed" to anyone verbally about the hope that lies in you - which is the Spirit of God, received through the blood of Christ, and the water of baptism. It has intimidated you to speak of the mystery of faith in a world that idolizes knowledge and solutions and reason and human power and privilege. Someone might think you're a Bible thumping, self-righteous, fundamentalist whacko.
Then I read I John: 11And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. It says to me that our faith in Christ IS the testimony, and at risk is death for those who do not come to faith in Christ. If we are not proclaiming our faith in Christ, as we live out our lives, to our friends, family, strangers, no one will come to know that it is Christ who gives all people life and hope and victory. Our testimony is not complete until we declare our faith, sharing with others God's perspectives and meaning to our life, as awkward as it might be. It means telling the truth about our own challenges and victories: that we are nothing apart from Jesus Christ. ALL life is in Jesus, and unless we SAY it, invite others to this relationship, we are fooling ourselves to think that our testimony and the hope for the world is in a fancy building, a slick program, a good preacher, our music program or our nice people.
All through history, God's people have shared their personal stories about their faith in God. In our schools, and offices and stores and neighborhoods, so must we, relying on the Holy Spirit to make our bumbling words effective for salvation. God will be the victor no matter what the church says. But the primary end of the Church is to BE the witness to the world of God's Kingdom and to tell it like it is. All of us.
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3 comments:
What I'm noticing in New Testament narratives is the way that "reports" spread about Jesus when he works some sign or challenges some authority. The same thing happens in Acts when Peter visits churches outside of Jerusalem and God heals, even raises from the dead, people through Peter. Word spreads. People come to know about it and many "believe."
We struggle with this guilt about evangelism, like we all know we ought to openly share our "testimony" about Jesus, but we just can't seem to make ourselves do it. It's like a diet. Or calling your mother more often. But testimony requires some thing to testify to, some event, some occurrence of deep significance. In the New Testament that occurrence usually involves the public in some way; it's not just something God did "for me."
Might part of our problem be that "the testimony," for many of us, has become less of a claim about an event of public significance and more of a formula for "happiness" or "correctness" or "salvation?" In other words, could it be that our problem with testifying is that we're not that grasped by the testimony ourselves?
I have had moments in my past where I went about witnessingt like a good Baptist, and I do believe it made an impact. But I didn't grab folks by the collar and beat 'em with my bible. I simply shared how Jesus had changed my life.
Now I know I have a testimony that many may not have, but we all have faith and that faith can be a testimony whenever we face trials. How many times have we heard how someone is taking difficult times in stride because they continue to hold fast in faith in God's goodness. That is a testimony that can be shared. Most of my witness is in response to questions or small cracks in a door ajar. That moment came recently when a co-worker made a commment about Easter that was somewhat mocking. I simply responded that I loved Easter because I did believe that Jesus was resurrected. That was all. Nothing more. But I know God will use that truth to work with that individual.
Witnessing is intimating when we try to use the model of knocking on doors and asking if we can share Christ. I can't do that, but I can respond when someone asks me point blank how I handle situations. And I can offer to pray for people which tells them I have faith. Small things, but God will use the small things to make big changes.
I think the fundamental problem is true faith in what we testify, or should I say, to Whom we testify. SO when talk about evangelism it conjurs guilt, but maybe more longing, or a sense of seeking ourselves, for a real encounter.
I see that witnessing verbally goes hand in hand with public events and encounters with others, as we give God the glory. I agree our testimony is not how Jesus changed me, but should point to the sovereignty of God's grace and will over ALL life. And help people see God's perspective on their own goals and desires.
Yet, unless we speak the name of Jesus, we are pointing to the air when a public event casues us to ponder.
Peter and Jesus both acted and taught. They spoke with authority as they acted with authority. We need Jesus to teach us to speak even as we act in his name.
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