Evangelism Should Be Easy

Yeah, I know this is my "intro" thread and is supposed to be all about introducing myself, but I imagine that people will get to know me, who I am, what I love and what I think as I interact on the forum. So, instead, I thought I'd just post something that might spark a conversation without being super controversial.

I think we make "evangelism" into something it doesn't need to be - something scary, lofty and meant only for those who are "more mature in their faith", when, in reality, evangelism should be easy, enjoyable and effortless.

Sure, evangelism will occur through somewhat "contrived" settings like church sermons, revival meetings and such, but the most effective evangelism will be that which "organically" grows out of simply building relationships with people, serving them and striking up normal conversations with them.

There's an old saying that most of us have heard, but need to be reminded of often: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

They don't care that you know Christ or that you think THEY should know Christ until they know that you genuinely care about them and they're not just another "notch" in your evangelistic slingshot.

Serve people. Say hi to them. Make an effort to interact with them. Brainstorm new ways to stimulate natural conversation with unbelievers so that you can build a relationship with them.

Often, it doesn't take that long to begin to build trust with someone if they can genuinely tell that you are interested in them and are not simply out to judge them.

What say you, brothers and sisters in Christ? Why are we all so nervous and anxious about spreading the gospel, and why do we often leave it up to the "experts" instead of getting out there and interacting with those who so badly need Christ? It's actually kinda fun when we stop worrying what people might think and simply focus on loving people, as we are called to do.
 
Hi Michael, welcome to CFS. :) You made some really good points there. Evangelism is holistic approach by which you make the other person feel welcome and loved and then share the good news. I think most of us try to jump into the difficult bit first and that makes us feel nervous. Once you get to know a person, you automatically feel comfortable sharing your thoughts with them. I like this approach. It's a softer one and everyone can do it. I do however believe there are many other ways of doing it which you also seem to agree on. I've done both and I feel that the soft approach is much much easier.
 
Especially for new Christians who often feel that they "don't know enough". Just about every form of evangelism has it's place, but "for the masses" of us, I believe that God always intended "evangelism" to be about forming relationships with unbelievers.

Thanks for the "like", BTW, and the warm welcome.
 
Especially for new Christians who often feel that they "don't know enough". Just about every form of evangelism has it's place, but "for the masses" of us, I believe that God always intended "evangelism" to be about forming relationships with unbelievers.

Thanks for the "like", BTW, and the warm welcome.

Amen. If you need help with anything on the site, send me a personal conversation. ;)
 
Welcome.

When I was younger, I would get extremely nervous. I was afraid I would be a bad representation, or perhaps I'd be labeled strange. I even fell for the rhetoric that perhaps it wasn't up to me to tell them the truth, but to simply "love" them. Indeed, we should all love them, but how is it loving them if I keep the truth to myself? Something's gotta give.

I remember seeing a video on YouTube called "A Girl's Message to All Christians" which featured a 20-someting girl displaying flash cards saying that she used to be a "good" Christian as she put it but was a hypocrite. It lead up to her saying that she realizes it's not her job to tell others about Jesus, but to rather "love" them. She's right in not being a hypocrite, but I think when we discard all the rest for the sake of not wanting to offend people, we're doing a great disservice and running the risk of leaving them in damnation.

One thing that we have to remember is that just because we're presenting love to them in the name of God doesn't mean we'll receive love back--in fact, we'll many times receive bitterness and disrespect (John 15:18). I think when we remember that evangelizing isn't for the sake of making us look good, but bringing the legitimate truth to others, then it becomes more streamline.
 
Absolutely. The two must go hand in hand. Loving them opens the door to their being willing to listen when we explain WHY we love them and who loves them even more than we ever could. It's when we separate the two that it all gets messed up. If we're trying to "get them saved" just so we can chalk up another "win for the team", then we're missing it. And, if we're loving them but never pointing them at the source of that love, then we are falling short of TRUE love which cares enough for them to open ourselves up to ridicule and rejection in order that we might connect them to the source of all true love - Jesus.
 
...If we're trying to "get them saved" just so we can chalk up another "win for the team", then we're missing it. And, if we're loving them but never pointing them at the source of that love, then we are falling short of TRUE love which cares enough for them to open ourselves up to ridicule and rejection in order that we might connect them to the source of all true love - Jesus.

Hi Michael Kaufman:

I think of John when he said: 'I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth'. In order for professing believers truly to walk in truth, in love for the Lord and His people, they need in truth to be born again genuinely in the first place. So much of professed evangelistic practice is associated with 'sales tricks' which supposedly 'succeed' in extracting 'correct' responses which are then deemed to be the real McCoy. Whereas a real, Spirit- and Scripture-led love for the Savior in faith comes as a work of God in His time, as loving and patient Christians help and gently challenge seeking sinners to trust Him. In order for true followers of the Lord Jesus to walk in truth in the days and years ahead, they need to be authentically born again in the first place, and personally moved by the Savior's love, individually communicated and ideally also seen in the lives of His people.

Blessings.
 
Back
Top