The Golden Rule of Evangelism

For a period of time, longer than my tenure in professional church work, I have been looking at and trying "Evangelism Techniques." Looking for the one that "works" I have tried Dialogue Evangelism. I have tried the "Roman Road." I have tried "Injoy Life." I have gone to neighborhood doors "cold turkey." I have visited those who have visited a Sunday morning worship service. I have witnessed to people who come in off the street "just to talk." I have spent time talking with Jehovah Witness types and with Mormon Missionaries. (I made them angry.)

In the 80's, while a pastor at Grace Lutheran, Del Rio, I constructed my own program. Using technology of the day, I put together an eighty-slide presentation including a sound track with music in the background that members could bring into the homes of friends and family. The thinking was that members would bring this tool to the homes of friends and family. Together, they would watch a twenty-minute slide presentation by me on a thirteen inch screen. As creative, resourceful, and doctrinally correct as this was, I'm not sure we could have paid people enough to watch. Still, it was a well-intended idea and the Word was proclaimed in homes.

The question remains. What is the best way? Is there a "method for evangelism" that is better than another?

The answer is unequivocally, "No."

The question then is, "What does work?" The Golden Rule comes to mind. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." In other words, when you engage in witnessing, be who you are and approach people the way in which you would like to be treated. And that is not the same for everyone.

Spend some time reflecting and discussing with a trusted member of the body of Christ which of the following statements best describe you? Do more than one describe you? To what degree?

• One of my favorite things is long talks with friends.
• Personally, I usually enjoy discussions and debates on difficult questions.
• When presented with a choice, I generally prefer to physically assist people in the name of Christ versus becoming involved in religious discussions.
• I am happiest when I am able to include new people in the activities in which I am involved.
• I often identify with people by stating, "I tend to think like that, too" or "I used to feel that way, too."
• I strongly feel that confronting friends with the truth can be more important than hurting their feelings.

Every one of the above is valid. Some people nurture long conversations while others get to the point quickly. Still others subscribe to service in Jesus' name as the greatest form of evangelism. They would agree with what Brennan Manning said: “The greatest single cause of atheism today is Christians who mouth Jesus with their lips but deny him by their lifestyle. That’s what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

With these diagnostic statements you can see the entire spectrum of styles and approaches with which people are comfortable. These are the kinds of situations that apply to the Great Commission. "Go, and as you are going, make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19)

Having reflected and discussed how you might best relate to others according to your God-given personality, what kinds of activities would be the best compliment to your evangelism style?

A simple style may help discover your best environment for "making disciples."

Which is of the following is your style?

• Servant
• Invitational
• Relational
• Witness
• Intellectual
• Challenging

Perhaps it is a surprise or perhaps it is a confirmation of what you have been thinking all along. In either case, reflecting Christ to the people around you according to the person He has recreated you to be seems the best way to reach out to others.

We can embrace the differences of evangelism styles and spiritual giftedness and at the same time celebrate the unity we have in our Risen Lord.

Reference: Evangelization Teams in the Making, by Dorothy Hulbert

A Resolution for Others

I was out walking/running the other morning, (my own personal resolution) and I came up to a stop light. At the light was a construction pick-up with two men in the front seat. The one driving was "over-weight." The passenger was thin. I started to think how nice it would be to be thin (which is why I was out exercising) and then the passenger lit up a cigarette. No wonder he is thin. The driver probably had the resolve to quit smoking and now needed a different resolve if he wanted to be thin.

In the book "Strategy and the Fat Smoker," David Maister observes that people know what needs to be done to improve either a relationship, a product, a team, or one's health. The question is not "what needs to be done." The real question is, "Does that person or team have the resolve to make it happen?"

At the turn of this New Year, resolutions fly through the air like dust in a sunbeam. They have about as much substance as well. And it goes like this: If I want to lose weight, I have to exercise and eat well. As far as exercise goes, the commercial on T.V. says that one can exercise for thirty minutes, three times a week and get into great shape. I like that. I can do that. Which days? How about I do this on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'll take the weekend off. Good plan. Monday works out okay. Wednesday comes and maybe I'll do this on Thursday and then Saturday. Thursday comes and I manage to go for thirty minutes. But Saturday is my day off. I'll wait until Monday. It's cold out on Monday and you see how this goes. In a couple of weeks I wonder what happened and so I start a new resolve.

This cycle is the case for most resolutions. Whether one is focusing on exercise or eating, reading or prayer, there is a resolve, the dissolution of which loses the benefit. God bless our resolutions.

In Scripture the word "resolution" does not exist. But the word "resolute" is used once in the NASB. Prothesis is the Greek word for "consecrated" or "purpose" and "resolve." Luke describes Barnabas as "encouraging them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord." (Acts 11:23). But the interesting note here is that this resolution comes from the grace of God in the context of rejoicing. Now the resolution is not a law or something I am determining to do out of my inadequacy. Rather, this resolve comes by rejoicing in the grace of God for the purpose of strengthening those in the fellowship of faith. Now we're getting somewhere.

Another Biblical resolution is reflected in the words of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:2 where Paul writes, "For I am determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." Paul resolved, for the benefit of this struggling congregation to always point them to the cross and to the grace of God in Christ, that they would be strengthened in their faith and to rely on the power of God and not the power of man. This resolution was for the benefit of others.

One other resolution in Scripture comes in the form of a promise. In Genesis 3:15 God says to Satan, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, between her Seed and your seed. He will bruise your head. You will bruise His heel." I don't know how long the resolution of Barnabas lasted or the extent to which the goal was met. As for Paul, the Corinthian congregation needed a lot of attention and called for his determination. Both have encouraged Christians for twenty-one centuries. But the resolution which has benefit for all mankind is the fulfillment of the promise God made to Adam and Eve and all people everywhere. The resolution of God to draw all men to the cross of Jesus is one that will last for all eternity.

So the question is not, "What needs to be resolved?" Rather, the question is, "Is that resolution the thing in which you rejoice?" Or better yet, "Is that resolution for the benefit of others, specifically for their spiritual life in Christ?"

My personal resolutions have come and gone so many times that I forget what they have been. I only know that they are unfulfilled, and because of that, they are of little value for me or anyone else. On the other hand there is a resolution that has staying power and completion, the fulfillment of which has our best interest in mind. In fact, God's resolve became the restoration of all mankind. For that restoration, we have something in which to rejoice. Now we have something to bring to others this year.

God bless your New Year.