Lies We Believe About Evangelism

The following is a excerpt from a book that I've been co-authoring with Roger Hershey - our very own Fall Retreat speaker. We spent most of the summer working on a book we're calling The Finishers - a book aimed at showing your generation that it indeed could be the one that sees the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) completed, and examining the convictions and perspectives you need to embrace to help be a part of it. I have no idea when it will be published - we have a few more chapters to write, and then the publishing process could take quite some time. You can pray that it will be sooner than later, though - we're excited about what we have to share! In the meantime, I'll probably periodically post little snippets from the book, especially when I can't think of anything else to write on here.

I should mention that most of the book - including this section - is taken directly from talks and teaching given by Roger Hershey. He's a fantastic speaker and teacher of the Word, and you'll love him at Fall Retreat! (In fact, go here to register!) So when you see "I" in this case consider it Hersh's voice.

I thought this would be a good section to post - it deals with 6 lies we tend to believe about evangelism. Six areas where we make excuses about not taking the initiative to share your faith. The working title of the chapter is "Go" - an examination of why we need to be intentional about taking the initiative go to to people with the Gospel. I encourage you to examine your own heart and see which of these lies you might be believing, and ask God to develop in you the courage and conviction to go to people with the Gospel - be it your friends, strangers, whomever!

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What shapes our thinking about evangelism? Is it the Bible, or is it culture, our own emotions, past negative experiences, or the misguided influence of others? Because sharing our faith requires a step out of our comfort zone, it’s often the hardest spiritual discipline to put into practice, and the one most easily affected by lies that creep into our minds and hearts. You may not even be aware of some of the lies you’ve been believing.

In order to make sure it’s Scripture that influences our convictions regarding evangelism, we’re going to address some of the biggest lies out there - lies that could prevent your generation from being to go-ers who finish the Great Commission.

>>Lie #1: My reputation is more important

You probably wouldn’t actually think, “My reputation is more important than this person’s eternal salvation,” but that’s essentially what we believe when we avoid sharing our faith for fear of what the other person might think. Giving in to fear of rejection or seeking the approval of others ultimately means I’m caring more about myself than the non-believer.

Penn Jillette, of the magic and comedy duo Penn & Teller, once said this:

"If you believe that there’s a Heaven and Hell, and that people could be going to Hell...and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward...how much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?"

He said these words in one of his “Penn Says” video blog entries, after recalling a situation in which a man who’d been at one of his shows approached him to compliment his show and present him with a New Testament. Instead of taking offense to the gift, Penn was touched by the man’s kindness and boldness in approaching him. Penn astutely reasons that to truly believe that there are people in grave danger of Hell but not go out of your way to tell them how they can escape it is akin to hating that person. Love for that person and concern over their eternal state, as well as the depth of belief in that truth, ought to move you to act, regardless of reputation or potential social awkwardness. Now the thing that makes Penn’s words so arresting is the fact that he’s an outspoken atheist. He’s not speaking as a Christian trying to guilt other Christians into evangelism; he’s simply observing an inconsistency between the stated belief of Christians and their actions.

The antidote to this inconsistency is to identify that this is what’s going on in my heart, then replace that lie with the truth that apart from Christ this person is heading toward eternal destruction and horror. To be Christlike, I ought to be willing to sacrifice my potential reputation for their sake.

>>Lie #2: People aren’t really lost without Christ

This lie is becoming more and more prevalent as postmodern thought - which espouses, among other things, that all truth is relative, all roads lead to God, and the highest value we can have is tolerance - seeps its way into Christianity. An emotional dissonance rises within us, because the truth that Jesus is the only way people can be saved seems so narrow and intolerant. More and more, evangelical Christians seem ignorant and out of touch, and we can find ourselves searching for ways to wiggle out of the “only way” doctrine to maintain relevance and a good face.

Add to this the fact that some Christian scholars are downplaying or even denying the exclusive claims of Christ, manipulating Scripture toward pluralism. They’ve let cultural norms determine their interpretation. But it’s difficult to read John 14:6 another way: “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (emphasis mine) These words of the Lord Himself, coupled with many other verses throughout the Bible show definitively that people are indeed lost without Christ. The Bible leaves no option for pluralism.

Even if we have a firm Biblical grasp on the exclusivity of Christ, this lie can work its way in when we come face to face with non-Christians. The shrinking of the world has caused your generation to be exposed to more people from different religious backgrounds than any before it. You live, work, and go to school with Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, and others. These people often seem more devoted to their faith than we are, and we can subtly believe that God will grant them forgiveness and eternal life because of their devotion - it’s just misplaced, that’s all. Surely God will overlook this and see their heart, right?

Believing this lie will undercut urgency, and ultimately produce a generation of passive Christians who have no passion to go - whether across the street or around the world.

>>Lie #3: The way I live my life is enough

A famous and often-used quote is “Preach the Gospel; if necessary, use words,” attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. Now I have no grievance against St. Francis, and I understand the heart behind this quote - an encouragement to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. But it’s been taken severely out of context. Christians will use it as an excuse not to open their mouths and share the message of the Gospel, thinking that their acts of service or good deeds are enough. I see 2 major issues with this dangerous thought.

One, it’s simply not true. The Gospel requires words! Romans 10:14 says, “How are they to believe in him of whom they’ve never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” Good deeds must be accompanied by the good news. Let’s not delude ourselves into thinking that service means evangelism. It can be a great door-opener for evangelism, but unless we share the Gospel it’s just service.

Two, it presumes that we’re living our lives in such a radically different way that non-believers will automatically notice, and be compelled to ask us why. 1 Peter 3:15 is the verse most often quoted about this: “...always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you... .” But this verse is in the context of suffering for the sake of righteousness - being persecuted or avoiding retaliation when wronged - it’s doesn’t mean “people will ask you why you’re so nice, so you better be ready to tell them it’s Jesus!”

Unfortunately, our lives really aren’t all that different than the average non-Christian. We struggle with sin, we wrong people, we fail. And in our desire to be culturally relevant, we try as hard as we can not to appear different - we listen to the same music, watch the same movies, wear the same clothes, and hold to the same values. None of which are overtly wrong, by the way, except when we sacrifice biblical morals and values for cultural ones. If we’re going to take the stance that we’ll wait for non-believers to notice significant differences in the way we live, we’d better be prepared to actually live lives of radical holiness - something we’re called to do but rarely actually follow through with.

>>Lie #4: Evangelism is only for those spiritually gifted in it

Just as those who don’t have the spiritual gift of teaching will at times teach, and those who don’t have the spiritual gift of mercy still show it, those who don’t have the spiritual gift of evangelism still are to share their faith. Those who are gifted in evangelism may naturally be more effective, but Scripture is clear that the whole body of Christ is responsible to be engaged in sharing their faith.

>>Lie #5: No one is interested in the Gospel anymore

This is another effect of postmodernism. Because tolerance is such a buzzword, and the cultural value is to let people believe whatever seems right to them, we can begin to believe that people just aren’t interested. They’re content where they’re at and don’t want to be bothered.

I’ve found that this simply isn’t true. As I’ve chatted with people, I’ve found that people are actually very interested in spiritual things. It does seem that people in American culture are farther away from Christ, in general, than in past generations, but this has nothing to do with interest. The fact that people invest so much in a search for satisfaction - be it through worldly pleasure or the hundreds of spiritual roads people travel - shows that a hunger is there. It simply means that more of the vital work of sowing and laying a foundation for the Gospel is necessary.

Even if it’s true that 8 or 9 out of 10 people in your sphere of influence are unreceptive to the Gospel, those 1 or 2 others are still there. We can trust the Lord to lead us to the receptive, ready hearts while seeking to sow into the lives of the others. But if we believe that no one wants to hear, we’ll be passive and never initiate.

>>Lie #6: I have to build a good relationship first

A common thought we have is that we have to wait to breach the topic of spiritual things until we’ve developed a more solid friendship. We view it as an intimate subject that requires trust be built before opening that door. The danger in thinking this way is that we put ourselves in a position of always finding excuses. There will always be a greater level of depth a relationship can go to, and how are we to know when is the exact right time for spirituality to become part of the conversation? And the longer we wait, the more awkward it becomes, and we’re far less likely to bring the topic up. There will always be some reason not to.

As we’re getting to know someone, if we don’t share with them about our relationship with Jesus - the most central and important thing about us - we’re actually not being true to ourselves. We’re neglecting to reveal the most important part of our lives, and as a result we build a surface-level relationship, not a deep one. Now, we may discern it best to slowly work our way to the Gospel over many conversations once someone knows we’re a Christian, but we must throw out the myth that this is an absolute essential.

These lies are authored by the Enemy, who would love nothing more than to prevent us from telling others about the life they could find in Jesus. Satan wants to keep people in his kingdom, and he’ll use every lie in the book to ensure that happens. We must be aware of the lies so we can reject them and be people who actively, boldly, and lovingly initiate Gospel conversations, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

--Jason

Significant Insignificant Moments

My freshman year of college began sometime late in the last century, which shows my age even more then the widening bald spot on top of my head. As most new freshmen do, I trekked over to the school's basketball arena for the freshman convocation. After a boring wave of speakers, we were finally allowed to exit, free to roam the free events and grab all the goodies and free food we could want for the rest of the evening. Upon exiting the Bryce Jordan Center (Penn State's arena), me and the 2 friends I was with noticed a stage set up across the street - a free concert. Cool, we thought...maybe we'll check it out later. Few people wandered into the field that had been roped off for the concert, and, also like most freshmen, we simply went where the majority of the crowd was headed. Very sheep-like.

We ended up back at East Halls, the 70's-style dorm mega-complex nearly all PSU freshmen call home. At times it felt like the Dharma Initiative barracks, minus the baby blue vans, gender-neutral jumpsuits, and horrifying monster lurking behind the sonic fence. The campus had lots of random events set up in Dharmaville, but after meandering our way around we found ourselves bored and looking for something else. The concert!, we remembered, and decided to trek back over. By the time we arrived the music had stopped, the stage was being torn down, and the tables around the periphery were surrounded by people packing up boxes of giveaway items, flyers, and contact cards.

We must have looked the part of ungainly freshmen - wide-eyed and zit-faced - and before we were even there 2 minutes a tall, friendly-looking upperclassman greeted us. His name was Brooks. In our eyes he was a heroic figure. A junior condescending to converse with 3 lowly freshmen! This would never happen in high school! We probably talked to Brooks for less than 5 minutes, but for the rest of that school year he was, for us, the face of Campus Crusade for Christ. The concert was a Crusade-sponsored event, and we may have ended up as the last group of freshmen to fill out a contact card before they were all boxed away. Brooks, being the hero he was, made sure we got them.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, the 5 minutes I spent at that already-finished concert would change the course of my life forever. The contact card I filled out ended up in the hands of another upperclassman, who called and invited me to a Bible study and to Prime Time (what Cru meetings were called in the olden days). He also paid my friend Justin, who was with me that night, a visit, and shared the Gospel. Justin and I got involved in the Bible study and started attending Prime Time - keeping our eyes peeled for our new hero Brooks, of course - and both of us would receive Christ within a year and a half. New life sprung in our dead hearts. And now, 12 years later, I'm on staff with Crusade, serving God full-time amongst college students. It all started with a 5 minute interaction with a guy we only talked to once or twice more in our entire college career, and with the scribbling of a name and phone number on a contact card.

Why do I tell you this story? For 2 reasons. First, these first 2 weeks of college are full of these moments I like to call significant insignificant moments. A flyer or card is handed to someone. An awkward introduction is made at a campus-sponsored event. A canned conversation (Where are you from? What's your major? What dorm are you in?) happens in the dining hall. Often we have no idea how eternally significant these brief interactions can be. I came to Christ as a direct result of one. And as we go out on campus this week - handing out thousands of flyers, inviting passers-by to a BBQ, telling people on our dorm floor about Cru, standing at a table asking students to stop by and fill out a survey - we'll have thousands of them. Thousands of insignificant little interactions that could have great eternal significance.

I hope the thought of that inspires you to force yourself through the awkwardness and anxiety of initiating with strangers. Every interaction could change someone's life entirely. And that's why we press forward, publicizing, inviting, introducing, even when it seems that we've done in enough already. You never know who you may talk to next. Could it be an atheist who becomes a bold witness for Christ? Could it be a future pastor? Missionary? Could it be a person who's deeply hurting and looking for a place to find hope?

Let's be expectant, faithful people, knowing that God is using even our briefest interactions for great purpose and for His glory.

Secondly, I want to encourage and challenge you with the thought that you will become the face of Cru to those you meet. For me, Brooks was a larger-than-life figure. He was Cru. In hindsight I knew nothing about him - whether he was a leader, just marginally involved, or if he flaked out and fell off the deep end soon after our little conversation. But since he was the first person I met, he was the first thing I thought of when I thought of Cru.

It's a bit sobering to think that you could be another person's Brooks. As soon as you tell a freshman about Cru, they'll think of you every time they think of it. More importantly, since Cru is a movement dedicated to sharing Jesus with the campus, they'll link Cru with Jesus, and subsequently link you with Jesus. Wow. No pressure, huh!

To me, this is great motivation to be a positive face. To walk in righteousness and godly conduct. To be edifying and encouraging in my speech. To act in love. To be mindful of the image I project and the substance behind it. The bond between holiness and evangelism is a tight one.

So, all you faces of Cru who read this, I encourage you to live in a way that honors God, take steps of faith and initiative to make conversations with freshmen, and pray that God uses you in some significant insignificant moments this week, even if you aren't even aware of it.

--Jason

Beautiful Feet

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (ESV)

"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.  For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

A few things stand out in this passage about Paul's proclamation of the Gospel in Corinth:

• He comes in a very ordinary way, not using eloquent language or philosophy or human wisdom
• His message was simple, sticking to Jesus and the cross
• He was weak and fearful (!) - Paul, probably the greatest missionary of all time, was fearful when it came to take the initiative to share his faith!  He doesn't say why exactly he was fearful - it could have been fear of what others would say or think or how he'd be perceived, or fear of rejection, or, more likely, fear of persecution and the threat of harm or death.  Maybe a combination of all of those, and a few other factors thrown in too.  Regardless, Paul admits his fear and weakness, something that encourages me very much: if Paul feared and felt weak, then my fear and weakness is made more normal and able to be persevered through.  I don't have to strive for fearlessness before taking the step to share my faith; instead I can take a step of faith in spite of my fear and weakness, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
• He was empowered by the Spirit to share the message, not relying on his own wisdom or persuasion
• Their salvation and faith was not a result of human wisdom but of the power of God and the Holy Spirit working.  Paul wasn't responsible for the results or their response, so there was no room for pride if they accepted Christ or for self-blame if they didn't.

Observing these things produces a sense of freedom from any pressure to perform.  A person's salvation and reception of the message aren't dependent on us, so it doesn't matter how ungainly our words are.  We don't have to have all the answers.  We can step out in faith in the power of the Holy Spirit and trust Him to speak through us and use us.  We also see that we don't have to share a complicated message - Paul simply focused on Jesus and the cross.  That's where the Gospel lies - God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross as payment for our sins, and through faith in Him we can have relationship with Him and eternal life.

Campus Crusade has a definition for successful witnessing:

"Success in witnessing is simply taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God."

This passage serves as a root of that definition.  Paul took the initiative (I came to you...proclaiming to you the testimony of God) to share Christ (to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified) in the power of the Holy Spirit (demonstration of the Spirit and of power) and left the results to God (your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God).

Let me encourage you to apply this in a few ways:

1. Make it a focus of your life to walk in the power of the Spirit.  Here is a great resource that can help you understand this concept better: http://www.godsquad.com/discipleship/satisfied.htm.  And pray that the Lord would empower you and use you when you find yourself with an opportunity to share your faith.  We want to rely on Him, not ourselves.  

2. Focus your conversations on Jesus.  He's the center of our faith and the message of salvation always goes back to Him.  Sure, people may have questions about lots of things, and those will often need to be addressed.  But we can try to guide the conversation back to Jesus, because we want people to be captivated by Him and they need to know about Him to have salvation!  

3. Take the initiative!  This could mean taking initiative to talk with a friend or family member, or a complete stranger.  We often want until it just "comes up" in conversation.  Or to live out our faith in such a way that people notice something - how nice we are, how we deal with pain or hardship, how we spend our time, etc. - and then talk about our faith when they ask about it.  But those things might never happen.  No matter how exemplary we are, we still have sin and ugliness in our lives, and even if someone notices something attractive in us, Jesus shining through (which we hope they will - I'm not saying that we shouldn't seek to magnify Christ through our actions), that doesn't guarantee they'll bring it up.  So we need to be taking the initiative and find ways to start those conversations.  We're naturally fearful, but we can trust in the Holy Spirit's empowerment and take those steps of faith, like Paul did.

One tangible way to take the initiative is by simply asking questions.  Our culture is so fast paced and technology has taken the place of authentic interaction in so many areas, that when we ask questions and genuinely listen to a person, it's like a breath of fresh air and shows tremendous love.  In your everyday interactions with people make it a point to ask questions and see where they lead.  Things like, "What was that experience like?"  Or "How did that make you feel?"  Or "What did you learn from that?"  And begin to look for potential doorways to spiritual conversation.  There are lots of conversations we have where we're realistically only a few questions away from the Gospel.  Conversations about the weekend, movies, hobbies, life experiences, summer plans, and current events are all places where we can ask a few good questions that could lead to much deeper, more meaningful discussion.  And you might be able to share the Gospel too.  Sweet!

Romans 10:13-15 says, "For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  How then will they call on him in whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  And how are they to preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!""  Let's be people who have beautiful feet.

- Jason