Evangelism, like following Jesus, is
all about going to where the broken and the lost and theforgotten are and
loving them as Christ loved us. It’s not, I am convinced, about finding new
ways to get them to come to us on our terms and to learn to believe the way we
believe. Jesus commanded us to “Go” and the command is still valid today. If we
have any hope of accomplishing this command, it will only be as we go out in
the power of the Holy Spirit and as we cooperate with Him in the process.
Evangelism is also more than simply telling people something they don’t know
yet. It’s not about information. Without the evidence of a life that is being
transformed by the power of this message, the message itself is useless and
without evidence. Evangelism is something we must be willing to live out, to
demonstrate daily to others around us without relying on words alone. We can
only accomplish this in the power of the Holy Spirit. We have to intend to live
a life that bears witness to the transformational power of Christ. It will mean
a full surrender. It will require great faith. It will not be easy. It will not
be quickly accomplished. There is no
formula. It is not for the faint of heart. Nevertheless, if you call yourself a
follower of Christ, then you have already entered into an agreement to follow
Him with your whole life. You’ve already taken
on the job of ambassador. Your life is already being directed into the path of
surrender and daily dependence upon Him. I encourage you to engage others in
conversation. Tell your story, and listen to their story. Share your
experiences with God in natural ways, not rehearsed speeches, but with a
genuine voice of concern and compassion. Love others the way Jesus loved you.
Invest in people. Trust that God loves them far more than you ever will, but
ask God to teach you to love them more anyway.
As I’ve studied this subject, and as
I’ve tried to learn what it means to fulfill my calling to be a missionary into
the culture, I’ve discovered a very important truth; God never calls us to
convert people. He never calls us to win arguments with non-believers. What He
does call us to do, even commands us to do, is to love people. We are to be so
good at loving others that it becomes our main source of
identification.
If someone were to wonder if you were
a Christian, they should be able to ask your neighbors, your enemies, even the
poor in your community and receive the correct answer.
More than information, people need
love. More than religion, people need hope. More than doctrine, people need
compassion. We are commanded to love others, and the Great Commission can only be fulfilled
if we first understand this and step out as disciples of Jesus who embodied
Love in all that He did. This book poses a question about The Gospel that I hope we can now understand more
clearly. The Gospel is for here, for us right now, and it is most certainly to
go with us as we live our lives in the place God has planted us.
So, I encourage you to be filled with
the Love of God by the power of the Holy Spirit so that you can be Ambassador’s
of Jesus in a world desperate for hope, and compassion, and real, self-giving
love. And, by all means, whatever you do; Go!
