There is something that I have thought about quite a bit lately, and I feel compelled to discuss it with you. The thing to which I am referring is one of the most important aspects of the Christian faith: Evangelism. We are created not only to live our lives as Jesus did, but also, to bring others into the family of God. This is the Great Commission to which Christ refers in Matthew 28:16-20. As I see it, most of us fall short of this command for a few main reasons.
The first and the probably most common reason we fail as kingdom-builders is fear of embarrassment or shortcoming. Our society is not one which necessarily encourages Evangelism, but if you really think about it, I think you'll realize there is nothing preventing it either. Missionaries around the world share the Good News of Christ's resurrection infar more hostile places than the United States. We have no excuse. I understand that many people are introverted, but this should not hinder our efforts. If you're an introvert and struggle with conversation and outreach, lead a joyful, God-pleasing life. Trust me, people notice the little things. We are drawn to people with kind hearts. Use a cheerful, loving attitude as the key to open the door to witnessing opportunities. And remember another thing: Even the great Israelite leader Moses was not a great speaker. He struggled with conversation and spoke with a stutter. If God chose Moses to do His work, surely God will also provide you with all you need to lead others to faith.
The second problem Christians have in Evangelistic efforts is one that can cause a great deal of grief. This issue is that of overzealousness. We have all seen the Bible-thumpers and the finger-pointers. They accomplish nothing in the way of guiding others to the Savior. Instead, they present a perversion of Jesus; a Jesus uninterested in loving and forgiving the broken. They misrepresent Jesus as a character of judgment and malice. But this could not be farther from the truth. Jesus IS love. He came to love the unlovable and provide a way for all to enter Heaven. He freed us all from the grasp of sin, so what right do we have to hold others down because of sin? Instead, we should welcome them into the church, because Jesus is a friend of sinners, and Jesus changes sinners.
The last thing I want to bring to light is that some Christians are just too pushy. I can definitely sympathize with those who fall into this category. When we experience the deep love Christ offers, we want everyone else to experience it as well. However, our job isn't always to bring others' faith to fruition. Sometimes we just need to plant the seed and wait 'til harvest. Most times, it takes some time for people to fully welcome in the Holy Spirit. There's also an unfortunate truth here. Not everyone is going to take the Good News to heart. It's sad, I know, but if someone isn't willing to hear the Word, just move on and hope that
I'm not writing this because I think I'm holier than thou or that I have it all figured out. I struggle with sharing the Good News of Christ's resurrection. I'm writing this in the hope that I encourage some of you to go forth and shine a light on the Savior for our lost world. Keep on fighting the good fight, but make sure you use the right weapons!
