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Rob has asked:
What can we do here in the small corner to improve the situation and encourage evangelism in and through our faith communities?
That is the question I was putting the finishing touches to when I read his comment. It starts, as he knows better than most of us, as he does it, with a willingness to get out there – literally. The work we do on Saturday mornings is a visible witness to the Chapel and its work, but we are the only ones doing it; I have never seen an Anglican or a Roman Catholic out there. I have suggested, at our occasional ‘churches together’ meetings that we have a rota, but have never found anyone willing to come along and do the street evangelism. It requires nerve, it requires preparation, and it requires follow-up material to distribute; what would be even better is if there was a follow-up course on which people could go; as it is, we offer ad hoc preparation courses, but again, as it is us by ourselves, there’s a limit to what can be done. If we joined forces we could offer a regular class which people knew was there and which we could publicise.
That leads me to the second of my suggestions, which is a better utilisation of the medium through which this is coming to you. Jessica’s introduction to the ‘Pilgrim’ course was fascinating. I like the approach a great deal, and see no reason why it should be confined to Anglicans; there is nothing in the things I have read which I’d have trouble with teaching; but we’re not seeing much of a take up here, even with the Anglicans.
I have attended meetings at which the obstacles are always mentioned, but they always sound like excuses to me. We should have closer contacts with local colleges and Universities, especially those which have chaplains; I am sure that Jessica and her friends were not the only students who found their faith challenged when they got to university, and while she was lucky to find a helpful chaplain, how much better it would have been had he had back up from other Christians.
It is this ‘silo’ effect which gets in the way. We live in our ecclesial silos, perhaps cooperating during Christian unity week, perhaps not, but what about the other 51 weeks of the year? I had the pleasure of providing our local Catholic Church with a new member last week. Striking up conversation over coffee with a stranger in the supermarket, she mentioned she was a Catholic but as a newcomer, felt that she didn’t want to go to Stockport to the nearest Catholic Church. I pointed out there was one far closer, but she’d not come across it, as it is down a side-street and does nothing to advertise itself.
So, we should get getting out there physically, we should be using the internet to greater effect (here the Anglicans really have shown the way), and we should be advertising ourselves – and not worry too much about which ‘church’ gets the ‘customer’. But before we can do any of this, we have got to know our fellow Christians, we have got to know the priests, the ministers, the faithful, and we have to organise ourselves to work together. If we don’t, then we have only ourselves to blame if we end up playing ‘nearer my God to thee’ as the ship sinks below the waves.
All Along the Watchtower 
Enjoyed this posting! I have just recently started a blog about just this topic – getting out there and evangelizing, spreading the word of God. Always so wonderful to read of Christians encouraging this and giving ideas as to how to go about “ministering” to non-Christians!
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Well done you – and I shall follow you with interest – praying for your success.
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I think that in many ways we have fallen into the same game plan that the world has developed for winning new customers.
If we truly believe that Christ, working through the Holy Spirit, delivers the Divine Grace needed to convert hearts and to even deliver the impulse to seek the Divine in their lives, then it seems that we have lost some of the original charisms by neglecting the gifts that are offered the believers: a journey that focuses our lives entirely on our own conformity with Christ (that transformation which by that transformation is also transformative to those we meet and the whole world.) In my opinion we spend far much brain power and effort in developing ‘programs’ rather than using our time and effort in opening ourselves to the Grace that is ours if we would only find make ourselves into instruments of God rather than instruments of some new innovative programs devised by very capable men along the line of an entrepreneur who has a grand idea for a new marketing program. It may work in our consumerist society but in the supernatural realm of things, it is truly the work of God that we seem to be blocking: all done with proper intention but without the requisite submission to God which fundamentally change us so that Christ might use us to bring His message to the world.
It is no wonder why people today speak of corporate churches rather than speak of personal spiritual growth. For our submission to grace automatically produces results in whatever direction we take our evangelizing and the business plan that we decide to embrace. Personal holiness must precede evangelization. Otherwise we risk becoming a Church of works driven by directive other than works given by impulse from Him Who is actually going to do the work and use us to carry forth His plan for bringing souls to Christ.
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I’m with you there – I do some of my best evangelising in coffee shops just talking with folk 🙂
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Geoffrey or anybody ask C451 to email me ask I’ve misplaced his email address and need to email him yesterday’s Homily. Thanks
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I’ll do that.
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Thanks, all is well now. the homily will appear tomorrow.
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I agree that the personal holiness and formation of those engaged in evangelism is an important matter that cannot be ignored or the lack of it substituted for by programs.
However I have seen a value operative in evangelistic programs such as the Pilgrim Course and the Alpha Course. It seems that the majority of the church is ill equipped and unprepared for evangelism besides being fearful to engage in. For some this is precisely because of their unpreparedness while for others it may be due to lack of fervency or commitment to walk in holiness and obedience to Christ.
For the former (those simply unprepared or fearful) the availability of various course materials as resources can enable them engage in evangelism under supervision. They can begin then to learn ‘on-the-job’ as questions are and challenges to their faith are raised and to develop through interaction with enquirers and mentors.
The pastor/priest/vicar may have little close or meaningful contact with those outside his flock but the regular members generally have such relationships. Ideally the whole church needs to be mobilized. If those engaged in evangelism can multiply their own efforts by equipping others and inspiring them to take the great commission seriously and personally they will accomplish more. This has been achieved in a measure through some of the courses produced. We ran Alpha courses here at which Catholics attended who now run the course in their church and are introducing new members.
Gifts/abilities/skills in evangelism are more generally communicated and assimilated by association with those already effectively engaged in evangelism. In this way something of the work of the Holy Spirit on one life may be imparted to another in a way that cannot be accomplished through course materials alone.
In Ephesians 4 we read that evangelist (among others) are gifts of the risen Christ to his church in order to equip it for the work of service that each member has the opportunity and responsibility to supply. However church structures of all tribes Catholic. Protestant and Evangelical frequently give evangelists little access to the people who are frequently over-fed with pastoral ministry and given little opportunity to be led into evangelism alongside appropriately gifted/qualified and able ministers.
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This is an excellent analysis Rob, and coming from you, very valuable. I’d be interested if you could share any thoughts with us on your own experience, as that’s part of what’s needed – men and women who have been there and done it.
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Neo Identified certain blockages to evangelism in church members, I have emphasized his points.
“… we sit in our fellowship halls and talk to each other, and never talk to anybody else, IT’S UNCOMFORTABLE TO DO SO … but, where do we think our new committed members will come from, if we don’t at least talk to them.”
“I think if we connect more deeply with the love that brought Christ to become incarnate, and the hopeless and horrible state of the world without Christ, this will motivate us to love people enough to OVERCOME OUR OWN TIMIDITY (at least sometimes).”
Personally I no longer find conversational evangelism uncomfortable and although a naturally reserved person I am no longer ‘timid’ in it either. I find conversation with non Christians of all kinds invigorating and exciting and usually do not find reasonable conversation about our faith objected to by those I speak with.
In our current situation living in Barbados continual evangelism is made easy. While out and about at a restaurant shopping or social event the most frequent early question is “Why did you move to Barbados?” Our reason was to preach Christ here and assist the church in any way we could – particularly in the development of house churches. So the opportunity to share our faith in an appropriate way is offered to us on a regular basis.
My wife who also teaches on evangelism identified that one of the fears of many people is ‘the fear of rejection’ if they were to share their faith whether to friends or casual acquaintances. This may keep a Christian’s mouth shut or it may cause her/his conversation to be strained and awkward rather than free and unrestricted so tending towards derailing the whole process.
I think we each need to consider what is causing our timidity or that of our fellow Christians, discuss the matters and try to remedy them. This alone could be a valuable group activity in our various churches. It is the sort of scenario in which progress towards evangelism is likely to be made by a group seeking to serve Christ. Particularly if the group were convened by someone sensitive towards others fears but confident in evangelism.
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Do any of us appreciate or are receptive to the evangelism of the JWit or 7thD or Mormons? Probably not. So why would we think people would be more receptive to that of RC’s and mainstream Protestants? So the discussion here of delivery techniques is valuable. Of course, living in Christian charity as testimony is the best strategy of evangelism for it may stimulate interest in why Christians behave so.
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Living it is important but I do not think there is ‘a’ best way of evangelism different approaches suite different people.
I find in personal conversation that listening and trying to respond in a manner meaningful to the person you speak to is important. What are the issues they are facing – how is Jesus Christ relevant to their issues. Talking at this level keeps the conversation relevant for them.
It is Christ Himself we should present and a personal commitment to Him rather than any ‘ism’. I find that few people have a problem with Christ while many are full of criticism for churches or Christianity.
If we start there with Christ we will inevitably have define who He is and seek to evidence this for the skeptic. Keeping the focus on Christ and their personal response towards Him and the way He instructed us to live and be towards one another avoids many objections.
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Actually, I’m always disappointed when I’m away when a pair of Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses knock on my door. I love engaging them, because they come to me and give me the opportunity to share the good news with them! With other people, I’m far too often fearful that it will harm my career advancement or some such idolatry, but with proselytizing sects, they really ask for it when they show up.
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I try to encourage JW’s and Mormons to keep visiting me sadly after the second visit and they realize I am an unlikely convert they will not return.
I think I need to try a different approach and spend more time simply asking them questions that may lead them to seek answers for themselves outside their sectarian box rather than present the problems of their position to them.
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That sounds like a good approach. That also shows more personal interest in them than my simplistic “counter-evangelism.” Mostly, though, I am gone when they knock and I only hear about them from neighbors or my wife.
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I would also add that there are ways the church can serve the local community that allow you to build a bridge/relationship between believers and non-believers. Our church runs a mothers-and-toddlers group three days a week much more cheaply than than professional groups. We are able to do this and offer free tea and coffee because we are staffed by volunteers. The mothers really appreciate this. We also invite them to come to “craft services”, which our church puts on several times a year – a variation on “messy church”, and we are hoping to reorganise parade services (services where the Brownies, Guides etc take part) to make them more family-oriented. Putting on these services is a good start, but one then has to follow up with evangelistic one-on-one conversations and one needs to support the mission with committed prayer – these parts are what makes it difficult.
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If they wont convert to the one true pure and white holy apostlic universal pure and white catholic church that Christ founded, burn them at the stake, like we used to do. Thank you Mary
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That’s a hot date for you, young man 🙂
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Bosco this is not helpful while we are trying to learn from one another how to be more effective in bringing Christ to those around us. Can you please put a sock in it!
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