RABBONI...which is to say, Master

Tommy responded to yesterday’s post with a question. It was not the sort of question I could give a brief response to and feel like I had done justice to the question Tommy asked, so I want to develop the answer here.

Here is the quote: Elton Trueblood, the Quaker scholar, once compared evangelism to fire. “Evangelism occurs, he said, when Christians are so ignited by their contact with Christ that they in turn set other fires. It is easy to determine when something is aflame. It ignites other material. Any fire that does not spread will eventually go out. A church without evangelism is a contradiction in terms, just as fire that does not burn is a contradiction.”

If you know anything about the story of the beginning of the church that Jesus built you know one thing for sure, it began and grew like a brush fire fanned by a strong wind. From a handful the church grew into a group of thousands in just a short period of time. It eventually spead throughout the then known world. While these events found in the Book of Acts tell of the church’s explosive beginning, much of the New Testament was written to churches, after some time has passed, with problems that in some cases threatened their very existence and future. The book of Revelation opens by addressing seven churches, most of which had problems that needed to be corrected. During this period it seems that evangelism not only slowed in its intensity, but also in its methods because of the persecution against those apart of the church. For example take Peter’s statement in I Peter 3:15 “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”

My point is simply this. Regardless of its context in society, the church is to be evangelist. If it is not, it is still the church, but it is not living up to its commission and purpose for existence. Evangelism is not its only purpose, but a major one none the less. (Just a side note. I read somewhere recently that the number of Christians in China may soon surpass the number of Christians in the western world).

I can’t speak for the rest of Christendom, but having grown up and served Churches of Christ for most of my life, I think I have a little insight into why we talk about evangelism and do very little of it. Let me address my tribe from at least two vantage points. Our traditional segment and our progressive groups.

Our traditional side’s emphasis has been and continues to be converting the denominational world. Our restorational objectives were seen as evangelism in the since that we sought to converted the already religious to our way of thinking. As a result we saw evangelism as something done by a few highly trained individuals and not something for the “everyday” Christian. There was not much emphasis on the merits of Christ’s atonement. (Lawyers are often called ambulance chasers; well we were Billy Graham Crusade chasers). We believed that the folks we were after understood what Jesus did for us, we just needed to get them strait on a few issue like baptism, etc. This segment of my tribe continues to trust in a few to evangelize for the masses. They expect the preacher to be evangelistic; they support other preachers on TV and Radio and through printed page; they talk about how each of us should be an evangelistic, but in over 60 years I have never seen more than a handful involved in evangelistic outreach. As a result a lot of guilt has been spread around, but not much Gospel.

The more progressive or contemporary side has taken away the guilt motivation but the results to date don’t seem to be much better.  I hear a lot of prayers and exhortations to be evangelist through your lifestyle. I believe we believe we should be evangelist, and want to be, but our lives have become so isolated from those we need to reach, they don’t have a lot of impact on the lost. The term “rabbit hole” Christian has been used to describe how we run from home to church and back again and have little contact with the non-churched world. To answer this problem many congregations are following the lead of the Mega churches and are becoming attractional in their approach to evangelism. They are “event” oriented, seeking to get folks to come to them, visit for a special service, drama, etc., then in time be reached with the Gospel message. Statistics show that a large percentage of folks reached this way come from other churches and are not among the unchurched in the community. So in fact evangelism in the truest since did not take place.

So why is it that we seem to be long on talk about evangelism and short on action? None of us seem to have a problem sharing with others and often total strangers those things we are excited about, that we have knowledge about, that we care about and that we deeply believe in. What grand parent doesn’t have pictures of grandchildren? What mother is not eager to brag of her little angel’s recital? What guy is not eager to show off his new wheels?

My tribe for years was a lot like the man described by Marshall McLuhan when he asked, “Is Twentieth Century man one who runs down the street shouting, “I’ve got the answers. What are the questions?” We know the answers to questions we think people should have, but we have never taken the time to get to know them to find out the burning questions they have deep in their hearts. So we fill the air ways with answers to questions that no one is asking. But I digress……..

Paul’s words to Timothy seem to provide the solution to our dilemma, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” II Tim. 1:5-12

Timidity (fear) is not from God.  So fan the flame, and evangelism will follow.