Sharing the Gospel

I recently spoke to the RGCF at the March monthly luncheon about "sharing the Gospel." I distinguished sharing the Gospel from evangelism, the latter being a system or collection of philosophies, policies and practices that initiate a person into a communal life in the Kingdom of God. I take my cues regarding evangelism from the wisdom of William Abraham in his seminal and creative The Logic of Evangelism.


Now, in my presentation for RGCF, I attempted to describe sharing the Gospel as a spectrum of relational conversations about the reign of God, and what I omitted, the time not being available, is that any of those conversations are a form of generosity and hospitality.

I described the experience that Annette and I had in a conversation with a woman who was, by her own admission, a nominal Jew. She made several statements regarding some of the more notorious activities of the Christian church, e.g., the church's silence in response to Hitler. And we simply had to agree with her about all of her statements. Rather than react or get defensive, we did our best to affirm her descriptions. I recall that we also depicted a version of the penal-substitutionary theory of atonement. My sense following the conversation was that the woman understood us to have listened to her and did not attempt to refute or diminish anything she had to say.

Much to my embarrassment, I'd add that when we separated, I told Annette that at least we don't have any blood on our hands. :( I hope I never blow-up like that again...horrible

Back to the story: about a year later, Annette and I were accosted by this same woman: only now, she announced that she was a follower of Jesus! :) Turns out that our conversation was an exchange in a series of meetings with Christians who had listened carefully, did not dismiss anything that she said, and in general, treated her with dignity, as well as gently proclaimed that Jesus is the Messiah. She felt welcomed and cared for: she experienced the generosity and hospitality of Christian community. (Of course, there is much more to say regarding generosity and hospitality.) And, in the season that was right for her and for the Lord, she became united with the hope of Israel.

My point: participating in such conversations contributes to the movement of the person toward or away from Jesus and life in his reign. Anyone might desire "to close the deal" (what way to state that transition...), but the reality is more likely to be a conversation that continues to get the attention of the person on Jesus.

I'd add: such conversations have the added benefit of getting our attention on Jesus as well. I would suggest that such conversations become the occasions for us to meet up with the Lord. In fact, that may be one of the important motivations for sharing the Gospel: meeting up with Jesus.

How about you: what is your experience sharing the Gospel?

Psalm 46, Witness, & Intimacy with God

While in a prayer meeting a couple of weeks ago, the leader read from Psalm 46 to guide our prayers. When she read the following, the words triggered a couple of thoughts.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

One, who was the Psalmist addressing? Others within the fortress of God? Or yelling at (or over the top) to the nations approaching? If you return to the beginning or the end of the Psalm, you could plausibly make a case that the nations are addressed. The audience is not stated...so, for the moment: if it were the nations...

Two, the Psalmist describes God as a physical location that would protect against attack and store people and supplies in readiness for military assault. Protect and store: both. Ordinarily, one would not be surprised by a city within a fortress either.

What I sensed during our prayers is that to be with the Lord Jesus in a transparently public manner of living also leads to hostile or antagonistic opposition from others. And, it is precisely in such conflict that the Psalmist alerts us to the kind of intimacy with the Lord awaiting us. But, it's not an intimacy that insulates us from opposition to living in response to the Gospel: but, protection of some version gets proposed here; it sounds like reassurance and intimacy.

10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

This might be worth considering for conversation: how does life together and sharing the good news lead you to know the Lord more intimately? How has increased intimacy with the Lord been true for you in the presence of opposition? What do you think?