In this blog I’m going to talk about one thing in particular:
Evangelism
Does that word make any of you squirm in your seat? I’m sure all of you reading this have so many different opinions and thoughts that come to mind, but do you want to know what immediately popped into my head? It’s awkward and scary. Not my chosen method of ministry. People will think I’m weird. Am I even qualified for that? Hard pass…and the list continues. Yes, those were actually my thoughts about 2 months ago. Do you know what my team’s ministry was this month? I’m sure you’ve guessed it by now, but the only thing we were told that we would be doing was evangelism. Yikes.
On our very first day of ministry I was paired with my teammate Amanda to talk to students on the University of Botswana campus. We walked around making small talk and praying for several people, and the common theme was that people will be quick to tell you that they are a Christian but not so sure if they believe they will go to Heaven. After a while we decided to take a break and sit on a bench in a populated area, and it took less than a minute for the man across the courtyard to wave at us to come join him.
The man’s name was Dr. Goodhead. He asked us where we are from and what we’re doing here, and then they next thing he said was, “Oh don’t tell me you are some of those church people!” Swerve. That was the first time we had gotten that response. And what does that even mean?! After a few moments trying to explain ourselves, he cut us off again and said, “Here’s the deal: I’m going to give you 5 minutes to convince me why I should believe in God. If at the end of the 5 minutes I am convinced, then I’ll give my life to Jesus. If I’m not convinced I will never even consider believing in God again.” Woah, that’s intimidating. Amanda decided she was going to give the fast and furious version of her testimony, and I was sitting right there praying as hard as I could. As she finished her story Dr. Goodhead sat there for a minute in silence. I think Amanda and I were both holding our breath at this moment. Then, he looked at us and said, “So…you said that God is your best friend? Tell me more about that.” I’ve lived with Amanda for 5 months and heard her share her testimony several times now, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard her say God is her best friend until this conversation with Dr. Goodhead. How cool is the Holy Spirit for guiding her with those words?!
Long story made short: Dr. Goodhead had just moved to Botswana from Nigeria for continued schooling and didn’t really know anyone besides his uncle. He was lonely. Even though he grew up in a Christian home, Dr. Goodhead wasn’t sure what he thought about faith. He had been hurt by some people in the past that had called themselves Christians. He was very knowledgable about the Bible, which meant that he knew how to ask challenging questions. We sat and talked for over an hour trying to answer every question as honestly as we could. The funniest part was when he would ask us tough questions and then he would be surprised when we would respond with tough answers. We wanted to be as real as possible with him.
Dr. Goodhead told us that God must exist because that was the only way to explain how we met. Spoiler alert: he isn’t even a student at that campus. He studies at a different school and just happened to be on campus to visit his uncle. Something (God) told him to go outside to try to make friends. He said he had been sitting there for maybe 5 minutes before we walked up. Then, I’ll never forget the encouragement he gave us, “I can really tell that you love God. You came to the other side of the world, not for money or anything, just to tell people that they are loved. Seeing how much you love God makes me believe that there is more.” Wow
Dr. Goodhead didn’t decide to give his life to Jesus by the end of our conversation, and we never got to see him again. Am I alright with that? Yeah, because I know that he now knows the truth that he is loved and not alone. It’s not my job to make him a Christian. We did our part by boldly sharing what we believe, now the Spirit is free to work in his heart even when we aren’t there.
Evangelizing doesn’t need to be a sales pitch. It’s simply sharing with someone about what you love. Think about it…It’s like telling someone how much I love Chipotle. I love the cilantro rice mixed with chicken, black beans, corn, guac (yes I know it’s extra), and cheese. I loooove that it’s all wrapped in a tortilla, bring on the carbs. I would eat it every day if I could. Every time I eat Chipotle I send a snapchat to my friends bragging about it. I hate how much of a millennial I sound like right now. When I haven’t had it in a while I will tell people I miss it. (IT’S BEEN 5 MONTHS!) I love burritos and think that everyone should as well. Maaaaaybe me talking about Chipotle right now will cause you to go order a burrito. Maybe it won’t. Either way you choose, I was able to put the thought in your head about something I love.
I can’t believe I just described sharing the Gospel as the same thing as eating a burrito. All jokes aside, that’s what evangelism is. Talk about what you believe, how it’s changed you, and what it can offer to others. Us humans tend to screw up a lot. We deserve nothing more than to die, go to hell, and be eternally separated from God, but we don’t have to do that. Jesus died for me. He died for you. He was the spotless lamb and the ultimate sacrifice. He took on all sin and shame so we don’t have to. He conquered death so we can join him and Father in Heaven. God was kind enough to send the Holy Spirit to us so we don’t lose hope. With the Spirit we can live a life that gives us a glimpse of what life in Heaven will really be like. This is amazing stuff! I can go on and on. So yes, some of you might be weirded out by the idea of talking about Jesus to your peers. That’s not the normal thing to do. But think about this: Jesus died and went through so much pain for you, so can’t you go through a little bit of discomfort to talk about him to others? I’ve learned that all the strange looks I get from others are 100% worth it if I get to tell someone that they are loved. It is 100% worth it if me stepping out of my comfort zone helps give someone hope. So…the new thoughts that pop into my head at the word “evangelism” are: Opportunity. I have a God worth bragging about. Let’s have a good conversation. Hey Dad, use me however you want.
Even though the campus closed shortly after we arrived, evangelism remained our main ministry for the entire month. The difference was that we reached out to people at the local markets and malls instead of college students.
Thank you, Dr. Goodhead, for encouraging me and changing my views.
Fundraising update:
GUYS. I am nearly 98% funded! I am so incredibly humbled by all of you that have chosen to financially support me. I am just $397.16 away from being FULLY FUNDED! The goal is in sight, and I need to reach this final deadline by the end of this month (March 31). If you would like to support me financially you can do so here or by clicking the link at the top of my page.
