This last month I’ve been in Nakuru, Kenya and it never fails to amaze me how God can use a sour attitudes in the times we least expect it!
You see, this last month we’ve been doing a lot of evangelism, including going door to door and trying to get people to come to the church that we’re working with this month. This whole idea of “selling church” and “convincing people” to come together for fellowship in church is kind of hard for me to get amped-up about. I mean sure, I believe in Christ and what He did for me on that cross, but why should I push this on others?
I’ve not had the best experience with evangelism, and I don’t think everyone approaches this topic with the most honest intentions at heart. It’s almost as if they urge you to join the club, so they can get some sort of glory themselves… like a notch in the belt, an extra few points on their Airmiles card, or a christmas bonus at church.. maybe they’ll move up a couple pews in church (wink, wink*) I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but I don’t think I would want to join that kinda “club”.
Unfortunately some people try to sell Jesus, but I’m not all that sure that that is what we are intended to do. You see, by proposing the great gift of Christ to others, we‘re simply offering a chance to deny ones self and surrender to the promise of new life.
After praying with our ministry partner, Pastor Mary, I gained a little bit of a new perspective. She reminded me that evangelism is, as she would say, God’s heartbeat. He sent His son to die on a cross for us, to rescue us from a corrupt world. And it’s a gift, not a demand. He wants us to choose in, to choose salvation, to choose life and to choose Him. He didn’t intend for us to be forced into something that we don’t want, and this is what I think many people think of Christians. They’re the pushy car sales man, the cheesy advertising agent, or the guilt-tripping, fine dressed, teeth-too-white-for-their-own-good sales person.
This is why I had such a hard time with evamgelism, because it kinda seemed that’s exactly what we were doing…
So we started our day by separating into groups and dispersed to go out into the surrounding community. After 2 hours of walking around throughout the Pipeline District (where the church is) I was completely checked out, and just wanted to go home; I was sick of evangelism. As we rounded the last corner in the road on our way to the church, I in my moody state and the others ready to go too, saw the church and where relieved. only another 100 meters and we could get in the car and go home… not so, instead we came across a young man riding his bike. He stopped and said, “Hello, my name is Joseph.” I reluctantly stopped and introduced myself. I didn’t want to be disrespectful, and I decided to talk to him for a bit.
It appeared that the group I was with was the first back to the church, so I decided to chat with the young man while I waited. One thing led to another and we started talking about Jesus. Apparently Joseph knew all about Jesus but claimed that he didn’t accept Him as his personal savior.
Before I knew it, the group I was with had all found someone to talk to, and soon on this dirt road street corner we had a little crowd gathered. Everyone was inquiring about the church and this idea of Jesus…
Here we were completely checked out and ready to go home, when God hadn’t even gotten started. That day Joseph and a few others asked Jesus to be the Lord of their lives! It was really cool to me that God brought me back to the cross, back to Him, not so that I could receive the glory, but to use me as a vessel and to work through me. It was so humbling to me how God used little-ol’ me, in my pour attitude to lead another to the cross.
Hebrews 12:1-2
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
This reminds me why I came on the World Race in the first place, to be lead back to the cross, and to help lead others to the cross, so they can find the hope that I found, and am constantly pursuing! Heres a song that explains more.
Thanks for reading.
