The theme for this month in Cote d’ Ivoire has been hardcore evangelism. We have done truckers ministry and we have also had the opportunity to go into villages and share the gospel with some of the people within the villages.
However, regardless of who we were speaking to, be it truckers or locals, males or females, there’s one thing each interaction had in common, we’re meeting each other for the first time.
Starting a normal, casual conversation, with someone you don’t know, can be a challenge, let alone sharing Jesus with them creates a new level of intimidation.
A common critique I’ve heard of street evangelism is that it’s impersonal because you don’t have a relationship with the person your talking to. So, when the person doesn’t accept Christ, the unspoken thought is that Jesus was shoved down their throat and that if a relationship was formed, the outcome may have been different.
During trucker ministry and sharing the gospel in the villages I have been able to witness many come to Christ and these were people who we never met before. However, on occasion when someone didn’t come to Christ, I would find myself wondering, what is the right way to share the gospel and if having a relationship first would’ve changed the results. Here are my thoughts.
1. Whether someone accepts Christ or whether they reject him, is a personal decision everyone has to make. We as human beings, whether we have a great relationship with someone or if we don’t know them at all, can not make that decision for someone else. Sometimes people say no to Christ and they mean it and there’s nothing outside of praying that we can do or could’ve done to change their minds.
2. When we evangelize our job is only to share. It’s not about us and how well we speak or how relatable we think we are, it’s the holy spirit that does the conviction.
3. While living a life for Christ is important and being a witness to those around you is important, sharing the gospel by opening your mouth and actually sharing it, is essential to evangelism.
Romans 10:14 (NLT), says “ But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?”
It may feel awkward going up to someone you don’t know from a hole in the wall and sharing Christ with them, but considering their spiritual life is on the line, it’s important. Not to mention, who knows, if you don’t tell them, maybe no one else will.
I agree that evangelism is a spiritual gift that we don’t all possess but practicing a little evangelism with either a stranger or someone you know, is a good thing. As offensive as it is to shove Jesus down a strangers throat, particularly when they’ve made it clear they are not interested or when they’re visibly uncomfortable, I think it should be as equally offensive to have formed great relationships with people who don’t know Christ yet the gospel is never shared with them.
Evangelism or sharing the gospel is an interruption. Not in the rude way we think of an interruption but more of an interruption of thought. So what’s the right way to share the gospel? I think just sharing it is always right.
