In part one I made the case that evangelism and salvation must be reunited in our thinking. A part of the core nature of evangelism centers on Jesus’ death and resurrection. To invite people deeper into God’s love is to invite them deeper into Jesus’ death.
This is not comfortable language for many Episcopalians. We need help to enter this discomfort. The first place to go for such help is central to Episcopal thinking: baptism. Baptism is a sacrament that reminds us we enter Jesus’ death and resurrection. In baptism we turn our backs on evil, and then turn and embrace Jesus. We acknowledge him as our Savior and Lord. It is especially helpful to be baptized as an infant. This underscores that this is not of our doing. As we contemplate inviting others to be baptized and enter Jesus’ death and resurrection, we will find both comfort and strength when we remember our baptism.
Don’t let yourself rush to the Baptismal Covenant! Spend time thinking about what it means to invite people to Jesus before you invite them deeper into following Jesus.
In Stephanie Spellers’ conversation in a recent Living Church podcast, she emphasizes listening. This is great advice, and it takes the heat off us. Ours is not the first word to be spoken — God has already been speaking. There is no hurry. We can relax and fully give ourselves to these moments. Don’t worry!
Guess what? If God has been speaking, God will continue to speak. He will speak to those we talk to. He will talk to us in the words that those people say to us. Prepare to be bowled over as you are reminded of God’s love for you! And God will lead us in what to say when that is the right thing to do. It might be a slight nudge when we hear a word or phrase. We might have a physical reaction at some point. It might be a call to say simply, “Yes.” And it might be the word to keep our mouth shut and invite the person to lunch.
In the book I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus, Don Everts and Doug Schaupp share their research about many people who became Christians. Time after time, the first significant step these people took was to trust someone who was a Christian. Trustworthy people are listeners.
It is worth repeating that evangelism is a marathon, not a sprint. We have God’s promise that his time is not like our time:
A day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Pet. 3:8-9, NIV)
Evangelism is a place where the tortoise really can beat the hare.
If evangelism is not a sprint, neither is it an individual sport. Evangelism is more like baseball. We are part of a team. Everyone on the team has gifts that fit into the whole. You are not responsible for the whole thing! Are you gifted in hospitality? Then be a host or hostess. Are you especially gifted with generosity? Then let your generosity overflow. Of course, some people are more gifted with things like teaching and public speaking, and they might play a more visible part in the overall task, but all parts are essential. We are called to work together in the task of evangelism.
Many Episcopalians are gifted in their concern for justice. This is an excellent way to think about evangelism. Many people have ideas about Christians that lead them to conclude Christians are only about “pie in the sky.” When Christians roll up their sleeves, work in food kitchens, march for racial justice, oppose human trafficking (see especially the work of International Justice Mission), or fight for creation care, you will potentially be asked about the “hope that is within you” (1 Pet. 3:15).
Some might argue that prayer should have been listed first, rather than last. For many Episcopalians, prayer is just as daunting as evangelism. This is also okay. Some will quickly offer prayer for friends, neighbors, coworkers, family, and even people they don’t know. Start where you can, with a prayer like this: “God I don’t want to even think about evangelism. God, help make me care about evangelism.”
And as a reminder that Episcopalians really are called to evangelism, we end with a prayer from the Good Friday liturgy:
Merciful God, creator of all the peoples of the earth and lover of souls: Have compassion on all who do not know you as you are revealed in your Son Jesus Christ; let your Gospel be preached with grace and power to those who have not heard it; turn the hearts of those who resist it; and bring home to your fold those who have gone astray; that there may be one flock under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
