Who would argue with evangelism?

It was great recently to sit in a church meeting and hear the leadership of the church present the vision for evangelism that I had had some input on and discussions with them about.  It was put in the context of God’s mission and God’s heart.  It was a vision for the people in their local community, for Christians to share their faith in their everyday lives, for mission across the globe and for lives to be transformed.  Talking with one of the leaders afterwards about how it had gone, we agreed: how could you argue with that?

I know some people and some churches would of course (if you know some too please ask them to contact me I would love to chat to them).

We then agreed that really the proof of the pudding is in the eating.  Or words to that effect.  It is when the vision starts to be put into action, when programs are changed, stopped or introduced, when people’s comfort zones are taken away, when we could be seen as ‘intolerant’, when the way we usually do things is challenged, that is when we find out if people agree.

It is a bit like the elder son in Luke 15 v 25 – 32.  When our way of life is actually put out of place because of the lost and dead we can react against it.  But the context of our mission is God’s mission: to find the lost, to bring the dead to life.

What happened last month included: 

13th April Spirit of life festival planning meeting – the stalls are almost all taken up; the key is now advertising so please pray spiritual seekers hear about it and come.

18th April St Luke’s family event – with live animals?!  The best attended event so far which was encouraging so please give thanks for that, despite the animals being late. They must have found it hard to drive…

20th April St Michael’s evangelism team planning meeting – set objectives with evangelism team for encouraging and equipping church and strategically building events and programs.  A big step forward.

26th April Preached at Kelvedon URC about encouraging people in church and outside the church: it is often counter cultural.

27th April St Luke’s evangelism team review meeting – formed an exciting plan for future events with more Christian input for people to consider, an occasional discussion group at Toddlers group for the adults and more social events to link in with these.  Please pray for these developments.

What’s happening this month includes:

5th May Visiting a pub church with Ascension church Chelmsford at The Black Bull, Rainsford Road.

10th May Co-leading a meeting at Tile Kiln Church with their group leaders about building a strategic vision and culture of evangelism in their groups.

14th May Spirit of life festival preparation meeting with stall holders and team helping on the day.

28th May St Luke’s evangelism team meeting for their next event in July

30th May Spirit of life festival in Chelmsford Cathedral where I have a chaplain role on the day.

Sharing God’s love in everyday life: Ordinary Mum Extraordinary mission

(Anna France – Williams and Joy French)

This is this month’s recommended resource but if you are not a Mum don’t switch off.  This is something for Dad’s, Grandparents, anyone struggling with where God has put them in life and Church leaders to give to people in those positions.  It is about two Mums and their real life reflections, experiences and struggles with family life when they also want to change the world for God.

The book is so often spot on:  we too often think it is either family life or going on mission.  But of course it should be family ON Mission, it is not staying or going but seeing God’s mission where we are and sharing God’s love in the everyday things with people around us.

Too often evangelism becomes tasks, things we do.  I would also say we get tied up too often in techniques, how to do it.  But “mission is less about engaging in a specific set of activities and much more about developing a mindset” (page 23).  It is about who we are in Christ, it is part of His image in us, our identity, it is like breathing.  Imagine if we did not do that?  Not doing mission not only impacts us but others as well and can be fatal.

The challenge is made about what Jesus would think about us fitting mission in so often after we have secured our safe, comfortable and happy lives (page 152).  Is that the example He gives us?  Mission will be messy as life so often is but God can still use us.

Do you know a church who needs some help with evangelism?

If you know a church who you think would want some help with evangelism, please point them my way for a chat, no obligation, no small print.

If you know someone interested in evangelism, please point them to sign up for these monthly updates, no obligation, no small print.
If you would like regular evangelism ideas for you and your church, please sign up to receive the monthly update.