Evangelism

Evangelism gets a bad name at times even among members of churches. It is as if we feel we might impose on someone who doesn't know the gospel.

I suppose it is an imposition and sometimes not a welcome one but often it is not as much as we might think. Some people are not as unwilling to listen as we might assume.

Of course others will also wish to speak. So if we share we should be willing to listen. I always find listening to other vantage points interesting.

Sometimes we can learn from those we disagree with. It is not the same as learning ultimate saving knowledge but the perspective of others is always helpful. Sometimes we can see errors in our own thinking when we share with others.

It is sometimes the case that we can only see our thought in conversation. When we share our heart with others we sometimes notice this or that is a bit odd about ourselves. We had everything mostly right but we seem to be missing something.

And then we can go back to the bible and figure out how we were a bit off. Sometimes we don't know an answer at all and now when we go back to the bible we know have a question which the bible has an answer for.

The reality is that evangelism is love. If we believe the message of the bible about the joy of knowing and being known by God sharing that Joy with others is a natural response.

Of course sin and fear often gets in the way. God is always a God of grace. We are saved by grace, live by grace, and never get past grace until we are with God in heaven.