Irony and Evangelism

I stopped to get gas at Kroger today. I looked up and beside me was a driver training car. The person got out of the car smoking a cigarette, left the car running and proceeded to put gas in the car. After she got the pump going, she got back in the car (it was still running) to wait for the pump to finish. When it finished, she proceeded to “top off” the tank.

The irony of the situation made me simply laugh. A driver training car breaking every rule at the gas station! The only thing left for her to do was to talk on her cell phone while smoking the cigarette dispensing the gas!

On top of all this, there is an oil change place just beyond the gas station and out of the vents on its roof black smoke was coming out and it smelled like burning oil.

The more I thought about this, the more I realized that the irony of this situation is nothing compared to the irony of a community of people who believe with all of their heart that they have been given the gift of eternal life and the command to share it with everyone, yet they don’t. How many of our friends and neighbors and family members have no hope in their lives - no meaning, no significance? We say that we love them (and we mean it!), but do we offer them the ultimate gift?

Join us this Sunday as we begin to explore what it means to share our faith without being jerks. Over the next couple of weeks we will learn what salvation really is and how to talk about it without coming off like an idiot or kook. It’s going to be fun! Bring your friends.

Under the Mercy,
Jason
jason@terranovacc.com

Evangelism and A Biblical Worldview

I'm reading a good book right now called "UnChristian" by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. The basic premise of the book is simply what a new generation really thinks about Christianity and why it matters. It is a good read for any person who considers themselves to be a Christian.

In the book Kinnaman talks about how the perception is that Christians are only concerned with converting outsiders and don't really care about them beyond another "notch in thier salvation belt." Some of the ways this seems evident is the emphasis on making a decision after an emotional appeal to "accept Jesus as your savior." While this is important within the spiritual process of deciding to follow Christ, it is not the goal. The goal should be spiritual transformation of people, not just decisions and baptisms. Kinnaman's finding demonstrated that there was no real difference in the lifestyles or beliefs of "Christians" or "Outsiders" in America.

So what is "spiritual transformation"? It is a shift in the way you think, the way you love, and the way you listen. It involves embracing a Christian worldview which Kinnaman defines this way:

1) believing Jesus lived a sinless life
2) God is the omnipotent, omniscient creator and ruler of hte universe
3) Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned
4) Satan is real
5) A Christian has a responsibility to share his or her faith in Christ with other people
6) The Bible is accurate in all of the principles it teaches
7) Unchanging moral truth exists
8) Such moral truth is defined by the Bible.

I like this concept of moving toward a new worldview not just a decision at an isolated event that may or may not actually change the way a person lives their lives.

Christianity has reached a point where people do not really like us. While sometimes that may be okay - we represent love and peace when many people would rather hate and promote war - in this instance people's dislike of us is often justified. We are simply not easy people to be around.

If our goal is to help people experience true spiritual transformation which involves renewing thier minds over a lifetime, then we might need to shift some of the ways we practice evangelism. I will be exploring these thoughts over the next few days and weeks.

Jason