Evangelism - it's all about love

This morning I spoke with a gentleman who told me of an extraordinary afternoon he had the previous day: he helped serve lunch to our city’s downtown homeless community. A downtown church we both attend sponsored it – I mention that specifically because the lunch was an orchestrated evangelical event – earmarked specifically to and for the homeless. Anyway, after lunch, servers and attendees mingled and visited. My friend struck up a conversation with a couple of men - both addicts: one drugs, the other alcohol. From what I understand, after visiting some, the question was posed to each of the men: “If all it took to kick your addiction was a desire to do so, if you held the power to kick your addiction on your own - would you have done so by now?” Yes: they had both attempted countless times, each encountering the same hopeless results – failure and then back to the streets. It was then conveyed to each man what the gentlemen had found to be true in his own life: Christ is our only hope - in conquering and overcoming whatever struggles, be it addiction, heartache, or anything else this life throws at us. At some point – and I don’t know the words or terminology used - but at some point, both men were presented with the plan of salvation and prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
To some, this entire scene might seem a bit too trite; too neat; too tied-up-with-a-bow tidy to be “real.” But does any of us know that for sure? When the day comes for each of these men to face Christ face to face, will these men be known as one of His redeemed? Who, on this side of heaven, is to say?
Yes, there is a case for not rolling out cookie cutter evangelistic robots to the world. But, then again, are there not always exceptions to most anything? If only one method worked, why on earth would God put within each of His redeemed hearts a desire to accomplish it so differently?
And if love is the reason – if it is the foundation upon which we model our behavior and live out our lives – if it is the basis for our motives - will it not – even in spite of ourselves - produce what only God could sanction. After all, couldn’t some people be drawn to cookies? Should we not at least have a few around to feed them? I have to believe there is a time and a place for most any mechanism of evangelism that God places upon one’s heart. I may not understand the guy who stands on a soapbox screaming out bible verses; I may not agree with the TV evangelist with a three piece suit who says “Glory” every other word; I may not understand why we hand the homeless a cup of soup with a sermon attached. But I don’t really have to like, agree, or understand whatever it is that God is using, do I? Who am I to judge what is the “right” way to reach others for Christ? It may not be the method I need or you want; it may, however be the method God uses.

• Re(1): Evangelism - it's all about love - By Eric April 11, 2003 at 09:58:43 PM
  • Re(2): Evangelism - it's all about love - By val April 14, 2003 at 04:00:30 PM