Our Calling - Evangelism

Our Calling: Evangelism (2 Kings 5: 1-14 & Acts 8: 26-40) This morning we’re considering our call to evangelism. Something we believe we are called to both collectively and individually. I wonder how many of you are sitting somewhat uncomfortably at home right now? Feeling a little nervous? Perhaps even tempted to switch off? From conversations with those exploring membership, I know that it is consistently this aspect of Our Calling that people find most challenging, maybe even scary, that they are unsure about and have the most questions on. Whether that word, evangelism, fills you with dread, or whether it excites you, I hope you’ll stick with me as we explore it this morning! I wonder how many of you when you hear the word evangelism get a picture in your mind of someone standing up preaching in public? Maybe that’s not a good picture – perhaps you’re thinking of someone standing on a street corner shouting to try and get the attention of shoppers hurrying by (something that always makes me cringe as it seems to be thrusting something uninvited on someone reluctant). Or maybe it’s a more positive picture – a preacher you’ve heard in chapel who has inspired you. I suspect that many of us get a picture of someone like Philip with the Ethiopian. Something that involves a definite call, a moment of inspiration by the Spirit, a particular passage of scripture that needs to be shared and explained, and a specific outcome – a conversion moment. Perhaps, as we hold that picture of Philip in our minds, we think we could never do that. We don’t have the confidence, the personality, the words, to stand up in front of a group of people and preach. We think we haven’t got the knowledge needed to explain something like Philip. In his letters to the early church Paul describes evangelism as a gift. He identifies evangelists as having a particular calling. Time and again throughout the Bible we see God calling people to do things they never thought they could do, that they tried to make excuses for, that they tried to run away from. But eventually they discover that as God calls them to something, so God equips them by the Spirit, to speak or to act in the ways God is asking. God sees not just who they are now, but all that by the power of God’s Spirit they can be. Maybe as I’m speaking now you sense this is what God is asking of you (however much you don’t want to hear it). Maybe the example of Philip captivates you and excites you and God is speaking to you through that inspiration. As we rethink church, and discern what God is asking of us, are you being called to evangelism in this way? To public preaching? If so, test that out with others, speak to me or Chris about how you can explore this more. So does that mean the Methodist Church has got it wrong? If Paul describes evangelists as having a particular calling then can most of us can breathe a sigh of relief because evangelism is for someone else? Well, no! Evangelism is also about personal testimony. We are called to make more followers of Jesus Christ through working out our faith in daily life and sharing Christ with others. For most of us, the picture of the girl in the story of Naaman is probably a more helpful picture of evangelism to have. This young girl, maybe thirteen or so, has been captured and taken away from her land, her people, her family; from all that she knows. Now she serves Naaman’s wife; the wife of the commander of the army that captured her. She’s in a strange place, among a people who believe different things, no doubt made to work hard and with nothing to look forward to other than a life of slavery. Does she must wonder where God is in all this? Maybe, probably. But there is still faith. When she hears of Naaman’s leprosy, she says to her mistress, “If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” One simple sentence that communicates her faith – there is a God, a God can be trusted to act for good, a God interested in foreigners and non-believers, a God who is more powerful than the forces which carried her away. This is her testimony – in spite of everything, she still believes in a faithful God of compassion. And Naaman, his household, the army, the King of Aram, as well as the King and people of Israel, come to know this too. There are many commentators who suggest that Jesus’ words to his disciples at the end of Matthew might be better translated not as “go and make disciples” but as you are going, make disciples. In other words, just what this young girl was doing. As you go about your ordinary daily lives, help make other followers of Jesus. Some of us might do this by public preaching, but all of us can do this through the stories we share with those around us. Like the young girl, a simple sentence that shares our faith in the God we trust. Which means of course, that evangelism is something for all of us! And if this is what evangelism is – the sharing of our personal testimonies about God in simple sentences in the midst of our daily lives – what might we say? Perhaps this is why evangelism makes so many uncomfortable, for it confronts us with what we really believe. Who is this God in whom we claim to trust? For whether it’s in public preaching or personal testimony, evangelism is about sharing the good news of what God has done in Jesus Christ. Perhaps this is where we see the various aspects of Our Calling interlinking with each other – if we never take time to reflect on the God whom we worship, then perhaps it’s not surprising that we fail to find the right words or have the confidence to share with those whom we care for or serve, the reason for the hope we have. Like the little girl, these words don’t have to be long or complicated. They only need express our hope, our longing, our trust. We don’t need to have all the answers, or be able to explain everything, only to honestly talk of the God we know. And in this I’m reminded of a story about Eugene Peterson, translator of The Message Bible, author of more than 30 books, professor at Regent College, and pastor. Despite all the words he wrote and spoke, at his funeral two years ago his son said that his dad had fooled people – his books had only one message, words he had snuck into his bedroom at night to say over him as a child; “God loves you. God is on your side. He is coming after you. He is relentless.” Like the words of the girl to her mistress, this whisper into his son’s ear is evangelism. This is a task to which all of us are called – what is the one message that your life whispers into the ears of others? How would you describe the good news we each have to share (so you are ready to share it when the opportunity arises)? The Church exists to make more followers of Jesus Christ • Do we have a clear message? Are the words we use straightforward and meaningful to those outside the Church? • What attracts others to the Christian faith? Are there initiatives we could take to present our convictions? Can we do this with Christians of other denominations? Where should the focus be – on church premises, or in the community? • How can we learn about effective witness from Christians in other cultures? • What can we do to make our premises more welcoming? • Should we consider planting a new congregation in this locality? What are our plans and targets for making more followers of Jesus Christ over the next year?