For years, I have operated by the theological conviction that the most important thing we can do as Christians (as it concerns evangelism) is to "preach" the gospel; tell it to people in the grocery store, in line at the bank, at the gym, etc. I had been taught what I now see is the "Old School" method.

 

Background...

 

Some time in the late 1950 and early 1960s, things began to change in this country. People began to hang out and talk about dropping out of society, about seeking love and peace in place of hate and war. It got serious. Real serious. Movements across the states began, mostly on the west coast where I grew up. Soon however, people dropped that ball and picked up another: sex, drugs and rock and roll. What started out as a possible revolutionary beginning turned into a self-enflamed greed for a high that was, in fact, only so high. Nothing, however, as high as what could have been under the right leadership.

 

Soon the country's concept of "the Good Lord above" and meaning of a handshake and one's word began to sink, slowly in some areas of the state and quickly in others. To make a long story short, we now have Postmodernism as a result of this change of the tide in our country's thinking and culture. That's not a bad thing, per se, but what I didn't catch onto was that this would most certainly call for a re-evaluation of how the gospel is to be presented. I didn't think that was something that would ever change. People need to hear the gospel no matter who they are or in what time they live. Right? Well...yeah, but...

 

The One More Soul initiative that the Free Methodist Church has taken up is a result of re-evaluation of how the gospel is to be presented. It was the philosophy behind this initiative that finally hit home with me. See, before the late 50s, it used to be that you really could love your neighbor by sharing the gospel to him or her by way of the old method. The cultural context, up to the late 50s and early 60s worked fine, [i]because people still had a sense of "the Good Lord above."[/i] People were in a framework that was conducive to up-front sharing of the gospel to folks whose lives were in shambles. That cultural mileu has changed, though, and I've just figured this out.

 

I understand now the [i] real[/i] significance of Postmodernism; a people who are still people, still need love and community, but trust little that is presented to them as the answer. And why should they? In this country's mind, war has taken its toll. It has worn down the belief that things will get better. Values are relative, and the home is no longer the center of stability. The American soul has been wounded, the souls of the many. Ah, but all the better context in which to "share" the gospel with people, right? No. Not at all.

 

I finally realized why I would not "evangelize" and share the gospel with people (well, very few people, that is). I finally realized the order of importance as it concerns evangelism, and it isn't the old-school method. Man, what a relief. What a freedom to have finally seen this new light. It isn't that the gospel message has changed, and it isn't that the message should not be shared. It is this: If one wants to evangelize successfully in today's culture, it is important FIRST to love the individual before concerning one's self with the individual's ultimate destiny. It is not that it is MORE important to love and individual than to be concerned about that individual's ultimate destiny - of course that person's destiny is most important - but it is most important to FIRST love and then concern one's self with that person's destiny as it concerns evangelism.

 

Under the old school, you could have a great love for people and share it immediately by preaching and sharing the gospel in all different settings, contexts and what have you. The mindset of the American people fitted well with this kind of approach. I, however, in today's culture, have only found myself throwing up barriers between the "lost" and me. Something was wrong, and I knew it, but I didn't know what it was. I constantly prayed,

"Lord, why can't I evangelise?"

The answer came in like thunder over these last few weeks.

"You can," the Lord made clear. "You just need to change the method."

My question then was, "Why in the world is that? The message is the message, isn't it?"

 

Ah, yes, the message is the message, but it is not possible today to love someone by using the same method of sharing it! You are not loving people in today's context by simply sharing the gospel with them, EVEN IF YOU DO LOVE THEM! Let me repeat that: you are not loving people in today's context by simply sharing the gospel with them even if you do love them. How can this be true, and why is it true?

 

I, and I'm sure many, Christians face this quiet barrier that prevents most of us from sharing the gospel with people. We think it's fear. It's not fear, and that's the key! It's awareness that something doesn't fit - you can't take a square object and put it hole the shape of a circle. That creates tension and disturbance, particularly when it comes to sharing the gospel. I recognize now that it wasn't fear I had in regard to sharing the gospel, it was a cultural frameworkwioth which to relate. Things have changed. Oh, I knew people were different today, but I didn't think that made any difference as to how the gospel message should be presented. It does. Boy, does it ever.

 

Let me be clear here real quick. There are many who have evangelized under the old school method and loved their fellow mankind to the hilt. And there has always been the need to do things this new way - Jesus Himself was an example of this "new" method: hang out with the lost. But for years this country's cultural mileu made it too easy to not have to hang out with the lost. Sure, preach to them, save them and THEN hang out with them. Well, the fact is that the tide has, indeed, changed; one absolutely MUST hang out with the lost if one wants to do any effective evangelisim. One must love the lost first and then go after the issue of ultimate destiny. One isn't loving the lost if one isn't relating, caring, being there, helping the lost. Few people today are receptive to the gospel with a direct, frontal attack. It doesn't work anymore.

 

I'm writing this with no time to edit. I apologize. So let me sum up. I can drop the barriers! I am now able to really love people, because I don't have to have walls up; I don't have to concern myself with first preaching or sharing the gospel. I am free to just soak in the value people have because they are people. I can feel free to hang out with folk just because they are worth it. I don't have to be waiting for that "opportunity" to nail them with the gospel message. I can simply...love them and let them come to me. WOW! An amazing truth. Be real, be honest, be who I am to the lost? What a concept. Let the culture be my tool instead of using my own tools.

 

Well, I hope this resonates with you all out there...

 

Again, sorry for the sloppy unedited writing.

 

Starkman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My teacher used to say that whenever he read Scripture, he would always ask the question, "What does this have to say about the character of God?"  Working off his thinking, as I read Scripture, I have come to ask, "What does this have to say about the heart and passion of God's desire for relationship for us?

 

We/I almost never see the gospel in terms of relational healing.  It's so wrapped up in the sin/punishment thing that we/I miss the idea that God LOVES us.  All of US!

 

Or can I reword the above...

 

Iit is STILL the case that doing LIFE with Godis a better way for relational healing than trying to DO things FOR God!"

 

peace, don

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^{The world's perfect, wouldn't change a thing.}