Lifestyle Evangelism
By Jake Kohl
Lifestyle
Evangelism is an approach to evangelism characterized by someone demonstrating
their faith by their actions in the hope that people around them will be
impressed with how God affects that person's life, and becomes a Christian. We
can often look at scripture and use this approach whereas Matthew 5:16 states,
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your
good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
The advantages of
using this method would be sharing the outward transformation that Christ has
done on our lives. For example, by showing a giving heart, one can see the love
of a Christian and ask why they give the way they do. This can open up the
opportunity to share who Christ is and possibly win them to Christ, or till the
ground for harvest.
The disadvantage
of this method is showing that salvation is based on works and deeds. If you
have a person who sees this method of evangelism in play, but never asks the
why question, this could cause the person to form an ideology of salvation
based on works and think to themselves that all it takes to get to heaven is
for me to just be good towards others. This view is often what many believe
today. According to Dr. Curtis Hutson’s article, Lifestyle Evangelism Refuted,
he states that, “this false philosophy teaches that
we witness with our life rather than our lips.” (Hutson) It is interesting to look at this philosophy and see that
witnessing with our life is not what scripture teaches us. I believe that
lifestyle evangelism will automatically come with salvation, and it should not
be used as a sole method to evangelize to others. The Great Commission tells us
to go into the entire world and preach
the gospel to all creatures. It doesn’t tell us to go into the entire world and
show what God has done, but to tell, to preach; an action, or verb if you will.
This method would be great used in conjunction with another method, but not as
a sole method for evangelizing. Using this method, should not come as a work
based method, but should be a naturally given method instilled in us once we
become saved.
If we were to
rely on this method by itself; we would fail at evangelism, because we are not
perfect, and we will always fall to sin ourselves. So with this in mind, when
we fall to sin and another unbeliever sees this fall, would this be a good
method to use solely for evangelizing the lost? I think not!
PART TWO – Evangelistic Method #2 - Friendship Evangelism
Much like
lifestyle evangelism, friendship evangelism is an approach to evangelism
characterized by Christians developing relationships with people in order to
show them kindness and talk to them about God… eventually.
The advantages of
using this method are many. When we develop a relationship with someone and
become friends, this opens our social network to have a much broader class of a
diverse amount of people. Having friends is important, and having those that
are lost is a way that our lifestyle evangelism can have a great impact on the
life of those who are lost. This is one method that can be used in conjunction
with the lifestyle evangelism method. However, there are some disadvantages
with using this method of evangelism. Creating friendships for the sole purpose
to share the gospel message could come back to bite you. If this was your only
intention of befriending the person, it could allow the person to think they
were being used, and that the friendship was taken for granted.
According to a
comment on a Gospel blog by Michael
Abramson, “… To befriend someone as part of a long-term evangelistic
plan is both disingenuous and unloving. It is, perhaps, more insidious than
grabbing a bullhorn and standing on a corner or hosting gimmicky outreach
events or passing out tracks, because behind your actions is the subtle,
unspoken statement - "You're not worth real love or a real friendship.
You're only worth a long-term conversion attempt that will feed my saviour
complex."” (Heuertz) This is so true when looking at this approach and
method used for evangelism. To befriend a person with the sole attempt to use
them to convert them to Christianity is like a false friendship. It would be a
friendship that has a hidden agenda, and as if the friendship was based on
deceit. Jesus befriended those that he stuck by, and was close to. He cared for
them even when they were not being obedient and even when Peter denied Him –
Jesus still loved them deeply. This is the ultimate love for a friend; when one
would lay his life down, as Christ did for us.
PART THREE – Evangelistic Method #3 – Servant Evangelism
Servant
Evangelism is sharing the love and message of Jesus Christ through simple acts
of service and kindness. This method of evangelism is more biblically
based and can be fun to do. Servant evangelism is a method that can be used to
reach many, from your own community to the outer most parts of the world. For
example, servant evangelism can be done by passing out water on a hot day,
paying for people’s gas at the fuel station, paying for someone’s meal at
McDonalds, or even taking cookies to your local fire department. Just simple
acts of kindness can open the doors to many possibilities of sharing Jesus.
According to David Wheeler, “Practicing simple acts of kindness with an
intentional aim of sharing Christ wonderfully opens the door for the greatest
act of kindness a Christian can give: sharing the gospel.” (Earley, &
Wheeler, 2010) With this in mind, the advantages of this method are numerous.
Not only are you being a servant as Christ calls us to be, you are also showing
a love that Christ also showed us. It gives an easier way to bring up Christ,
because when you serve someone else with love and kindness in this manner, it
opens doors that are not generally opened. Think about it… if out of the blue
on a hot day, someone comes to you while walking down a sidewalk and offers you
an ice cold bottle of water, your reaction may take you off guard because this
is not something you experience every day. Or, while at the gas pump,
especially with the rising fuel costs, and someone offers you a twenty dollar
fuel card, what would you think? Of course you would be more willing to talk or
listen to what that person has to say; you would be more willing because they
acted in a way that you are not used to… by being that servant.
As far as the
disadvantages of using this method; I find none. To be a witness of Christ, for
Christ, we must be willing to step out of our comfort zone and serve others;
regardless of the response we may receive. Planting seeds or tilling the ground
or watering the field is and should be our goal. While servant evangelism may
not always produce an immediate reaction, it very well could produce an emotion
kindled by the Holy Spirit of accepting Christ.
PART FOUR – Application of
These Methods to Your Own Life –
The best method of evangelism for
me would be the servant evangelism. I find this method the best for me because
it is a way I not only would use to speak the gospel but would also allow me to
show the love of Christ. The old saying, What Would Jesus Do (WWJD) fits
perfectly in this method. We must ask ourselves constantly if what we are doing
and how we are doing it would be that in the footsteps of Jesus. We must follow
after Him and be glorifying in all we do. For those that are in my life who are
not a Christian, I find this method very humbling and rewarding at the same
time. To do for others is a way that can usher in the work of the Holy Spirit.
To be a servant is better than being a taker. When those who we know and love
see this servant hood within us it may compel them to act on this servant
approach and look deeper into the meaning of Him who drives this method. My
church now practices the servant evangelism method. We hit the streets and
provide fuel cards to people at the pump, hot chocolate for those walking in
the cold and even buy peoples groceries at the store. It has had excellent
results and has proved to be very rewarding and glorifying to Christ. Steve
Sjogren’s website called, Servant Evangelism, has a
great motto that I find so true. The motto says, “Small
Things Done with Great Love Will Change the World”. (Sjogren) If we take this motto and apply it while using this method
of evangelism; not only would we change ourselves, but we would change the
world; one life at a time.
References
Earley, D, & Wheeler, D.
(2010). Evangelism is... how to share jesus with passion and confidence.
Nashville, Tennessee: B & H Academic Publishing Group.
Heuertz, C. Friendship evangelism:
a betrayal of friendship [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.qideas.org/blog/friendship-evangelism-a-betrayal-of-friendship.aspx
Hutson, C. (n.d.). Lifestyle
evangelism refuted. Retrieved from http://www.dividedbytruth.org/BTP/lser/lser_main.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment