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Are you a closet evangelist?
- Date: Fri, Apr 23, 2010
- Author: Linda Roddis
Mega churches often say, “We are reaching the unchurched.” Can we, the liberal church, reach out to this population too? Churches which tend to lean a little further to the right than our church are finding creative ways to invite people into their faith communities. Can we find ways to do the same? Is there a place in our church for (dare I say it?) Evangelism?
An evangelist is one who brings good news. An evangelist does not have to be a person who works to change another. Rather an evangelist can bring hope and compassion to those in need. An evangelist can be an individual who works to establish community and helps people discover their worth to the community.
It is true that Christian history is filled with “evangelical missionaries which sought to ‘Christianize’ people.” This type of evangelism is disrespectable of the rich cultures of our world. I hope and pray that we have learned from the mistakes of the past. I hope we can find a way to reach out and share the joy of community and blessings of our faith with those who can benefit from this type of Good News.
There are people in our neighborhoods, our work places, our communities who are looking for support and friendship. Yesterday, I was visiting one of our members in the hospital. We talked about our church and she shared with me about all the support she received from our faith community. As I was leaving a family member of the person in the hospital bed next to her inquired about what group we belonged too. I was happy to say, “Bellevue First Congregational Church.” As I spoke with this woman it became clear to me that she did not know the Good News. She had not heard about churches that love and accept all people and about a God, who does not punish but is reaching out to her in love through loving people. My friends, this woman did not know because we did not tell her. She did not know about a loving God because we have hidden our faith in the closet.
It is time we step out and share our faith. It is time we find a loving, respectful, and honest way to evangelize. Some people are living in a world of bad news and they are waiting to hear the Good News. Will you tell them?
These are the scripture readings in the Revised Common Lectionary for the forthcoming Sunday:
John 10:22-30
I and the Father Are One
22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Psalm 23
The Lord Is My Shepherd
A Psalm of David.
23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Revelation 7:9-17
A Great Multitude from Every Nation
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
