Evangelism Implosion (Part Two)

Yep, I was happy. Sort of.

Happy in the sense that I now had some justification for not being a constant Billy Graham. Happy that I didn't have to stick my neck out there and garner the scorn of those around me.

Happy that I could just hide in the corner and do my own thing.

However, while part of me reveled in this new permission to remain silent, I think another part of me felt I actually had to proclaim something--not just stand around, be nice, and hope that people would say "Oh, he's a Christian." I don't think this is what the Apostle Paul--or any of the leaders of the early Church--were doing.

The intent of Francis' admonition to proclaim the gospel through actions was for many a corrective against preaching about faith and then never living it. But for a person who was timid about talking about faith in the beginning, it helped hamstring me.

And I understand what Francis wanted--lives that point to Christ. Without that, words are often meaningless. And he's right--they should be used only as needed.

The problem is, I know somehow that words are necessary far more than my timid soul allows.

Regardless of how aggressive or insensitive some churches are in proclaiming their witness, I feel that much of the time the motivation this springs from is essentially correct. They are concerned about others and want to help them. Maybe they say too much or in the wrong way, but at least they are saying something.

Do I think the methods used by many to talk about God are flawed? Yes. But if there were only the choice of doing things their way or not speaking at all? We'd have to do things their way.

Thankfully, its not an either/or decision in this case. There are many ways to talk about Jesus--as many as there are people.

So then....if I am to share God's love in a new way while beginning to move out of my timidity, how do I do this?

Well, that's a story for another day.

(to be continued...)