The purpose of this paper is to furnish a serious self-evaluation of my current and future evangelistic perspectives and efforts. The evaluation will explore the content learned during the semester, my vision for evangelistic integration, and an analysis regarding the assimilation of evangelism and multiplication with future ministry efforts. First, this paper will provide a summary of the primary lessons learned about evangelism, which include communicating with postmodernists, sharing the Christian faith without arguing, listening empathetically, and utilizing servant evangelism to reach the lost. Second, a section regarding evangelistic vision ensues alongside an evaluation of current and future personal changes necessary for implementation. The final section of the paper examines how evangelism will specifically relate to my future ministry.
LEARNING
During the semester, I have learned numerous relevant concepts and practices regarding evangelism that have changed my perception and challenged my thinking. The following summarizes four key areas of learning. First, I have learned how to integrate evangelism within a postmodern society. McRaney suggests that the deconstructionist nature of postmodernism rejects “any one individual’s ability and right to determine absolute truth for another person.”[1] Accordingly, McRaney asserts that inquiry rather than providing information increases effective communication in postmodernity.[2] The apologetics class at Liberty University focused primarily on a rational defense of Christianity, which significantly enhanced my knowledge and provided tools to argue for the tenets of the Christian perspective. However, this semester I have recognized the importance of combining knowledge with inquiry. In fact, it appears that knowledge void of inquiry risks sectarianism and inquiry void of knowledge risks syncretism. Furthermore, McRaney notes that a postmodern perspective focuses attention on significance, meaning, and purpose instead of primarily on heaven or hell.[3] The ramifications of McRaney’s observation are exciting and significant for evangelistic efforts. An evangelistic emphasis too heavily weighted on the topics of heaven and hell risk a conversion experience based completely on fear, and possibly, at the expense of the ongoing relationship. However, evangelism that focuses on significance, meaning, and purpose has the ability to answer questions of a postmodern world while simultaneously providing eternal hope. More specifically, by focusing evangelistic attention on a nonbeliever’s potential union with Christ, the evangelist can provide a message of significance and meaning based on the individual being “incorporated into Christ and Christ into the believer.”[4] Accordingly, I have learned that communicating the Gospel message in light of Christ and the believer being in one another may provide the relational and experiential connection necessary to provide meaning to a lost postmodern world without excluding a message of eternal hope.
Second, I have learned to share the Christian faith without arguing. William Fay’s methodology not only appropriately engages a postmodern world through a system of inquiry and discovery, but also provides a system of evangelism that allows a believer to share the Christian faith without arguing. Specifically, Fay’s approach consists of four essential steps. Step one includes asking five share questions and responding to each answer with “hmmm.”[5] The second step consists of sharing seven Scripture verses and asking the interlocutor what the words mean.[6] The next step encourages the believer to ask five commitment questions with the final one asking the nonbeliever to invite Jesus into his or her life.[7] The remaining step is praying the sinner’s prayer with the nonbeliever.[8] Fay provides additional ways to overcome objections and guide new believers, but the essence of the evangelistic system contains the four steps. From the four steps, two specific concepts were of particular importance to my approach to personal evangelism. First is the significance of inquiry, which allows me to have a discussion regarding spiritual matters without manipulation or argumentation. The second important idea is the concept of discovery, which allows the believer to recognize the message of the Holy Spirit. By allowing nonbelievers to read the Scripture verses aloud, the believer provides unrestricted opportunity for the Holy Spirit to work. Tim Keller quotes his wife who supports the critical notion of allowing the Holy Spirit to work by stating, “Don’t try to be the Holy Spirit…you’re under qualified for the job.”[9] Accordingly, I have learned that the practical integration of inquiry and discovery are both crucial tools in all initiatives of personal evangelism.
The third essential lesson I have learned is to integrate empathic listening into personal evangelism. David Wheeler references Jerry Pipes by suggesting that empathetic listening is the “deepest level of listening and authentic ministry.”[10] Wheeler continues by suggesting that deep listening includes seeking to determine the nonbeliever’s perspective, asking good questions, and granting psychological air to the conversation.[11] Reflective listening is both an art and a science that has ancient roots originating even before the time of Christ. Accordingly, I have empathetically utilized repeating and rephrasing individuals’ thoughts and feelings in various aspects of life including marriage, parenting, business, and even ministry. However, somewhat embarrassingly, I had not consciously integrated empathic listening into evangelistic initiatives. Eugene Peterson brilliantly paraphrases the concept of empathy in the New Testament letter to the Corinthians by stating, “I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view” (1 Cor. 19-23 The Message). Without question, entering a nonbeliever’s world and experiencing life from their perspective is an important lesson learned this semester.
Finally, I have learned the important lesson of servant evangelism. Regarding servant evangelism, Richard Leach and David Wheeler state, “Acting without serving is incomplete, and speaking without getting to the truth about Jesus Christ is incomplete.”[12] My previous exposure to servant evangelism had been limited to methods that appear manipulative or disingenuous. For example, handing out bottled water with business cards promoting Sunday morning church service felt more like a marketing approach of reciprocity in order to enhance the influence of the institution rather than a true concern for a lost soul. Although I understand that my perception may highlight an unhealthy form of skepticism, Leach and Wheeler’s emphasis on connecting acts of service directly with the Gospel provide a necessary link that increases my understanding of the importance of service. Accordingly, I have learned that serving nonbelievers in practical ways is a biblical and valid form of evangelism.
Maximum Faith
VISION
My personal vision as it relates to integrating evangelism into every part of my life in the days to come must align with the vision of Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew clearly states Jesus’s vision: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, [NASB]). Due to the significant misconception of the Gospel by the majority of Christians, I have historically emphasized the colossal need for the discipling component of the Great Commission in my life and ministry.[13] However, one cannot ignore a similar need for the outreach component of the Great Commission. Dave Earley and David Wheeler assert that America is now the fourth largest unchurched nation in the world.[14] Accordingly, my personal vision must emphasize the importance of both evangelism and discipleship in my life and future ministry.
I will need to make a number of specific and significant changes in my life in order to fulfill my vision. First, I must expand my ability to engage in small talk. My introverted nature causes small talk to be quite difficult for me. Last week I attended the Indianapolis 500 with almost 250,000 strangers. In the past, I would not have spoken to even one. However, due to this evangelism course, I actually initiated a discussion with a stranger walking in a large crowd of people with me. I found it interesting how much one can learn in only ten minutes of discussion. In retrospect, one out of 250,000 people seems paltry, but my effort to begin discussions must continue and expand. Second, I must become much more involved in asking intentional questions. The man I met at the Indianapolis 500 actually divulged that he attended a Lutheran University, which provided a perfect transition into a spiritual discussion. Unfortunately, I missed the opportunity and did not make the mental connection until about an hour later. Third, I must become less focused. My God-given ability to focus for long periods is a blessing and a curse. Accordingly, I must learn to intentionally keep my eyes open and increase my awareness of what is happening around me.
My personal vision of evangelism has already affected my family and it appears it will continue into the future. I have a wife of twenty-five years and three children with ages ranging from seventeen to twenty-two. All three children accepted Christ as young adolescents. However, Jerry Pipes and Victor Lee suggest, “If we truly want our children to accept the gospel, then our commitment to Christ must spill over to those around us who do not know Christ.”[15] In the past, I have spent time leading family Bible studies, but participation seemed to wane. Accordingly, I decided to move in a different direction. After reading the assigned material this semester, we began meeting as a family every week with a threefold purpose that included growing, sharing, and serving. Instead of teaching a Bible study, I have had the children read a few verses alongside an evangelical commentary during the week.[16] On Sunday evenings, I would ask the children what they believed the verses were saying to them. We would also spend time discussing how each one would serve and share during the coming week. The involvement of the children increased substantially during these sessions while simultaneously enhancing the vision of serving and sharing. I am praying that our family time together continues.
Relating to nonbelievers in my community where I live, work, and play is difficult for me. First, I am the Chief Executive Officer of a multi-million dollar company that I founded twenty years ago. I have often been overly cautious when issues of faith arise at work due to the risk of potential discrimination allegations. However, I have learned that much evangelism can occur by asking questions rather than providing information. Accordingly, I plan to enhance my evangelistic efforts through intentional inquiry in order to advance the Gospel while simultaneously decreasing the legal risks at work. Second, I live in an affluent neighborhood in the wealthiest county in Indiana. Unfortunately, neighbors tend to be highly individualistic and autonomous. Much of the practical service related to servant evangelism would appear unnecessary or viewed with a high degree of skepticism. However, I have found that kind conversation is welcome. Accordingly, I have been waving at neighbors that drive by while I run in the morning, and I initiated a discussion with a neighbor at a local restaurant last week. Although I am poor at initiating and maintaining informal conversations, I plan to build on these very small steps. Finally, my limitations regarding small talk also infiltrate my play. However, a couple weeks ago while playing golf with my son in Florida I actually asked the twosome behind us to join our play. While playing, I asked a number of questions and perpetuated a lengthy conversation. My son, who is quite conversational, laughed at the dad he had never met.
Adopting the role of a servant will influence my future ministry in evangelism and allow me to minister to others in two significant ways. First, it will decrease my selfish focus and move me away from my comfort zone. Frankly, when it comes to practical service, I do not even like changing light bulbs. Light bulb changing is an activity that I would rather delegate or hire someone to do because it is below my pay grade, thus not an effective use of financial resources. Although embarrassingly prideful, the logic seems to make sense in a business environment. However, Leach and Wheeler state, “Denying self is the first requirement for becoming a sacrificial servant.”[17] It is time I deny my selfish desires in a practical way. Second, adopting the role of a servant will provide opportunities to connect with individuals that I would otherwise not meet. Through acts of service especially related to construction, I can serve and deploy volunteers to perform such items as home repair, painting, sealing driveways, and other related activities affording me the opportunity to engage in the lives of people that I would never meet.
MINISTRY
Over the last decade, I have sensed a call to ministry. Furthering my education at Liberty University was one response to God’s call. Although the direction of my call to ministry continues to live in a state of ambiguity, the following summarizes the current direction of God’s leading as it relates to evangelism, multiplication, and church planting as I finish my degree.
Unfortunately, the state of the Protestant church in America is in a state of decline and in many ways faces a significant crisis. Josh McDowell summarizes the American church situation well by stating, “The various creative approaches attempted over the course of this decade have drawn attention but produce little if any, transformational impact…Although many people attend a church, few Americans are committed to being the Church.”[18] Furthermore, Earley and Wheeler suggest, “Without a mammoth change in the culture of the contemporary church that prioritizes fervent evangelism, Christ-centered discipleship, and biblical truth over personal comfort and individual preferences, the Church will continue to decline, and Christianity will lose its influence an identity.”[19] Accordingly, the call of ministry in my life pertains to solving the challenge of being the Church.
The vision of my future ministry involves the creation and deployment of Decentralized Evangelical Missional Communities (DEMC) called Freedom Communities (see Appendix for DEMC illustration). The intent of the communities is to be the Church. At the core of the communities is the Gospel, which places the identity of believers in Christ rather than in locations outside of self, such as performance, other people, circumstances, or any other faculty of the world (Ephesians 1:13, 2:4-5, 3:6). The multiplication strategy involves the training and deployment of servant leaders, who commit to a 90-day training initiative for the purpose of planting and leading decentralized communities.
The Freedom Communities have three distinct purposes, which include sharing in Christ (evangelism), growing in Christ (discipleship), and serving in Christ (missional). First, each servant leader learns to facilitate sharing in Christ (evangelism) through intentional inquiry. Intentional inquiry is a broad term that encompasses five steps involving empathy, asking permission, Scripture, inquiry, and sharing the Gospel. The intentional inquiry specifically focuses on meaning and purpose rather than heaven and hell. For example, by asking where a nonbeliever finds meaning as well as the risks associated with finding meaning in the world, a believer opens the possibility of sharing a personal story of finding meaning in Christ, which appropriately engages a postmodern mindset.
Second, each leader learns to facilitate growing in Christ (discipleship) through empathic discovery. Empathic discovery is a form of relational discipleship that involves empathy, assessing willingness, inquiry, Scripture, and sharing the identity solution. Empathic discovery decentralizes the learning process of the community and creates an environment where participants talk and listen to God and then share God’s activity each time the community meets. The leader facilitates the discussion by using the steps of empathic discovery.
Third, each leader learns to facilitate serving in Christ (missional) through dangerous missional activity. Dangerous missions are any extension of service beyond an individual’s comfort zone that integrates the message of the Gospel whether it be walking across the street to a neighbor or moving to Africa. The missional leadership training is similar to sharing and growing in Christ. The leader utilizes empathy, inquiry, asking permission, and Scripture to lead the group into missional activity.
Freedom Communities consist of no more than fifteen people and meet in houses, cafés, parks, schools, work locations etc. Each time the community meets, the leader facilitates discussion regarding the community’s activity around sharing, growing, and serving in Christ. As opposed to the passive nature of the organizational church, decentralized communities actively engage as church organisms. The leaders encourage participation in Sunday morning services that preach the Gospel and celebrate God, but the location of attendance is irrelevant. The development and deployment of leadership training will occur during the summer of 2013, and the formation of individual Freedom Communities commence in the fall of 2013.
CONCLUSION
This paper explored a number of essential evangelistic concepts learned during the semester, provided a vision for integrating evangelism into my personal life, and presented a strategy to assimilate evangelism into future ministry. A serious self-evaluation underpinned the content and structure of the paper to support personal integration. Based on the evangelistic concepts learned, the vision developed, and the ministry initiatives planned, the mission is clear, the field is ripe, and the time is now to be the church.
APPENDIX
Decentralized Evangelical Missional Communities (DEMC) Illustration*
* The above diagram represents a conceptualization of Decentralized Evangelical Missional Communities. Illustration created by Derek Wilder.
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[1] Will McRaney Jr., The Art of Personal Evangelism: Sharing Jesus in a Changing Culture (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2003), 119.
[2] Ibid., 128.
[3] Ibid., 127.
[4] Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), 965.
[5] William Fay and Linda Evans Shepherd, Share Jesus Without Fear (Nashville, TN: B&H, 1999), 29-40.
[6] Ibid., 41-55.
[7] Ibid., 59-61.
[8] Ibid., 65.
[9] The Gospel Coalition, “A Biblical Theology of Revival”, The Gospel Coalition Web site, Adobe Flash Player file, 47:18-47:28, http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/a/a_biblical_theology_of_revival (accessed May 27, 2013).
[10] Dave Earley and David Wheeler, Evangelism Is…: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2010), 230.
[11] Ibid., 231-32.
[12] Richard Leach and David A. Wheeler, Minister to Others (Nashville, TN: LifeWay, 2010), 57.
[13] For statistical information regarding Christian misconceptions of the Gospel, see George Barna, Maximum Faith: Live Like Jesus (Ventura, CA and New York: Metaformation Inc. and Strategenius Group LLC, 2011), 37.
[14] Earley and Wheeler, Evangelism Is…: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence, 29.
[15] Jerry Pipes and Victor Lee, Family to Family: Leaving a Lasting Legacy (Lawrenceville, GA: Jerry Pipes Productions, 1999), 70.
[16] For the commentary used in the family Bible studies, see John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, eds., The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 1983).
[17] Leach and Wheeler, Minister to Others, 81.
[18] Josh McDowell, The Last Christian Generation (Holiday, FL: Green Key Books, 2006), 19.
[19] Earley and Wheeler, Evangelism Is…: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence, 30.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Barna, George. Maximum Faith: Live Like Jesus. Ventura, CA and New York: Metaformation Inc. and Strategenius Group LLC, 2011.
- Earley, Dave, and David Wheeler. Evangelism Is…: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2010.
- Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007.
- Fay, William, and Linda Evans Shepherd. Share Jesus Without Fear. Nashville, TN: B&H, 1999.
- Leach, Richard, and David A. Wheeler. Minister to Others. Nashville, TN: LifeWay, 2010.
- McRaney, Will Jr. The Art of Personal Evangelism: Sharing Jesus in a Changing Culture. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2003.
- Pipes, Jerry, and Victor Lee. Family to Family: Leaving a Lasting Legacy. Lawrenceville, GA: Jerry Pipes Productions, 1999.
- The Gospel Coalition. “A Biblical Theology of Revival.” The Gospel Coalition Web site. Adobe Flash Player file. http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/a/a_biblical_theology_of_revival (accessed May 27, 2013).
- McDowell, Josh. The Last Christian Generation. Holiday, FL: Green Key Books, 2006.
- Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, eds. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 1983.
