Polls… I’ve discovered people know how to answer them correctly, and yet, what I find is that the survey answers are far from being lived out. So let’s imagine… What if a poll was taken about church congregational life? What would it reveal when it comes to the Christ follower actively pursuing relational involvement for the purpose of introducing people to faith in Christ? Often times we are hoping for a program, curriculum, or systematic training when it comes to encouraging us, the Christ followers, to share our faith.
The two greatest commandments Jesus stated -- to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength and love our neighbors -- can best be fulfilled when there is an investment in a relationship. It is a strong belief that God looks on how we treat others, care for others, and serve others, as the genuine measure of what is in our hearts toward Him.
For a large part of my walk with Christ, I have heard the word “evangelism” used over and over again in the advancement of God’s incredible Good news. I have watched how this word has segregated Christ followers with some saying, “I don’t have this gift,” and others appearing to be the elite in the Christ community. The unfortunate result of just having the “elite” share their faith is that we rob the rest of the body of Christ from experiencing Christ fullness in life. We can all find common ground when it comes to relating to people, and all of us can see the world from another’s viewpoint. Evangelism is not for the elite; Kingdom relationships are everyone’s responsibility. Experiencing the fullness of Christ is when we position our hearts to care for the spiritual condition of others.
The two greatest commandments Jesus stated -- to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength and love our neighbors -- can best be fulfilled when there is an investment in a relationship. It is a strong belief that God looks on how we treat others, care for others, and serve others, as the genuine measure of what is in our hearts toward Him.
For a large part of my walk with Christ, I have heard the word “evangelism” used over and over again in the advancement of God’s incredible Good news. I have watched how this word has segregated Christ followers with some saying, “I don’t have this gift,” and others appearing to be the elite in the Christ community. The unfortunate result of just having the “elite” share their faith is that we rob the rest of the body of Christ from experiencing Christ fullness in life. We can all find common ground when it comes to relating to people, and all of us can see the world from another’s viewpoint. Evangelism is not for the elite; Kingdom relationships are everyone’s responsibility. Experiencing the fullness of Christ is when we position our hearts to care for the spiritual condition of others.
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