Evangelism: where do we start?

In the week that I came to write this, I heard of five conversions. Two were teenagers, brought to trust in Christ through the youth tracks at Word Alive. Another was a student with no Christian background who, seven months before, was given a copy of John's Gospel by a friend. When he eventually read it, he emailed his friend: 'I've read it... I believe it!' The others were a couple in their early 40s, the husband converted (out of considerable opposition) six months before his wife.

This is great news. The title's question assumes that we know what evangelism is and focuses on how we do it, in particular on where to start. The assumption should be true for evangelicals, who are, above all, people of the gospel, the message. So how do we start to convey that message?

What's it all about?

As soon as we set out some elements of that message, the problem (or opportunity) becomes clear. The gospel is about God - creator, sovereign, holy, wrathful, merciful. It is about humans - created, rebellious, self-centred, guilty, facing judgement. It is about Jesus Christ - who he was as the God-man, what he did on the cross in the place of sinners. These claims, in whatever contemporary language we express them, are doubly alien to people today. Alien because all humans in all history are opposed to God; and alien also because most of our contemporaries reject absolutely any absolute or universal statements.

So when do we start to convey the message to them? Assuming our ongoing prayer to God, the answer must be: with people. Jesus went around meeting people, listening to and conversing with people - with individuals, with groups and with crowds. He knew what he had come to teach and do, but (or therefore?) he gave time to people. He accepted invitations to meals. He gave and received friendship. He was there, among them. He dealt appropriately with people from different backgrounds.

Paul did the same, for example, when he went to Athens. He first walked around and observed. He read their poets. He noticed their habits, their love of novelty, their objects of worship. He tried to understand what made them tick. He obviously noted what made them different, say, from Jews who went to synagogues and read the Old Testament. He wanted to get into their mindset, to understand their goals and values.

Love and concern

They began with people. They got to know people, showing love and concern. They wanted to be sure that they could connect with people. They did not carry around a gospel package and drop it indiscriminately on everyone. They knew that their message was not only universally true, but also applicable to every particular individual or worldview. As at Pentecost, they wanted all to hear in their own language, as if from within their own sphere. They worked hard to remove cultural barriers.

So 'with people' must be the answer to 'where to start?' Do we know people? Do we have non-Christian friends? Do we talk and listen to people? Do we know what makes them tick? Their hopes and fears, their illusions and goals? If we start evangelism without knowing people, how do we think we will be perceived? Probably as cults are perceived - people with a package wanting to 'get' you. That will only alienate our acquaintances from Christ.

We need to know them in a double sense: to know the general outlook on life that affects or shapes them; and to know them as people, as individuals.

Natural meeting places

Where can we do this? We can do this most naturally and unselfconsciously not first in church contexts but in any of the natural meeting places of life. The workplace is an obvious point of contact. There, mix with unbelievers, sharing aspects of their lives, seeing their relationships, noticing how happy / unhappy they are. We talk over coffee or lunch. They notice our Christian standards and attitudes, questions may come up, conversations may develop - especially in any time of crisis or trouble. Some will meet people at the gym, at a senior citizens' venue, at the school gates, over babysitting arrangements, at the sports club.

When we know them better, we will need to know the truth well enough to begin to explain it and relate it to them. But that is as our relationships develop. This article was only on 'Where do we start?'

Bob Horn was General Secretary of the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship until last year.

Evangelism: where do we start?

What's it all about?

Love and concern

Natural meeting places

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