This is a good time for evangelism. The gods of the day have been found wanting. Materialistic consumerism has been shown, yet again, to be no gods at all. Suicidal terrorism is no life giving god either.
Recent events have brought home afresh that the only true solution to the deepest needs of mankind is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
This is a good time for evangelism.
The question is how?
How should we go about sharing the gospel for this generation?
By listening to your heart.
Pause and take an audit of your heart.
What are the things that scare you?
What are the things that make you weep?
Are you concerned as to how your children will turn out?
Are you devastated that you have lost your job?
Are you (now) petrified of air travel?
Do you wonder how you will cope with old age and the slow loss of your faculties?
Are you afraid of death?
Are you paralysed by remorse at mistakes made?
Opportunities lost?
Sins committed? Duties neglected?
What keeps you awake at night?
And what difference does Jesus make?
The existential questions that haunt us are the same questions that haunt our neighbour.
It is by embracing our own fears and struggles that we find the common grounds for connecting with our neighbour.
Evangelism begins by admitting our common citizenship in a fallen world with those we are trying to reach.
Only then can we begin to help lead them into the life giving citizenship of the Kingdom of Jesus.
A false triumphalism that implies that Christians have no more problems and no more fears only distances us from our neighbours.
Our brokenness makes common ground for the gospel to spread.
James 1:19 tells us to be “quick to listen, slow to speak…”
This is true for relationships in general.
It is definitely true of evangelism.
How should we do evangelism in the 21st century?
By listening.
Listen to your heart.
Listen to your neighbour.
Connect.
Share.