Rev. Bill's Sermons

John 17:1-26 April 24, 2005 Easter 5 Evangelism Is ….

What do you think of when you hear the word: Evangelism? What about the word: Evangelist? What about the words: Share your faith?

Do these words conjure up positive images for you? Do you feel some ownership to these words – like they describe you – or what you feel you should be? Do you feel that you are to be about evangelism – that you are to be an evangelist – that you are to be sharing your faith? Or do you feel that these are things for “someone else” to do – but not you? I was at an Evangelism Conference at Columbia Theological Seminary this week – and discovered that the way we think about evangelism has a lot to do with the way we do evangelism. So – what do you think of when you hear the word evangelism? Going out and bringing people to Christ? Going door to door and witnessing? These have been images of evangelism for many people. And it is not something that many people want to be a part of. What about the word evangelist? What do you think of when you hear the word evangelist? Someone with a floppy, well – thumped Bible who stands and yells at you until you finally give up and make a decision for Christ – just to get them to be quiet? Someone who will get the pianist to play “Just As I Am” 100 times if necessary until people respond? I heard a joke not long ago about a Revival Preacher who ended his message on the final night of meetings with the usual invitation. The pianist played and played – but no one came forward. Finally a young boy came down the aisle – the preacher praised God and said “And a little child shall lead them!” -- and “Who else is God speaking to – right now?” and the boy went straight to the front of the Church – then turned right to go out the exit door to the rest rooms. Not exactly the response the preacher wanted! This is the image that many have of an evangelist – and for many it is not a very positive one! What about sharing your faith? What do you think of when you hear these words? Passing out tracks of pamphlets? Going up to someone and starting a conversation by saying: “If you were to die do you know where you would go?” This is the image that many have of sharing your faith – and for many it is not a very positive one! Many people do not have a very positive image of evangelism – or of evangelists – or of sharing their faith. And since they do not have a positive image of it, they do not take part in it – leaving it to someone else – feeling that there is no way they are going to take part in evangelism – or being an evangelist – or sharing their faith. Yes -- the way we think about evangelism has a lot to do with the way we do evangelism. The negative ideas we have about evangelism have a lot to do with why we do not do evangelism. Presbyterians have not done a very good job at evangelism in the past few years – and we have lost many members and not gained many more because of it. A recent study of the major denominations showed that the Presbyterian Church (USA) lost thousands of members every year – leading the way in membership loss of the 25 top denominations. Yea – We’re Number One! But membership loss is not something you want to be number 1 in! Maybe we need to take another look at evangelism – evangelists – and sharing your story! What is evangelism? What is an evangelist? What does it mean to share your story? And – is it something everyone should be doing? The original meaning of them word evangelism – in the original Greek – means sharing the good news! So – an evangelist is someone who shares good news. And sharing your story means sharing how good news has affected your life. What if we were to think about evangelism as sharing the good news of God’s love. What if we were to think about an evangelist as being someone who shares the good news of God’s love. What if we were to think of sharing your story as sharing how God has touched your life and changed your life. And – what if we were to think that this work of evangelism – this sharing the good news of God’s love – was everyone’s job? What if we all took the role of evangelism – sharing the good news of God’s love – personally – seriously -- and became involved in it—passionate about it – excited about it? We may lose our number 1 ranking of being the top denomination as far are losing members. Our churches may grow – and more and more people come to know about Christ. But first we need to let it sink in that evangelism does not have to be going out and bringing people to Christ eangelism does not have to be going door to door and witnessing evangelism is simply sharing the good news of the love of God in the best way we can do it evangelists do not have to be someone with a floppy, well – thumped Bible who stands and yells at you until you finally give up and make a decision for Christ – just to get them to be quiet evangelists do not have to be someone who will get the pianist to play “Just As I Am” 100 times if necessary until people respond? evangelists are simply people who try to share the good news of God’s love in every way they can. sharing your faith does not have to be passing out tracks of pamphlets sharing your faith does not have to be going up to someone and starting a conversation by saying: “If you were to die do you know where you would go?” sharing your faith is using any method you can to get tell others about the good things God is doing in your life.

Evangelism is sharing the good news of God’s love! Being an evangelist is being someone committed to sharing the good news of God’s love! Sharing your story is using any method you can to share the good news of God’s love! And we are all called to do evangelism – to be evangelists – and to share the good news of God’s love!

Our scripture passage before us today – John 17:1-26 – is a prayer Jesus prayed for His followers – and those who would come after them – at the Last Supper. A beautiful prayer for those who – with the strength of the Holy Spirit -- will be doing the work of Jesus in the world – sharing the good news of God’s love with others in words and actions. It is a prayer for evangelists – a prayer for those involved in evangelism – a prayer for those involved in sharing the good news of God’s love with the world. It’s a prayer for each of us. Churches need to be "evangelizing communities" -- or communities that are committed to spreading the good news of God's love! Christians need to be busy telling how God has shown them love -- and can show love to others! We all have a story to tell -- the story of God's love.

That’s what evangelism is! That’s what being an evangelist is! That’s what sharing your story is all about!

Dr. Leighton Ford, the brother in law of Billy Graham and at one time one who would preach along with Dr. Graham at many of the crusades they held around the world, was one of the main speakers at the conference I attended this week. The point he kept driving home was the need to do evangelism. We all can not do it like Billy Graham or Leighton Ford – but we all can do it some way. We all can share the love of God with the world. We all can tell our story of God’s love. Dr. Ford asked each of us to think about the first person who shared the love of God with us. He said that for most of us it was probably not a “Bible thumping” preacher – the Evangelist who conjures up negative images in our minds – but a loving friend – or parent – or grandparent – who simply told us that God loved us in a way that made that love real for us. That’s what evangelism is! That’s what being an evangelist is! That’s what sharing your story is all about! We need to be committed to that! Not just as a denomination that is losing thousands of members a year. Not just as a Church that is losing members. But also as individual Christians – called to be evangelists – called to be people of faith with a story to tell! So – how can we be evangelists – people committed to sharing the good news of God’s love with the world? Well – first of all it takes prayer. We need to be in prayer that God excite us – and give us a way to share the good news with others. Second – we have to have a story to tell. Has God changed your life? Has God made a difference in your life? If so – tell the story! If not – listen to someone else’s story – so you can learn what God can do for you! So – we have to pray. We have to have a story to tell. Then – thirdly – we have to be willing to go out into the world and tell that story of how God has changed our lives. In the past we could just sit back and wait for folks to come to the Church – but things are different now. Now the Church – and that means each of us – have to be willing to go out and take the message of God’s love into the world. Times have changed. The world is a different place than it used to be. The church is not as important to people as it used to be – but the message of the church – the good news of God’s love – still needs to be proclaimed – more so now than ever before. But we have to take it to the people instead of expecting the people to come to us to hear it. There are 3 ways we can respond to the changes in the world – in the culture. span style="font-weight:bold;">

We can fight it. We can change with it. Or – we can see how God is still working in the world – identify the places God is working – and be a part of that work.

The third option is the option of Christ – who prayed to God to bless His followers as they take His message into the world – just as He had done. Unless we are willing to take the message of God’s love into the world – every day – the message will not change the culture. So – we have to pray. We have to have a story to tell. We have to be willing to go out into the world and tell that story of how God has changed our lives.

That’s what evangelism is! That’s what being an evangelist is! That’s what sharing your story is all about!

So – What do you think of when you hear the word: Evangelism? What about the word: Evangelist? What about the words: Share your faith? Try to remember that it’s sharing your story of how God has changed your life. Try to remember that we have to pray. We have to have a story to tell. And we have to be willing to go out into the world and tell that story of how God has changed our lives. Try to remember that we are called to share our story of God’s love with the world every day. Try to remember that if the Church is going to be renewed, we have to do the work of evangelism! Try to remember that

That’s what evangelism is! That’s what being an evangelist is! That’s what sharing your story is all about!

AMEN