Knock and the door shall be opened

(or not, in the case of the church)

Photo: pro.corbis.com

A few issues ago I used the pages of Christis to encourage people to think about why they should share the good news of Jesus with other people. This article is a sort of follow on, containing some thoughts on how we can actually carry this out. It’s no use just hoping that someone else will tell them for us. But “thrusting the gospel down people’s throats” is as bad as doing nothing, in my opinion, since it will give people a bad — and wrong — impression of what Christianity is about, and make them less receptive to later presentations of the gospel.

So how can we effectively share the wonderful good news that we have been entrusted with? Below are a few of my own thoughts on the subject. As I said before, it’s not easy. There’s a danger that our friends will think we’re mad, or will get angry with what we’re saying. Evangelism should carry a health warning, “may seriously damage your friendship.” But just think how much more damaged it could be if you don’t…

It can be hard for people who have grown up in the church, or who have been Christians a long time, to realise what the Church, the body of Christian believers, looks like to outsiders. Like many church buildings, things look different depending on whether you get beyond the door or not. That depends partly on whether the door is open. A recent (unofficial) survey of 24 London churches revealed that only 8 of these were open to visitors, and in very few was there anyone to talk to those people who managed to find their way in. I suppose that most of us would like to think that the Church is a place people will come to of their own accord when they want support and help, allowing us to tell them what they really need to know, about Jesus (which is probably not what they want to hear at the time). But statistics of falling church attendance in the UK show that the Church can no longer take this for granted; people go to other places for help these days, and only come to church for christenings, weddings and funerals. And not always then. But why should they come, if they’re not made to feel welcome if they do?

People today generally see Christianity as restrictive and exclusive. They think that the Church is stuck in the past, and recent public debates in the media over gay bishops or women priests don’t help our image. (I’m not saying the debates are wrong, only when they become extremely negative and divisive.) Of course, there’s a lot more to mission than advertising, but if we want people to become Christians, then asking them to join a group of fuddy-duddies who argue endlessly and pointlessly in incomprehensible language is not particularly likely to have positive results. I’m not suggesting that the Church is like this (or not always!). In reality, it is a vibrant, relevant and, if we look worldwide, growing organisation. If we want non-Christians to see this affirmative view of Christianity, then we need to take action to ensure that our local presentation of it, right here in York, on campus, reflects what Jesus wanted his church to be — the Body of Christ, inclusive of all Christians.

We will get nowhere unless we are telling Jesus’ message in Jesus’ way. How did Jesus tell the gospel? Did he go around accosting random strangers and force them to listen to him? Did he lecture them about how they were all sinners, and were domed to go to Hell? Did he tell them that everything they were doing the way they were living their life was wrong? The answer is in the Gospels. Jesus told stories. He went out and talked to people where they were, about things they understood. He demonstrated his love for them by meeting their needs, healing them physically and spiritually. He told them what they needed to know — that we are sinners, and need to be made right with God — but he told them sensitively. Sounds simple, but it worked. Maybe we should try this approach.

The best way to get a message across to people is to catch their attention, and to meet them where they’re at. Really, this is just common sense. If someone hates music but loves football, you don’t bother talking to them about the latest concert series, you talk about the FA cup. The same thing goes for evangelism. Why should we expect people to be interested in hearing about some strange bloke, who was around a couple of thousand years ago, did a few miracles and then got himself killed? Sure, thinks your average non-Christian, that was great for people at the time, but what’s it got to do with me now? The way for us to get the attention of these people is by demonstrating what Jesus does mean to people now. Christians today have to be Christ to other people, and demonstrate what he was like and what he stood for.

What would Jesus do if he came to York University campus? Would he sit in Vanbrugh bar, admiring the new décor and enjoying a cup of coffee (fairly traded of course) while he waited for the great and good of the university (the SU President, Vice Chancellor, and Information Centre staff) to gather to listen to him? Or would he be out and about, visiting the most dilapidated room in Goodricke C to talk to a homesick fresher, the uttermost reaches of Halifax to chat to a Chinese student who needs someone to proofread her essay, and clearing up the kitchen after the lads got back late and had a fry up, most of which is still strewn across the floor? Which do you think is more likely of a man who went around Galilee and associated with people of ill repute, healed outcast lepers and even talked to a Samaritan woman, his hereditary enemy? We are called to be followers of Christ. Surely this means that we should adopt his attitude to people, and try to love them, as he did. If we go out to them, and serve them, then it can break down many of the barriers and prejudices that people have about the Christian faith. People will want to know why we are doing these things, presenting us with a ready made opportunity to share our knowledge of Jesus.

One group of people who are doing just this on campus are the CU’s International team. As well as providing a link scheme where overseas students can have their essays read and checked by an English speaker, they also put on various events (generally involving food!) designed to help international students understand and experience British culture and the Christian faith. Many are surprisingly eager to learn about Christianity, as part of the “English” cultural experience and the recent success of events like the ‘Easter party’ show that this method of communicating to others is effective and leaves a positive rather than a negative impression.

Evangelism is at its most effective when it takes place in a relationship of some sort. I don’t mean this is the perfect reason to ask out that non-Christian boy/girl (delete as applicable) you’ve been eying up all term, but if you’re good friends with someone then there are often ways that issues will crop up, quite naturally, in the conversation, which can lead on to a discussion about Christianity. And if they trust you, they’re more likely to listen and consider what you say than they would to a complete stranger. If they’re a good friend, they should respect what you think and if you’re at least trying (and none of us can do more than that) to live like Jesus, then they’ll realise that your actions back up your words. But if they don’t; if you are a grumpy, inconsiderate housemate who has no time for anyone else’s concerns because if you stop for a minute to listen you’ll be late for the next CU meeting or evangelistic event; then most people are clever enough to realise that words and actions don’t add up. This sort of hypocritical behaviour is unlikely to make them attracted to Christianity.

Evangelism can be so much more than just getting people to listen to a “talk”. Just telling someone the gospel, without backing it up with evidence that Christ is working in the world, right here and now, is unlikely to have as much effect as if it’s backed up with words. The gospel can be presented in many ways, and not just by words alone. Just having time to listen to people and talk to them, and most importantly pray for them, may be the best way we can evangelise. Providing a non-threatening environment where they can come and ask questions without feeling as though they will be pressurised into making a response, or forced to be preached at, is surely evangelism as much as questionnairing is. Most important of all, in my view, is the need for the truth of our words to be demonstrated by our lives. If we’re not genuinely trying to live out our faith, how are we different from anyone else? Jesus called us to be salt and light for the world, to stand out and be attractive to others. How can we do this if we lose our saltiness, the very thing that makes us different from the world?

It’s a big responsibility, this idea that we are witnesses for Christ. In fact, it’s impossible for us to act like him all the time. After all, he was God, and we’re not. Fortunately, he doesn’t leave us to do it all on our own, but is more than willing to help us. All we have to do is ask. Let’s do that.

Lois Cross