Archives For evangelism

Why We Need St. Patrick’s Day

Chris —  March 17, 2011

Hint: It has nothing to do with snakes or wearing green or potatoes or beer.

…Well, maybe it has a little to do with beer…

In the fifth century a 16 year old British Roman named Patricius was captured and sold into slavery in Ireland.  The next six years he spent in the freezing cold among the barbaric celts.  Although he was eventually set free, Ireland never really released him.  He trained as a priest and returned in what was likely the first missionary effort since the time of Paul.

Patrick wandered a land sparsely populated by a people most well known for stripping naked, painting themselves and screaming into battle.  In that place, he built monasteries.  Simple outposts where people could come, live a life of rhythm and grace.  Crops were farmed, books were reproduced and, of course, beer was brewed.

Over time, these monasteries drew communities, which became villages, which became cities.  These people were drawn into a sense of community and an ordered life.  As they were drawn into community, they were drawn to Christ.  When the Roman Empire fell, and the formerly civilized Europe started to look a lot like barbaric Ireland, the spiritual descendants of St. Patrick spread through the now barbaric continent, building monasteries and communities as they went.

In our world Christians are known for picketing funerals and cheesy t-shirts and legislating morality. Patrick stands as a shining example of how the lovers of Jesus are to live amidst the ruins of the fallen empire of christendom.

I post this every year, but it bears repeating.  A quote from my favorite prayer, the Brestplate of St. Patrick:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

(Much of this story was gleaned from How The Irish Saved Civilization [text or audio], which I’ve previously reviewed.)

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Jesus: An Alternative to Being Missional

Chris —  January 26, 2010

I was all for being missional before it was cool. I led a ministry in college designed to help students think of themselves as “domestic missionaries,” and have tried to approach my ministry in a way positions Christ following as a radical way of life that must be translated into the pluralistic, postmodern, pre-Christian United States.

Many great discussions about God’s mission in the world, and the purpose of the Church are helping to refocus the church, however, like any other terminology, missional has been quickly co-opted to mean whatever you want it to mean. For some it means rebranding seeker-driven formats of the 80s and 90s.  For others it means rationalizing a focus of social justice at the expense of personal morality and evangelism.

Ever since being blown away by Dallas Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy I haven’t been able to get past the idea that Churches should exist to teach people to live as Christ would if he were them. What if we just took simple ideas like “don’t hate other people” or “trust God” or “eat with people who don’t look like you” and formed sermon series, youth ministries and Sunday School classes around them?

Call me simplistic, but I’m operating from the belief that important doctrinal issues can only be worked out once you really love Jesus, are following him, and are being transformed into his image.  Focusing on the life of Jesus and his teachings would, in turn, make us naturally missional, and maybe even take the focus off some other arguments we Christians keep having.

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How NOT to Talk to Non-Christians

Chris —  December 9, 2009

A little gem from a recent Advent reading:

Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.  (Jude v. 22-23)

In other words, you have to treat different people differently.

Doubters don’t need a lecture on apologetics. Questioning the goodness of God, the authenticity of the Bible, or struggling to see how Christian dogma relates to daily life can’t be solved by telling people they’re wrong.  Jude says show mercy.  When the clouds of doubt melt, they’ll remember who was good to them.

Those who are playing with fire need different treatment. Like an alcoholic whose family lovingly confronts him on the pain his addiction is causing, some sinful lifestyles are so dangerous that they threaten to burn down everything around them.  Intervene, do whatever it takes to snatch them from the fire.

Others need a strange combination of mercy and fear.  Think of the recovered alcoholic, who doesn’t judge others for drinking, but avoids being in the same room with the drink.  A little fear can be healthy, but only if it comes from a place mercy. Jude’s brother said he did not come into the world to judge it.  So we avoid evil whenever possible, but show it love and mercy.

Next time you encounter someone who doesn’t believe what you believe, get to know them. In time, you’ll learn the best way to share the truth.

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