That's so...awkward.

The Rev. Becky Zartman

Last Monday, I walked into a yoga studio for the first time in seven years. I had done yoga in undergrad, but after leaving college, classes were either too expensive or too out of the way, and, honestly, I just never got around to going back. But when I got it in my head this spring that maybe it was time to take on a physical discipline, I remembered that yoga mat under my bed, and thought, well, maybe it’s time to give yoga another try.

I was astounded at how easy it was for me to go back to yoga. A quick Google search led me to a nearby non-profit studio. Their clear messaging told me that this studio was on a mission, and that my participation would fund health and wholeness initiatives in less affluent parts of the city. This appealed to me, as did the studio’s flexible and abundant schedule. Within one click of the front page, I was able to read about what class what right for me, what to expect, and tips for my first visit. I was told what I needed to bring, what to wear, what to do when I got there, and how to prepare for class. Convinced, I downloaded their app, and signed up.

Evangelism: Following Jesus

If you’ve followed this series of posts on evangelism, you may have noticed that what I’m proposing is basic communication skills. It’s not all that radical. Our unease with the subject of evangelism simply skews what most of us can do quite well in other conversations. Listening well to others, attempting to understand their perspective and communicating in a coherent manner–these are practices we are accustomed to.

There are other things you may have noticed about these posts. I work from the assumption that we are interested in relationships with others. Relationships take time. We are all put off by utilitarian efforts at relationships. We can’t expect anything less from others.

Evangelism: Becoming Community

The gospel is not “come to church.”

And the gospel is “come to church.”

When I talk about evangelism with folks it frequently is implied that evangelism is equal to inviting someone to church. Inviting someone to church does not equal evangelism as I’ve talked about so far. But at the same time, it is part of evangelism.

Evangelism: Telling Stories

In an increasingly diverse western world, Christians often shy away from articulating our religious distinctives. We are appropriately aware of our history of forcing religion on others. Yet, in such a context this often leaves us the least compelling voice. And if we believe there is yet good news in the Christian message, than we ought to find our voice again. What if there was a way to talk about our faith that respected others while calling out the good news of God in the world?

Several years ago, I was sitting in the small apartment of a Somali friend. We had become friends through the after school homework club for refugees I volunteered with. My friend was sharing with me the history of his people. He told me of long journeys from one part of Africa to another. He told me of his ancestors being enslaved and subjected to diaspora amongst more powerful tribes. He shared what his ancestors did to keep their cultural distinctive alive while living amidst other cultures. I couldn't help but notice the similarities between his cultural history and that of Israel found in the Old Testament. I shared this with him and this led to a conversation about the Jesus of the Gospels and the Isa of the Quran. 

Evangelism: Learning to Listen

"Evangelism" is a term that many folks do not like. Many Christians affiliate the term with fanaticism and spectacle that they are not interested in associating with. Yet, those that give the term the bad rep' most often are going about the practice of evangelism poorly. 

In their massive work, World Christian Trends, authors David B. Barrett and Todd M. Johnson compiled financial data from churches across North America on the "cost-effectiveness of mission" for the year 2000. In that year, it cost the collective church of the U.S. $1,551,000 per convert. The U.S. is listed by the authors as one of the least cost-effective nations in evangelism.

Image from "World Christian Trends" by David B. Barrett and Todd M. Johnson

Does a soul have a price? Certainly, the human life and soul are priceless! But this is enough evidence, to me, that we are doing something wrong. All the programs and projects that we accumulate to share the good news of the Kingdom appear to have poor results. So, what are we to do?

The answer begins with you.