Random Thoughts on Evangelism (or, Hopefully Not As Boring As It Sounds)

"Nearly 7000 people went through Scaremare this weekend. Over 1000 people committed their lives to Christ! That is something to rejoice in."

(A facebook comment from a friend of mine)

I have such mixed feelings about these sort of things. My first thought is, "oh good, we scared 1000 people into committing their lives to Christ...that's the way to get it done, my friends!" (Sarcasm)

It's like when I go to Cranes Roost to run, and see a person holding out a track to a couple and overhear them saying, "can I give you a 30 second quiz on whether you will go to heaven or hell?"

Or when someone hands me a track and I say, "I am actually already a Christian" and they say, "take it anyway". I completely understand that "being a Christian" doesn't mean the same thing to everybody...there are many many "Christians". But what if someone had tried to engage me in a conversation not a conversion? What if someone had started a dialogue? What if they had taken the time to say, "Why don't you tell me what being a Christian means to you, personally?". Instead I get a track (re)shoved in my hands.

But my second thought, especially with handing out tracks, is that at least they were doing/saying something. And that is more than can be said for me, many times. Does that kind of evangelism really turn people off? Or does it, albeit perhaps subconsciously, raise/plant thoughts and questions in people's minds?

While I was in Italy, at times I did what felt (to my ever-so-sensitive-and-scared-to-feel-uncomfortable-American-self) some types of evangelism that, well, made me a little uncomfortable--more, in-your-face types. (Not really in their face, just a lot of "putting yourself out there" with strangers.)

By the end of my time in Italy I had formed relationships with Italians, and my words about Christ to them meant so much more to me, because I cared about them as individuals-- not about converting them, per se. I wanted them to know Christ because I cared about them and wanted them to see the hope and redemption that Christ can bring into their lives. I definitely think people can tell when someone has an agenda. Don't we all more openly (and trustingly?) listen to people's words when we know that they are coming from the heart of someone who genuinely cares for us and not from someone who is trying to win an argument or make a point?

I think there are so people who truly have a heart for "the lost"--(hello Christian-ism!) and don't need to spend months building relationships to care deeply about someone's salvation. In fact I would say that the two girls I worked with in Italy were like that. Me...not so much.

Anyways, these are just my mixed thoughts and feelings on the subject.