Evangelism vs Mission

Evangelism is a word I have been uncomfortable with for years. Especially lately. Actually, when I used the word 'evangelism' in a conversation tonight, a friend remarked I said it like it was a dirty word. Come to think of it, its not too surprising since in my mind, it is a dirty word!! I don't like the word because I associate it with nasty tactics. From what I had learnt about evangelising and about evangelism - it is something I don't want to do. Maybe I'm just being fastidious. But this is what I associate with evangelising:

People (non-Christians) being refered to and often treating like targets; scaring people in to heaven by telling them they'll go to hell if they don't accept Christ; an exercise to get people to pray 'the sinners prayer'; something I should do to mark that I am a good Christian/doing my Christian duty; notching up stats to help me feel good about a Christian who is worried about 'saving the souls of the lost'; reciting a formulaic blurb to entice people into Christianity...

OK. Maybe that all sounds a little cynical, but all that I have heard in the past, and some of what I am hearing now to do with evangelism, usually bears the hallmarks of the paragraph above. Can't stand it! And then there's the whole televangelism thing. A-whole-nother story!

So, what then? Well, I do believe as followers of Jesus, we are to share about Jesus. If I think following Jesus is so wonderful and I have made a life choice to follow him, then it should naturally be something I want to tell people about. But I think the best way to share about Jesus, it to let my life speak of that decision to follow Jesus. I see faith as not simply a decision or promise to a person or set of beliefs, but faith is a choice to practice life. And this life is practiced in the context of a relationship - formostly with Jesus, and also with others around us. (sort of paraphrased from a quote by Leonard Sweet). In that light, I understand evangelism to be aiming to get that person to a place to make a promise or decision (I know its more than that, but...). On the other hand, I see mission as living out the faith.

For example, people are into alternative lifestyles now - organic, vegan etc. The beliefs and values that they hold that are shaping their lifestyle is communicated through their lives. These beliefs and values have permeated thier lives. They live by it, and how they express themselves is shaped by it. The beliefs and values of a Jesus follower should permeate their lives, that they will share about Jesus by simply being themselves.

So, 'mission' or 'being missional' means letting my life speak about Jesus. It means that my life will speak of my lifestyle choice to be a follower of Jesus. It means that in my relationships and friendships with others, I don't try to convert them, but sharing my faith (to use the lingo) will come naturally through conversations and actions because it is part of who I am. Its means having a longer term relationship with people, it cares not only for their spiritual side, but the whole person. Hardest of all, they get to see what an expression of faith is like!! Yikes! Now thats hard. They get to see what I am like as a follower of Jesus! And I become an expression of Jesus to them!! Gosh! In that light, it seems much easier to take 5 minutes to accost a stranger with a track! But then, isn't being incarnational? Me, being Jesus to others... and wasn't Jesus' mission incarnational? He, representing God to us...