Evangelism stories

I have another story about evangelism that shows how the work happens. I guess one of the things I like about my job, about the calling to reach the lost, is that I get to meet a lot of people, I get to have a sort of running tab in my mind about all the ways people resist or are blinded to the Gospel. It's worth more than any books you can buy about post-mortemism, sociology, people-groups, whatever.

Back in December of 06, I met a woman who was having a hard time because her daughter died. I was referred to her by a family in the church who had had some contact with her years before. I went and ministered to her. I have seen her a few times since. And then, about a month ago, she started coming to the Wednesday prayer service. She told me that her husband is just not doing well at all with their daughter’s death. So I told her I would come by.

Dro and I went over. We spent some good time with them. They were indeed having a hard time. We dug into some deep hurts in their lives, beyond the present pain. I tried to share with them how Christ is the answer. They have been subjected to a fundamentalist gospel, and so they are not too keen on church.

I did not recognize the husband from the time I saw him a little over a year ago. He has not cut his hair, because his daughter always cut his hair, and he is afraid if he goes to get it cut, he will just break down, “and look like a fool.”

As we left, I heard the husband say, “Those fellows were pretty nice.” “That’s what I have been telling you,” she said.

The lesson here is that evangelism takes time. Oh sure, you can get people to show up, maybe even baptize them, but then they will be gone. The work of discipleship means going out and finding the people who do not know Christ, then getting to know them, showing them that Christ is the way. This takes time. The days when people knew essentially what the gospel is about are over.

An interesting thing happened as we talked with them. We moved away from talk about their daughter. We even got beyond the kinds of questions you get about “How could such a thing happen?” We were in the territory of wondering whether or not God is really for people in their situation—not just grieving a daughter, but facing alcoholism, poverty, disability. There is a God, they know this much. But what they do not know is that the Cross is God’s solidarity with us. When we receive Christ by faith, redemption goes deep into our lives.