Just got to say thanks to George and his colleagues from St Johns for their training day and very clear explanation of Evangelism - this was a truly inspirational day. Thanks too for the hospitality shown to others of Holy Trinity Church and me.
Translated literally, Evangelism means 'giving good news'; apparently, after battles, the runner (the Evangelist) would go to the ruler and announce the good news of a battle won, and present parchment known as the Evangel. Didn't know that... learn something new every day but it makes complete sense for the pre-radio/sat telephone era.
Christian Evangelism, though, isn't defined as 'leading a good life', 'being a good example to others' or 'worship in church' - although I'd argue that the process of evangelism does involve all these things. How many people would listen to our Good News if we were drunk and debauched and in the bar every Sunday morning? "Faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love" (2 Peter 1 vs 5–7) are all part of confirming our identity. They demonstrate to others, and ourselves, who we really are in Christ.
However, equally, if we go through life just going to church and being good citizens, perhaps going out and doing streetwork, talking to young people even, but not delivering the Good News, then we're failing God. Yes, ploughing the field is totally necessary to the process of evangelism - little point in sowing seed onto unprepared ground - but there comes the point when the seed has to be sown. We can spend too long ploughing. Fear of rejection, perhaps, is the main cause of that.
But not sharing the Gospel is a little like watching people get onto an airplane that you know is going to crash (because we all die), but not giving them a parachute. Everyone is already on the airplane whether we like it or not. All we have to do is give them the parachute, we don't have to put it on for them - so, which is more frightening for us - getting the parachute shoved back in our face, or knowing that we haven't given a parachute to someone who dies that evening?
George's team explains all this MUCH better than I have here. The session ran from 10 to 4, so it's unsurprising that I've only scraped the surface of what is without doubt the most important subject that Christians everywhere need to get their heads around. I'm nobody, but even I've got the message loud and clear. They taught a clear process for doing God's will in a non-confrontational way. Maybe a few more of us from Holy Trinity Church will feel the Spirit urging us to find out more the next time George's team runs the day. I do pray that that will happen.
Outside Light
During prayer yesterday evening (Old Woking Team - New Life Church) the challenges that we're presented with in Old Woking began to sink home and I had a sense that in Old Woking we have, if you like, the opening battle that has to be won in order that Outside Light will be able to develop from that into a true warring campaign. Old Woking will always be a battlefield, as everywhere is and will be; that's because new people will come along all the time. But what's needed is a foothold in one of the homes there. When that happens, I believe that we'll start to see other footholds and handholds in that area too. In that sense, the enemy will be rocked onto his back foot so that then there will be opportunity to move on to the next mission field.
In Knaphill/Brookwood we've started to go out on Mondays, and please don't get me wrong, I'll do whatever the Lord asks - but I'm looking for some confirmation that we're ready for Mondays and that we're not jumping the gun. We've seen the number of young people there, they've said with their own mouths there's a need, but are we fully prepared? Are we adequately resourced? There is a difference between the models for Knaphill and Old Woking inasmuch that Old Woking has a regular 'clientele' because the focus is on one street, whereas Alexander Gardens will be more transient because young people from far and wide go there. We really need to pray that we're not running before we can walk, or that we're embarking on a new battle without having seen at least one soul secured in the first one.
When we go out tomorrow I will ask that we do so with a view to confirming that we should continue in the immediate future, or consider whether we need to concentrate resources on Old Woking. Confirmation either way could come from any number of potential sources. We're short on leaders; so more leaders maybe? Perhaps there will be loads of young people there and a real sense that this is where we belong on Monday nights. Maybe something else miraculous will happen, I don't know, I'm not seeking to limit God - but I do pray for His confirmation that now is the right time to be going out on a second mission. I'm desperate not to be running ahead of God, which as a new Christian I think I'm prone to doing.
Please, therefore, pray for clear direction tomorrow night. Please pray too for the miracle of the Holy Spirit in Old Woking. Also for the young people there, who have very little that's good going on in their lives and who are in desperate need of Jesus.
God bless
John
Note received afterwards from one of our prayer supporters:
"Apparently the method of farming we have at the moment, ie preparing the soil, ploughing etc used to be very different in Jesus’ time on earth. The farmer used to scatter the seed and THEN plough – the plough would follow. So, we can scatter the seed and have those conversations which we think are going nowhere but we can walk away and smile knowing that the plough of the Holy Spirit will follow after us! Who knows the next time we meet what work the Holy Spirit will have done? I pray for real encouragement for you and the team"
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