Evangelism and HOW?

I hate writing about evangelism and not doing as much as I could about it. But the question of “how” keeps popping into my mind. Just do it, is the answer. Last night, Mr. Weinberg just went out and did it. He asked and spoke with a student at One28. Exciting!! (Let’s all go out and follow his example.)
Go till those souls!!!
Anyways, I have been looking at Acts to answer my question. So many people were coming to the Lord! That may have been a unique time in the salvation plan of the Lord, and yet, our call is still the same: GO OUT.
SO!
While I am reading Acts I am asking, how did the people evangelize? How were they in the world, but not of the world? How did they tell people about Jesus? How big of a part did evangelism play in the lives of the early followers of Jesus?

My dad is always quoting this verse and I think it does play a rather large role in the attitudes and actions of the Church alive at that time. Acts 2:42, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and the prayers.”
DEVOTED.
That word is packed with implications. I asked Katherine what “devoted” meant (in her perspective) and she was quite succinct (surprise!!), “fully committed”.
Hmmm…
Fully committed to the teaching. (questioning, checking, applying, discussing the Word and sermons)
Fully committed to the fellowship. (sharpening one another, ministering to one another, loving one another)
Fully committed to the breaking of bread. (Acts 20:7 – This is the BEST – they all gather to break the bread, Paul talks way into the night, a kid falls asleep because all is so warm, he falls out of the building. hahaha Only funny because “Paul” brought him back from the dead. People even fell asleep while PAUL was speaking!! hahahaha Late night, warm room; it’s gonna happen.)
Fully committed to prayer. (reliance on God, concern for His kingdom, waiting for His direction and leading)

What else? How did these devotions then direct their lives?

To love God and to love others.

They were already out and active in their communities. They were participants with each other and this was seen by the non-believers in the city.
These Jesus followers were giving up all for one another and the non-believers saw this and knew it was different.
(Is this possible now? Not fully, actually. I don’t know that we should all go and live in one parking lot together. I do think that was unique for the Church at that time. I think persecution even changed that way of living a bit because it scattered the people. BUT! We must still DEVOTE ourselves to SERVING one another if we want to bring others to Christ.)

Okay, so they were actually DEVOTED/fully committed/giving their all to something.
They were loving God and one another. “They will know you are My disciples because of your love for one another.”
They were participants in their community through living together and because they were showing themselves to be different.

You also see them out their preaching from the rooftops and the street corners.
Can we do this now in the United States?

Have you seen the men with the boards tied to themselves; telling us the end is nigh and will bring judgment?
I saw those guys in England. I thought they were cute old men, but I didn’t really want to be associated with them. I think I may have even chuckled at their efforts. I know I turned my head in slight embarrassment.

This has brought me to realize that we DO have to be aware of our culture, to some degree. In the early Church times, men preaching in the streets was more than an acceptable practice; it was a form of entertainment and regular teaching. Not so today. People want to know things through relationships and experience.

Relationships and experience.

Does this mean we can only share the Gospel after we have known someone for a long time?
No. (We can still evangelize on the streets.)

Does this mean we can only share the Gospel through amazing experiences involving wondrous technology and charismatic [meaning lively and… (haha – pun) sprirted] speakers?
No.

What does it mean?

It means we need to be loving God and loving others.
It means we need to DEDICATE ourselves to the Church (not just ACTIVITIES), but loving one another by serving one another, and to PRAYER.
It means we need to be OUT in our communities.

Am I willing to take the TIME to go out into the community to find and develop those relationships? Am I willing to take the quick opportunities that come in the community without the building of a relationship?

HOW DO I GO INTO THE COMMUNITY?!

You already ARE in a community. (This is SO HARD for me to remember and realize!!)

Wherever you are is your community.

That could be at a Christian school (with saved and unsaved students and parents). That could be at a Bible-preaching church (with unsaved youth and adults). That could be at the corner tattoo parlor where you work 9am to 5pm and see lots of unique people. That could be in your home where your children see you, where the dishwasher repair man sees you, where the grocery store cashier sees you and your children, where your neighbors see you, and they all want to know what’s going on.

Do you have something to share with these people, no matter your situation?

Relationships and experience.

1st Corinthians 7:17 “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. “
1st Corinthians 7:20-21 “Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)”
1st Corinthians 7:24 “So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.”
(This, of course, in the context of marriage, the unmarried, and the widows, life persecution at that time, etc.)

We come back to relationships and experience.

From each of our situations God has uniquely given us ways we can bring a unique perspective on His love and talents for ministering. Our background is another way we are each individually members and yet one Body.

I still haven’t REALLY answered my question.