While out at iGo, the speaker, Mark Cahill, challenged us like I had never been challenged before about personal evangelism. I was definitely affected by his speaking, though some of the people I was with weren’t as enthusiastic. At first blush, it felt like he was proposing the “Way of the Master” type challenge evangelism. And to a certain extent, I believe he was. He does believe that it is important to explain what sin is when shearing the gospel now. That term, correctly defined, is no longer part of our cultural vernacular. Relativism, once a concept of physics, has now been applied so thoroughly to everything that the concept of sin is distant at best from people’s minds.

Now, I don’t subscribe to “confrontational” evangelism as illustrated in most “Way of the Master” type videos. And even many of Mark’s examples could be characterized this way. But I believe that it is possible to start spiritual conversations and have them lead to a presentation of the gospel. I believe this even though I have not practiced it.

But I want to and I plan to.

I finished reading Cahill’s “One Thing You Can’t Do In Heaven”, and I am more convinced than ever that this is something I have to do. And this is something that all Christians should be capable of, no matter their own personality or limitations. Because everyone does communicate differently, and everyone has their own story. It is a willingness to be used by God that must characterize us as Christians. Even if we think “I’m not a talker” or something else, maybe you will wind up talking to someone else who is “not a talker”. It doesn’t matter.

What I came away with is a conviction that even if I have relationships that will not bear the strain of me walking up to them with a “let me tell you about my saviour” type conversation, what I need to do is make clear to those around me that I want them to ask me, that I welcome their questions about my faith, and that I am there for them whenever they have a spiritual question. Maybe in the simple act of communicating this it will open up a door. Who knows? But I want to be ready, in season and out of season.

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