The “New Evangelism”

I would like to take a poll (someone call the Barna Group) on how many believers share their faith or evangelize and what that “evangelism” means today.

Barna did do this study.

The other poll I’d like to take is “Did you get saved through Facebook?”

Seriously. Maybe three people would respond “affirmative” to this question.

These days, many of us (I’m including myself in this statement) feel that if we share inspirational quotes or scriptures or a link to our church we are “evangelistic”.

This is from Websters:

Definition of EVANGELISM

1:  the winning or revival of personal commitments to Christ

2:  militant or crusading zeal

I do not know of anyone who has been won to Jesus Christ from my Facebook posts.  Unfortunately.  A few people may have visited my church but actual salvations…..not so much.

Churches in this modern age do need to have a social media presence.  But churches cannot rely solely on Facebook to reach the lost.

Hang in here with me…I’m preaching to myself.  I’ve been considering volunteering for a child advocacy organization but I don’t really want to go into the homes of strangers who have had their children removed from their custody…why?  because it could be dangerous, it is probably dirty and it will definitely be sad.   Yes, all my mission-minded friends are saying to themselves, “She needs to go on a missions trip and she will ‘get over’ that…”  Sure that’s true.  I believe that missions starts at home.  Let’s not get into that discussion.  I get a little fired up when folks have to leave home to win a soul when all we have to do is drive out to east Kyle to see some of the saddest mobile home communities around and we sure aren’t going door-to-door out there.  Just sayin’.  Please understand, where I’m going here.  Most likely, I am not going to reach east Kyle mobile-home residence with my cute post on Facebook.  It’s unlikely.

My first point is Facebook cannot be our sole method of evangelizing.  I’m not certain it is much of an evangelism tool at all.  It’s more of a “get ’em in the door” tool.

My second point is…and I know this may not go over well… Inviting someone to church is not evangelism.  It’s always easier to invite someone to my church than it is to talk to them about God.  I really have little problem bringing “God” into a conversation, where I start to sweat is talking about Jesus.  Hey, I’m being transparent here.  Most people believe there is a God.  Most people are open to “God” but Jesus…well, He may be offensive. Jesus…He’s the real deal.  He’s the one.  He is everything.

If we are going to spread the Gospel message we must begin to share Jesus with real life people.

We have been talking about sharing the gospel in our Lifegroups.  It’s not that complicated.  , Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”   You do not have to be a Biblical expert you just have to know Jesus for yourself and share what He has done for you. 2 Corinthians 3:3 says it this way,”Clearly, you are a letter from Christ…This ‘letter’ is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.”  Your “God story” is being written. The story is useless unless you share what God has done and is doing in your life.

So what’s the challenge?  Please comment if you actually do this.  Write down what Jesus means to you and what He has done in your life.  You probably have many testimonies of what God has done in your life.  I know I do.  I have testimonies I share with singles, testimonies about financial issues, testimonies about adoption, etc.  Jesus has been incredibly…looking for a good word…wonderful in my life.

I would love to hear some of your testimonies.  Please write them in the comments.  If you write them down, it gives you a plan so when you do come face to face with someone who needs Jesus, you have the words to speak.

True Love….on Facebook

The Hubs and I are laying in bed watching The Glee Project because it’s somewhat interesting and has some great 80s music.  We were watching another show and it had a couple planning a wedding.  The Hubs said, “We never had those issues.” (fighting about wedding stuff).  Then he said, “You like to cook food and I like to eat.  We are a match made in heaven.”.  Which I laughed at….because it’s one of those cheesey lines you might read on Facebook.  And, I hate to admit it but we ridicule couples who air their love on Facebook.  Yes, dear friends, we make fun of you.  (It’s all in good fun and always completely behind your back).  You know who you are…buy your spouse a card your anniversary.

The Hubs sites post such as:  “Sitting in 5 o’clock traffic, missing my wife.  I haven’t talked in 37 minutes.  I love you babe.  You’re my world.” (some of this post may have been exaggerated to protect the guilty).  Here’s the deal…you live in the same house just tell them.  You don’t have to share every part of your relationship with your 546 friends on Facebook…not to mention all of your spouse’s friends and all the friends of friends.  You can just walk upstairs and tell them how much you appreciate them.  It will mean more as you look in their eyes and tell them not so impersonal as hearing about it on Facebook.

So the Hubs said he is going to post: “Laying in bed next to my wife, missing her.”  So I dared him and he did.

Yep, because were aren’t so boring after all.

By the way…on the anniversary of your first date…even your closest friends are not that interested in knowing about it.  There is a good chance you may be sited with a TMI (too much information) ticket.  And of course we will discuss your cheesiness with one another later to make us feel better about our own lack of Facebook love.

 

What’s next? (or thoughts about Twitter)

I haven’t been doing much writing recently; not feeling very inspired.  I keep thinking I have a story to tell but I am not sure what it is. 

We are about to embark upon a Diet Game.  Yep, being pregnant, I wasn’t doing much exercise so I’ve pretty much gone to the pigs.  That’s right, I’m talking bad about pigs.  The game is based on the a book; The Game On Diet.  It is all about establishing healthy habits…like exercising, eating right and drinking A LOT of water.

October is my birthday month and interestingly enough, we are broke right now.  For my birthday, I don’t really want gifts, I want to do thing…like take a trip to Alabama or Florida and even visit the Big Easy on the way and have some biengets.  I guess we will see how things turn out.  I haven’t exactly been feeling like God is for me lately…not that He’s against  me.  Maybe it’s a matter of alignment on my part. I find myself once again looking for the “sweet spot” and wishing I could live in it.

Sometimes I think Max Lucado sends too many Tweets on Twitter. (just a thought)  Yet, I still “follow” him. Twitter is a very revealing tool.  Some people are way more shallow than I expected.  Bishop preached a sermon recently about “being deep” and going deeper.  Then there are some people who are just trying too hard.  I want to tell everyone on Twitter…I don’t need to know what time, where and with whom you are having lunch. 

I saw a tweet from rather well known minister who wrote, “Look at me delivering a serious prophetic word in my barefeet”.  I thought this tweet said it all “Look at me…” So many times tools like Twitter and Facebook become “all about me”.

Mean while, I found out recently that an acquaintance of mine has Lukemia…the really bad kind (as if there is any good kind).  It has been weighing on my heart.  He has some time to get everything in order and to make peace with God.  That is about the best news in the whole situation.  The bad news is this incredible talented writer is down.  This is one of the most creative people I know and his light isn’t shining as brightly these days….almost like glory fading.  Breaks my heart.  This cannot be the “WILL of God” for someone so full of glory (Glory is man fully alive – St. Ignasias) to fade.   So we pray and wait and wish there was something we could do to change the circumstances.

Spoke to a friend yesterday who lost her wallet….with all the rent money in the wallet.  I’m thinking we might have to exercise some servalution for her and her family.  It will take a group effort though.  Our emergency fund is nil right now.  We need some stimulus in our finances as well.  (Anyone know of some writing I can do at home??)

Well, I’ve rambled on and possibly preached a mini-sermon or two.  It’s time to get some things in order.

What’s up with Facebook?

My sister called me yesterday and said I have to join Facebook.  Oh, the endless hours of figuring out another networking system.  I am on MySpace and LinkedIn.  I rarely check ether one.  She convinced me to join by telling me one of my friends from high school is on.  I’ve been trying to find this particular friend.  So I joined. 

And now I am going to have to find suitable (by suitable I mean cute) pictures to post so people will want to be my friend.  Then I will wait for people to send messages to my wall. 

Just another thing to manage….who has the time?