We've Way, Way Overcomplicated Evangelism
If the gospel is about renewing everything, evangelism is simple
I think when most Christians hear the word “evangelism”, we think of a certain type of person. Or, we think of a set of techniques or very intense arguments or philosophical principles we need to memorize or little drawings we need to make to help people feel and believe the gospel. But over the years, I’ve come to believe we’ve made evangelism far, far too complicated.
But before I say why, let me back up and ask: which gospel are we sharing?
If the gospel we’re trying to share with people is about escaping the world to go to heaven by believing in a certain set of doctrines, then evangelism will always, by necessity, be incredibly complicated. How do we get people motivated to listen to us? How do we describe our complicated system? How could we possibly present this dire proposal to our friends and family?
The gospel of escape is incredibly difficult to share with people. But I don’t think that’s because we’re cowards, or because people are too sinful and wicked to receive it. Rather, it’s because the image of God in people is always going to reject the gospel of escape. We are creatures, made for a created world. Any gospel which demands we care less about this will always violate the image of God inside of our non-Christian neighbors. And so if our gospel presentation has nothing to do with the life we’re actually living, and the created order God made, and the art and culture and circumstances we care deeply about, then our evangelism will necessarily be manipulative, complicated, and offensive to the imago dei inside of our neighbors.
However, I don’t believe the gospel is a gospel of escape. The gospel is about Jesus renewing everything.
And if that’s true, evangelism is incredibly simple. It’s not easy, mind you. But it is simple. The most effective evangelists, in my experience, have three basic qualities:
They believe that everything in life is about Jesus. When your low-income neighbor finds miraculous provision, that’s Jesus. When your friend is compelled by the beauty of music, or a sunset, or a film, that’s Jesus calling out. When your coworker feels the darkness of life because their marriage is hard, that’s Jesus calling to them. The best evangelists see all of life - every piece of culture, creation and community - as pointing to Jesus.
They have enough intimacy with non-Christians to see where Jesus is at work in their lives. Because they know their non-Christian friends and neighbors, and they believe Jesus is sovereign over every aspect of life, the evangelist sees one hundred connection points between the passions, circumstances and conversations they have with their non-Christian friend to Jesus.
They have enough courage to name the ways Jesus is at work. The loving evangelist is able to say boldly to their non-Christian friend, “The darkness you feel is Jesus drawing you to himself. The art, music, films and experiences you’re compelled by is Jesus drawing you near. The freedom you’re seeking is found in Jesus. The justice you’re fighting for is found in Jesus. The love you can’t find anywhere else is found in Jesus.”
It’s really that simple. It’s not easy, again, but it is simple. When I think of my friend who became a Christian this past year, I don’t think I ever drew a single diagram for him. I never had an argument with him. I did many times tell him how I saw the ways the weird indie films we saw together pointed to Jesus. I told him I thought the hardships he was going through were Jesus drawing him near. I told him how his deepest longings could only be fulfilled in Jesus.
When the time was right, we read through the life of Jesus together and talked about the meaning of the gospel, and invited him into Christian community, where his needs were met, through Jesus.
But that’s because I don’t believe Jesus is offering us an escape plan.
I believe Jesus is renewing everything.
Now, he does too.