Last week I called your attention to our church’s welcome statement and Glenn’s simple, powerful, Christ-like commitment to welcome all people into our worship and life. Now, let’s consider a word tucked into our United Methodist membership vows.
When we join, we say we will uphold the church with our “prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness” (emphasis added). To witness means to point toward Christ with our actions and words. Such actions might include advocacy for justice, acts of kindness, or even worship attendance and the welcome we extend to all. We show the world Christ by living in Christ’s grace.
But sharing WORDS that point toward Christ? That can be a bit more awkward, can’t it? Talking about our faith can feel pushy or rude. It conjures up a word that has fallen out of favor in progressive churches like ours—evangelism.
Evangelism is a central practice of the church that, alas, has been twisted by oppressive misuse, stained by judgmental threats, and weaponized by political demagogues. And that’s a shame because evangelism really is simple. The root of the word is evangel which means “good news.” So, to evangelize is to share good news. More specifically, of course, we’re talking about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, who forgave sinners, healed the sick, welcomed those shunned by others, and proclaimed God’s peace and justice for all the world. And, oh yeah, for Good-News-good-measure, throw in death’s defeat and a new creation as well. That’s evangel worth sharing.
Still, I can understand if you’re not ready to reclaim the E-word.
So, just be inviting. A few words can go a long way. Look to the Gospel of John. “Come and see,” Philip said to Nathaniel, who found it hard to believe anything good could come out of Nazareth, least of all the Messiah. And remember the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well (chapter 4)? Her invitation to her fellow villagers was hardly the stuff of altar calls: “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” Nathaniel came and saw and followed, as did many of the Samaritan’s neighbors. We’re not Jesus. We’re witnesses; we point. An invitation in words simple and sincere is enough.
Give it a try. Know someone who might be blessed by the love and grace you’ve found at Glenn? Tell them what you love about your church, then preach the most powerful evangelistic sermon the world has ever known: “Come and see.”