Evangelizing Real People

It sounds so easy...convince non-Christians that they're so far from God that only through Christ's sacrifice can they be saved, and they'll realize that they are caught in the depths of sin...and repent.

There's a guy who has a program on JCTV (one of the Trinity Broadcasting channels) who goes from city to city, confronting young people and asking them rhetorical questions..."Have you ever lied? Then you're a liar...Have you ever felt lust toward someone you're not married to? Then you're an adulterer...Have you ever hated? Then in God's eyes you're a murderer."

And, "If God were in Los Angeles and Hitler was in New York, from God's perspective you'd be standing just a couple of feet west of Hitler."

All Scripturally true, but most of this guy's interviewees patiently roll their eyes, and you can see them thinking..."Yeah. Right. I'm a nice person, I'll take my chances, and this guy's a nut."

The fact is that most people think they're OK. Not perfect, but a long way from Hitler, and making their introduction to our faith a tearing-down of their persona just doesn't win many converts.

Why do we do this? Why are we doing something that tends to drive people away?

Two words. I WANT.

I WANT to see someone say the Sinner's Prayer because of what I said.

I WANT to see the souls I win.

I WANT God to notice the fervor of my faith, and its Scriptural correctness.

Get the beam out of your "I", Christian.

The way to win most people to Jesus is by example. He gave us a blueprint for living, for walking the walk. Let your light shine in courtesy to all, in gentleness to all. Let your cheerful generosity to those less fortunate make people scratch their heads and say...

"I WANT to be like that!"