Let me share with you two accounts of an Evangelism event and you choose which is more like what happened in Mark 6: 33-43.
A crowd gathered as a group of people cooked and prepared to hand out hot dogs. A sign hung hear to the cook that read, "FREE Hot Dogs!" The people eagerly waited for the moment they would hold one of the freshly cooked dogs and taking that first bite. The crowd knew this event happened every year around the same date. They knew they would get a dog, chips and a drink and they could continue their way to the shopping center. They had heard from others how this group every year gave out free hot dogs and then would leave immediately afterwards. Each year the community read in the paper what this group did at the local shopping center.
Across town another group of people were cooking and preparing to hand out hot dogs to a crowed that had gathered in anticipation having read the sign "FREE Hot Dogs!" The people eagerly waited for the moment they would hold one of the freshly cooked dogs and taking that first bite. The crowd knew this event happened every year around the same date. They knew they would get a dog, chips and a drink but also a word of encouragement with an offer of prayer or they could continue their way to the shopping center. They had heard from others how this group every year gave out free hot dogs and stayed around to meet the needs of those that came for the dogs. Each year the community heard from the people who had experienced healing, or who had received counseling or who had heard an encouraging word about what this group did at the local shopping center.
Mark 6: 33-34 From the surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them. When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them.
Later in this chapter Jesus has the disciples feed the people. The example is food can draw the people but Evangelism is more that handing out a hot dog. It involves the hard work of dealing with life problems in a way that people know you are genuine and that you care more about them than them coming to your church. If they know that what you are doing is purely to grow the numbers at your worship services. They might come to services once because they feel obligated but they necessarily will not become committed unless they receive what they need that will draw them back.
The difference in the two groups described above is one meets the need of physical hunger but the other goes beyond meeting physical needs to meeting emotional and spiritual needs. The latter group is following Jesus' example and we see people responding as those who responded to the compassion of Christ.
If you are involved in a church that does evangelism I encourage you to take the time to meet the emotional, spiritual and physical needs of people and you will not have to worry about your numbers. People want to be a part of a group where they feel genuinely welcomed and cared for. People are drawn by the Natural Supernatural act of meeting needs and hearing the word in a natural way without churchy speak.
Suggested Books:
"Gentle Persuasion" by Joseph C. Aldrich
"Naturally Supernatural" by Gary Best
"Without Walls" by Randy White
"Power Evangelism" by John Wimber Online
No comments:
Post a Comment