14: Evangelism (10)

Stop!

Who is my neighbour?

Starting a conversation about Jesus with a neighbour may simply begin with stopping and taking the time to notice that they are there and that they are important. Certainly, they are important to God so they should be important to us too. Too often we are so caught up in the moment, in the task, that we forget to notice the most important person in the world—another.

Jesus was always being interrupted. He announced that He would soon be murdered by His enemies (Luke 18:31–34), yet He took the time to heal a blind man (Luke 18:35–43), and have tea with a despised tax collector (Luke 19:1–10). He needed a rest in Samaria (John 4:6), but He stopped to offer living water to a woman disliked by the other women in her community (John 4:7–28).

All those interruptions and still Jesus stopped for them and took the time to have a conversation. That’s how important the “other one” is to Jesus.

What about us? Would we stop for our neighbours? What could possibly be more important than a conversation with someone that could result in his/her being saved and becoming a Christian?

Stop and pray. Ask them if there is something in particular they would want mentioned in prayer. We don’t have to pray in front of them, but we must pray for them and we need to let them know that we care enough to take that time to pray for them (1 Tim 2:1). Keep their need for salvation foremost in your prayer, and do it often. Regular prayer means regular thinking of the things and people in your prayers. Next time you see that other person, you can confidently tell them they have been in your prayers. Have they noticed anything different since you started praying for them earnestly and boldly? No! Then there is a conversation opener: “God promises to answer His people’s prayers. He wants you to have that promise too.”

Look!

Who do you know around you? In Germany, they have begun putting pedestrian crossing signals in the ground because people walk about staring down at their phones so much it’s the best place to ensure pedestrians can see the signals. In a world with so much social media and internet-connectedness, we are frustratingly more and more isolated from one another. So, look!

Who do you see? Start praying for them and talking to them. See what is important in their life: their family, their car, their garden, their Sky TV, etc. Look at them and see what their needs are. That means having a conversation with them and engaging with them.

Jesus looked at a widow putting her last two mites in the treasury (Luke 21:1–4). He looked and saw the woman washing and drying His feet (Luke 7:36–50). He saw the one thing missing from the rich young ruler’s heart (Luke 18:18–23), He saw pain in Mary and Martha’s eyes after Lazarus had died (John 11:21–37). He saw His mother from the cross (John 19:26), and the sincere repentance of a dying sinner next to Him (Luke 23:39–43).

We can’t see as well as Jesus ever did, but if we look, we will see things that others don’t. Pray about those things and look for opportunities to serve. People notice when we care, even in small ways.

Listen!

Jesus listened. He wanted to hear what others were saying about Him (Matt 16:13), but more importantly, what His disciples were saying about Him (Matt 16:15). He wasn’t interested in ego-boosting. He was listening to their hearts.

Listening is becoming a dying art. There is so much noise now that it drowns out the plea of the lost soul. Are we listening? When someone is hurting, do we hear their call to God? Will we help them get heard by Him?

Listening is a skill. We hone it by listening to Jesus (Matt 11:28–30). He always loved others and when we love someone, we are ready to listen to them. God is always listening to us, so our prayers are worthwhile (1 Pet 3:12).

Sometimes, taking the time to listen says more than words ever could (Job 2:13; cf. 32:4–5). God rarely speaks, but when He does, it is worth hearing. God spends much more time listening that He does speaking.

Listening is hard, but it is worthwhile. It helps us get to know other people better, and in turn, they give to us more respect and a greater willingness to listen to us. Then, we have an opportunity to help them by beginning a conversation about Jesus.

Set Goals

Take the time to write down the names of three people. Start with three. That’s all. They must be people well known to you, with whom you have regular contact, people you can easily and readily contact in person, by phone, or by letter.

Next to their names, write down their spiritual state. Are they saved? Were they saved? Do they need to be saved?

When will you see them next? Write down three questions you can ask them that deals with the question of whether or not they are saved. Be reasonably specific.

Where are you regularly attending church?

What do you believe about God?

What can I be praying about for you?

Remember what they are telling you. Later, when you have the chance, write it down.

Pray about that person. Say their name when you pray. Tell God what they told you about their church (if they have one), their faith (if they have one), and what they said that you can be praying for them. Take a moment to think about what they said. If they said, “A million pounds” what do they really mean? Are they struggling financially? Is their job at risk? Is the cost of living starting to bite for them? Listen to what they are really asking for. Who doesn’t want wealth? But it’s not about wealth, it’s about having the things they can’t. What do they really need in their life? Money? Or support through difficult times?

Keep praying, not just every day, but throughout the day. 1 Thess 5:17 “pray without ceasing,”

Keep a note that you have prayed for that person and when you prayed for that person. Remind yourself why you are praying for them.

Tell them you are praying for them. Tell them next time you see them. Don’t think about how they may react or what they may think. Just tell them. Remember, if they laugh or scorn about it, just say, “You don’t have to believe it, but I believe that prayer works. I’ll keep praying for you.” Leave it at that.

Think about what is next. Invite them to church. Ask them if they’d like a visit from someone else in the church. Ask them if they want to talk about faith. Dare to say the name “Jesus.”

Always remember, we are not asking them to believe us, come to our church, or have our faith. We are asking them to believe Jesus, accept His invitation to be part of His church, and to have their own faith. If they don’t want that, we’re still friends, we’re still praying for them, we’re still hoping they will want to know Jesus. Be open and honest.

Starting a conversation about Jesus

Evangelism is about relationships. Relationships are what Jesus built with others. It took Him more than three years to prepare His disciples for the task He set before them. Wherever Jesus went He was warmly welcomed and loved by the various communities. Don’t think that He could walk into a room and transform it the very first time. He nurtured relationships, prayed for people by name, spent time listening to them, noticing their challenges and distresses and loving them. The room lit up whenever He came by because people had already noticed the room was brighter because He had been in it.

People were astonished by His teaching (Matt 7:28), and they had seen it in His life before they had ever heard it in His words.

Jesus stopped for people.

Jesus looked at people.

Jesus listened to people.

If I am to be more like Jesus, stopping, looking, and listening seems like a good place to start.

Stop.

Look.

Listen.

The time you give to another person now can affect the eternity that they will have.