During our Wednesday night Under Construction time the question of evangelization and compassion came up. Part of the conversation went something like this:
K: Where does evangelization fit in?
M: I am not sure how you don’t see evangelism connected to what we have been doing?
K: I guess when I think of evangelism, I think of introducing myself to my neighbor, inviting them over, developing a relationship with them and sharing my faith with them.
M: Is there any more effective way of showing someone that God loves them than for us to show them compassion like this? God put it on our hearts to build beds for needy families. When a group of strangers meet a need like this, how could God’s love be any more clearly communicated than this?
C: God wants us to love him and to love others. A mistake that some make is that they just focus on getting others to love God or experience his love.
M: You mean they want another to experience God’s love but they don’t want to actually love that person themselves?
C: Yes
M: I have heard others argue that the ultimate way to love another is to share the gospel with them as opposed to other expressions of love. Who’s got it right? The one who wants another to experience God’s love but does not love them, that is, they preach the gospel but do not show them compassion, or the one who loves the other person by showing compassion?
B: The one who loves the other person.
M: Whoa!
What do you think? Of course, this can be nuanced and fleshed out much, much more. That's what we do in UC. And we practice it at the same time.
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