Social Justice and Evangelism 7

What about the process of evangelism?

Let's assume that saying words we have head knowledge about but don't really "know" (epignosis?) is not the ideal and may or may not be helpful - like encouraging someone to pray, but not really knowing how to have or maintain a vital pray life ourself. It may sound good but what would we do if they actually asked us to show them how to do it or how to keep it going?

If we assume that then what is the alternative? From the previous post, Jesus was one with the father and spoke the Father's words. Maybe we need to do the same. That is a tall order, though. Can't be lazy and passive and accomplish that.

That is why I think that evangelism is meant to be done by believers who have already been discipled. Looking at the GC in Mat 28, evangelism is just part of the order (will post on that one later). I don't think we were meant to separate them. We speak words to them, emerse them in the trinitarian presence (and dunk them in some water if you want), and teach them how to live a new kind of life. You have to be a journeyman to do this. If you don't know how, you are either the target of the GC or an apprentice to it.

So, as an apprentice, I think it is okay to practice evangelism. That is what we are doing in UC. But that is not the end. We have to learn to be one with God and sensitive to his direction before we can speak the Father's words. That should be our end.

As I write this, there is a voice in my head that says: "God gave us his words in the bible, can't I just use those and give them to others?" You could but how? Randomly? Jesus used scripture all the time in his preaching. But when he used them and all the other words he used were from the Father. Back to process.

How do we practice evangelism? I am on record in this blog somewhere as saying something like "I don't think you can get there without practicing the contemplative disciplines." I am beginning to believe that the same is true with evangelism. We may not be able to speak the Father's words without learning to drop into the deepest parts of our being, or as Thomas Kelley put it:

"Let's explore together the secret of a deeper devotion, a more subterranean sanctuary of the soul, where the Light Within never fades, but burns, a perpetual Flame; where the wells of living water of divine revelation rise up continuously, day be day and hour by hour, steady and transfiguring."

We have to learn to drop in. Then we have to practice dropping in when we are with the other. Then we have to "listen" for words. Then we practice saying them. Then we evaluate how we did. Then we practice doing it again. Process.

Sound hard? It is, that is why we have to practice. But when we get it close to right, there is nothing else like it. It is kingdom living.

Of course, we could also just be random. Randomness gets it right every now and then. They call that chance.