The Speed of Biblical Evangelism

This is part of a series of posts on effective entry strategies in the modern American landscape. I am writing this series as a work in progress, not as an answer that I have found. In some instances, I may not even agree with myself, but I have found that writing out thoughts helps me arrive at answers that I do agree with, both Biblically and personally. I would love constructive feedback so we can grow together to better engage lost people with the Gospel. To follow this conversation, be sure to subscribe to this blog. You can click here to view all blog posts in this series.

I love the feedback and conversation on this series. My last post garnered enough responses that I thought I would repost some notes from friends with some personal comments as well.

Ed in Kansas shares:

Not long term evangelism, but long term response:

- Nicodemus

- Jesus’s brothers

This is a great point! Many readers will be familiar with “4 Responses to the Gospel” as a tool and training module. The first time someone in a training hears that our response to a ‘red light’ is to “move on,” they can find it hard to understand. But Jesus illustrates this perfectly (he illustrates most things perfectly, I suppose). He shows us that the invitation was always left on the table, but he didn’t spend further significant time with Nicodemus or his brothers when they were not interested in following him.'

Delton in Pennsylvania shares:

Frankly,  slow evangelism doesn't make for good stories in Scripture or missionary biographies.  But some of the letters seem to encourage it. 

‭I Thessalonians 4:11-12 NKJV‬ [11] that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, [12] that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

This exhortation seems to point to "lifestyle evangelism."  He seems to be telling us to let our life speak of the reality of the Kingdom as we live among those outside the Kingdom. It doesn't forbid proclaiming,  but the focus of the command is our lifestyle. 

Also Peter:

‭I Peter 2:11-12 NKJV‬ [11] Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, [12] having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

And ‭I Peter 3:15-16 NKJV‬ [15] But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; [16] having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

Our good works are to be a significant part of our witness,  leading people to approach us with questions even before we proclaim to them our hope! 

Now,  this doesn't rule out an active and proactive proclamation of the Gospel,  but it does seem to leave room for that to, at times, be secondary to us quietly living out our witness in our communities until the Spirit softens hearts and opens doors for the proclamation.  

One thing this challenge is our Christian ghetto lifestyle,  which you've mentioned in previous posts.  Our lifestyle witness only works if we are among unbelievers enough for them to bear witness to our hope.  

I have often thought of this Thessalonian passage. And while Paul seems to almost encourage a ‘slowness’ here, we shouldn’t forget 1 Thessalonians 1:8, which says: “The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it…” So there is both an excitement about broad gospel sowing and a calling to live as a consistent follower of Jesus.

Finally, Neill from South Asia shares:

This is a fairly large difference between CPM and DMM approaches.  And especially when DMM is done among Muslims it often does take 3 to 6 meetings to share.  My history would be that I shared “Any3” all the way through at least 200 times in Malalysia over 4 to 5 years …. But never got one follow up meeting.  Somewhere in the middle of the long story I realized I was “sharing too much” and “pushing too far” in one meeting.   

I don’t think there is much easy Biblical evidence for “going slow”.  I do always share that I am a believer in Isa al Masih in a first meeting if I hope to share with that person later, but I don’t get to much of a [gospel] presentation til the third meeting. 

I make some allowances due to the culture you are in, the religion you are reaching out to, the spiritual gifts of any certain believer… keep trying, keep modeling for others, but allow some various patterns… not just one.

This is just such a good reminder that we have to aim for reaching lostness, not aim for using a tool. If 200 gospel shares have not led to even one follow-up meeting, as Neill explained, then it is time to reconsider our approach. Great insight!

Maybe next week we’ll get to a new topic in this series…