Natural Opportunities

One of the internal difficulties I had in China was that I was in China specifically for the purpose of sharing the Gospel with pretty much everyone I met. To me, it felt surprisingly insincere at times to move the conversation intentionally to a place where I could share the Gospel.

Sharing the Gospel is a great joy, even when it is not received warmly. But although I knew that sharing the truth and joy of Jesus with someone is ultimately the most loving thing one can do, I cannot help but sometimes think—from a human perspective—that my presentation of the Gospel is less loving, or even deceptive, because I am meeting people for that purpose alone. It just doesn't feel natural to me.

Another reason it can seem unnatural to share the Gospel is for lack of grounds for conversation or friendship. Awhile back I came across this blog entry by a Chicago area pastor. It has put me to thinking about how important it is to develop opportunities in our own lives where we can naturally show and tell the Good News.

I laughed to myself recently when a friend said in passing that she needed to have a favorite architect. The reason, ultimately, was for the sake of conversation with a friend who was interested in such things—an end which I would never ridicule. Or, another example is blogger and pastor Zach Nielson, who treasures his time playing jazz with local musicians as a means of natural friendship developmenet with non-believers.

While in the "bubble" of Wheaton College, I regularly struggled with what to make of my separation from non-believers. I wanted to have meaningful interactions with non-believers, but the spontaneous conversation never felt right to me. So rises the importance becoming excellent at what one can. While in China, being an American granted a degree of celebrity status that allowed us to develop relationships with almost anyone, in America, it takes a great deal more to gain someone's interest and ear.

Or, the sharing the Gospel can seem unnatural because we go from organic friendship to a wooden presentation. One thing I did learn in my time in China was the importance of my evangelism training prior to the trip. Most everyone will agree that reading through a four spiritual laws booklet is a lame way to share the Gospel (though I personally know an example of a person coming to faith through just that). I didn't once use the exact patterns I was taught. Instead, I became able to express what I already know in a clear way, guided by the patterns devloped by those more wise and gifted than I. My personal knowledge and passion combined with this framework enabled me to share the Gospel as what it is, the most important thing in my life—without sacrificing clarity.

This felt more natural to me than pulling out a booklet, even when the relationship wasn't as far along as I would have liked, it was natural. I wasn't just forcing my views on someone. They wanted to know who I was, and so I would share with them the most formative thing in my life.

There is always going to be discomfort in sharing the Gospel. It comes in lack of deep friendships or a lack of common ground. But perhaps more fundamental is this third area: the Gospel being presented as something other. What message is given when we go from personal, interactive conversation to talking in abstractions about a worldview when we 'begin' sharing? Our most natural presentation of the Gospel is one that shows how our nature has been changed by Jesus.

It will be a message entirely unnatural to the unregenerate hearer. Work to let the unnatural happen there, and not for lack of our efforts to build the relationships that show us to be speaking the truth in love.