Margaret Dowding from Muddiford URC tells us how ‘Fruitfulness on the Frontline’ from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC) switched on the light for her and her friends when it comes to the Holy Habit of Making More Disciples.
Evangelist? Not me! That is probably the reaction most of us have to that question. Standing on soapboxes, street corners or even at the front in our local church is what I thought I’d have to do, and that would be really hard. In fact, it was even difficult for me to talk to neighbours and colleagues about my faith! When a group of us from Muddiford Chapel encountered the LICC’s ‘Fruitfulness on the Front-line’ course it dramatically reversed our reaction to the idea of being an evangelist.
The short video clips were lively, sometimes amusing and very clear in their message. Firstly, we were encouraged to identify our own ‘front-line’, that is the people with whom we have contact in our everyday lives, our neighbours, work colleagues, people who visit our home, those with whom we share leisure activities (and even those we meet but briefly perhaps at the supermarket check-out or bus-stop.) The clips and questions promoted lively discussion and gradually the light dawned!
Being an evangelist can involve the simplest things (and sometimes need not involve words at all!). It can be modelling Christ-like behaviour when faced with an awkward boss or neighbour, instead of grumbling, complaining or retaliating, and learning, step-by-step how prayer can change people and situations.
Another aspect is seeing the tasks we do, whether paid or voluntary, office or home, as a gift God has given us, and an opportunity to be evangelists through the attitude with which we do them. At the school gate coming along side another busy, stressed mum, or visiting a lonely neighbour, is evangelism. Sometimes evangelism is standing up against an injustice, be it in our work place or in our community.
This short video from the LICC about ‘Anne’ helps to illustrate this:
Through ‘Fruitfulness on the Front-line’, we learnt that God works a step at a time as we build relationships with those around us, and often that leads to natural conversation about our faith without any feeling of awkwardness or fear on our part.
Sometimes a word of encouragement, a card to let someone know you're thinking of them at a difficult time, remembering a birthday or anniversary, spending time just listening, or even just a smile can make all the difference to someone's day and enable them to see God at work in you.
So ‘evangelists’? Yes, we can all be evangelists just where we are & with the individual gifts God has given us.
Visit the LICC’s website to learn more about how ‘Fruitfulness on the Frontline’ could help your church. Tell us about things that have worked in your context so others can learn from you.
