Reaching the World with Lifestyle Evangelism
This may come as a surprise... but do you know that you and I are part of Plan A? That's the plan Jesus gave to his followers at the end of Matthew 28 when he told them to go and make disciples of the whole world? Just before he went to heaven, He told them, in effect, look guys, it's now up to you. I'm trusting you to reach the world with my message. I'll help you, I'll strengthen you, but it's up to you. Can't you just hear one of the disciples, maybe Thomas, saying, "But Lord, what's plan B?" There is no plan B. It's up to you and me. A lot of Christians think that they need a theological degree to share their faith, to be a Bible scholar with a library of books and seminary training in evangelism. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. But what really works best is being out there in the world, as Jesus commanded, just not "of" the world. What does that mean? It means that the best way to win people to Christ is through lifestyle evangelism. Walking the walk, talking the talk, so to speak. Setting an example. Letting people see through our lifestyle that our mind is where our mouth is, that we not only believe what we say about our faith but we actually live it out. See, a lot of people have been burned by religion. They have seen religious hypocracy and they are not buying mere words. They are wary. So they watch. They' are watching you. A sobering thought - You may be the only Bible some people read. And "read" you they do. How do you handle the ups and downs of life, the problems at work and in relationships that are common to all? What is the way you respond when someone else gets credit for something you did? How about when you get angry? Sad? Hurt? The way we live evangelizes just as much as the way we talk. For example, how do you handle a friend who comes to you with a problem? Do you listen? Really listen? Or are you quick to give advice or pass judgment on the situation? Do you speak more than he does? Finish his sentences? What about your body language? Do you fidget and look around, waiting for him to finish? Or do you smile, nod, make eye contact? Another old saying worth repeating: People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Besides our words and actions, we can also practice lifestyle evangelism by our appearance. Wearing Christian T-Shirts, Christian clothing or Christian jewelry is a great way to do lifestyle evangelism. You don't have to say a word. Your faith is right out there on your back. Christian clothing comes in attractive, unique designs and bold colors and is very affordable. You can find Christian T-Shirts and Christian clothing online by searching under those words. Or visit a Christian bookstore in your area. Many of them carry full lines of Christian clothing. But while it isn't always appropriate to wear Christian T-Shirts or Christian Clothing, at work or in business-formal settings, for example, there is another lifestyle evangelism approach you can take. Wear Christian jewelry. There is a wide assortment of very attractive and stylish Christian rings (for both men and women and teens), Christian bracelets and Christian necklaces that can be worn anywhere. Same with always-appropriate Christian crosses worn around the neck. It's been estimated that the average Christian T-Shirt is "read" 3,000 times before it is worn out. That's a huge audience. You can witness without saying a word. But very often, someone will ask you about that Christian T-Shirt you are wearing and you suddenly will find yourself presented with a great opportunity to share your faith. As you can see, practicing lifestyle evangelism is something every Christian can do. It doesn't require academic skills or fluency in Geek and Hebrew. It starts with each of us living our lives in front of the world. That's Plan A. That's lifestyle evangelism. Go get 'em!
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