It begins with E and ends with vangelism

My hubby and I have been talking a lot lately about evangelism.  Sometimes that can be a word not spoken in our Lutheran church.  I feel evangelism has gotten a bad rap.  People think of evangelism and picture the guy on the corner screaming about hell or the person saying if you aren't saved you will never see your family again in Heaven.  They see the negative.  The do it or else of "accepting" Christ as your Savior.

Evangelism is so much more than that.  It's telling your story.  As a church that believes Christ comes and accepts us as sinners, telling our story of faith is evangelism.  Most of the folks sitting in our pews at church have a long story of faith to tell.  Most don't have the one defining moment of "accepting Christ".  Christ has been with them in their story for their whole lives.  My story is of what Christ is doing in my life and why I choose to live as a Christian believing in the forgiving power of the Cross.

My story of faith and what Christ is doing in my life right now is evangelism. It's my calling to be a mother and being equipped with the gifts God has given me to do that.  My story is one of the healing powers of God as those I know face cancer.  The story I live is one of eternal life as I mourn those who have passed away.  My story of faith, is woven into every sentence I speak or every time I talk to someone.  It's remembering to pray for people.  It's my friend who will pray over the phone with me.  It's not being afraid to mention how much I love my church family or that my husband is a pastor.  It's answering the dreaded question of "you don't work?" with a "No, I feel God has called me to stay home with my children".  I need to chose that answer instead of the defensive or whiny answer of being a stay at home mom.  My evangelism is working my faith into all parts of my life in a way that will welcome people.  It will welcome them to ask me questions.  It will welcome them to see what my faith is all about.  It will help them see that no "one defining" moment will be the beginning and end of their faith story.  That it will become woven into all they do.  Evangelism is not about numbers, we all know that, but does everyone believe it?  Evangelism is about the good news and our stories need to reflect that.