Evangelism: The "E" in S'MOREs

We’re Lutheran, so we tell ourselves we are not very good at evangelism.

I’m not convinced that is at all true! Most of us at one time or another – and even more often than we remember – have invited someone to come to church with us or come to an event at church with us. That is evangelism.

Evangelism is recognizing our joy in Christ and wanting others to share in it. Evangelism is recognizing the pain another is feeling and wanting them to know God’s comfort. Evangelism is touching others with the love of God that we feel so that they can feel it, too. Evangelism is not so scary or non-Lutheran as we think.

When God is seeking someone who is struggling with their faith or who has never been a “churched” person, He works through us. If we are near that person then we feel the need to talk about something God places on our hearts to say to that person. God seeks and we help—and we know when to help because we have concern for that person. It is when we don’t help that we feel intimidated about evangelism.

Think about being open to God’s voice in your heart. Hear Him when he says speak to that person, invite this one to a church event, go visit that person—and honor His request—go! Invite friends to Las Posadas as a time to come meet God and His family at Cross of Hope. We have school programs and special music on Sundays—invite others to come. Christmas Eve services are a time when people feel a need to come to church—invite them as Christ invites us to meet His son again in the manager. Find your neighbors or people on the street and send them or bring them. God promises there will be enough to feed those who come. Invite, come, share, comfort, love, and reflect the joy of being a Christian.

Be yourself.

Be an evangelist.

Contact: Patty Westerfield