Anti-Evangelical?

According to most churches (including the one from whence I have come) – I am not an evangelist. They tend to view evangelism as a four-step course in good news (“gospel”) and bad news. Sometimes this happens door to door and every once in a while you get to “share your faith” in some sort of “strategic conversation.” Should this lead to the end of a friendship (if it was one to begin with), that is okay because “at least they know the truth now.”

I agree with them that I am not an evangelist on their terms. I don’t even consider myself an evangelist, but the word is out there and people use it – so I’ll defend myself accordingly. I’ve worked over 1000 hours at Central Market now. I have made many friends and managed to survive on little money. I don’t necessarily like my daily tasks, my schedule or my required extroversion. But I’m working to take the “I” out…

People lead sad, crippled lives. People slink through their days clutching to any crutch they can find. People fall and look for quick pick-me-ups because that seems to be all that the world has to offer. People give up because the chaos is too much. People need Jesus.

And Jesus loves them. He healed, taught, ate with, prayed for, aligned himself with, took a stand for people sad, sickly, and sullen. Someone needs to show them love. A true love that more than tolerates and is nothing short of the agape love of the Father. The church certainly isn’t doing it. So who will? When will evangelism leave the confines of a time slot and become life’s work? Where will the church people meet real people if work, family, church, entertainment, and private time never intersect the “evangelism” program? God called Israel and Christians to the Shema – loving God through all aspects of life. Then Jesus makes sure to clarify that loving neighbors is synonymous with loving God. So where does “evangelism” fit?

Insert the “I” again. I’m trying. Trying to figure out what loving people on their own terms means. Attempting to share my whole life as an act of love. Struggling to link God’s commands to my daily routine. Hurting for my friends who swim in the depths of hopelessness. Longing for their freedom.

So yesterday when my not-yet Christian friend at work says, “I like them. They’re more like you. I mean, honest about their faith. Not evangelical.” I’ll take that to mean that I’m on the right path. That somehow my little light shines like Paul’s encouragement to the Philippians, as a star in the universe holding out the word of life.

So if the church definition don’t fit and apparently the world’s definition don’t fit, what am I?

Jesus loves people.
Jesus loves me.
I’ll love people.
Call it what you want.