Do you ever struggle to keep a fresh perspective on evangelism in your personal life and ministry?
You’re not alone. It’s not an easy thing to do. Evangelism is often the red-headed stepchild of both our personal lives and our ministries. Why? One reason is because it frequently makes us feel uncomfortable, and frankly, a little guilty.
Yet, evangelism is a lifestyle to be lived, not a programming topic to be given lip service to a couple times a year and then put on the back burner. So it’s critical that we find ways to get past those sometimes intimidating feelings that feed our tendency to push the e-word aside. We need to get to a place that’s more productive AND more focused on Jesus’ mission—to reach the lost.
Evangelism Nudges to Keep You Fresh and Focused
So is there a tool that will help you to continually refresh your evangelistic outlook on life and keep it front and center in your ministry?
Yes! Here’s a simple tool to add to your growing list of Dare 2 Share FREEBIES for youth leaders: my blog at www.gregstier.org.
If you aren’t already familiar with my blog, I want to encourage you to give it a look. It’s not that I’m a fabulous motivational writer who will keep you rolling in the aisle with my wit or knocking it out of the ballpark with my ministry insights.
But here’s something I can guarantee it will do: give you frequent nudges that will help keep evangelism fresh and focused in your life and ministry.
I figure the best way to introduce you to my blog and encourage you to sign up for the email updates, is simply to give you a taste…so here’s a recent blog post that’s pretty typical. Check it out below, and if you find this sort of thing useful, sign yourself up and get on the email list.
Starbucks = Jacob’s Well?
Two days ago at The Exponential Conference Pastor @derwinlgray said, “I do a lot of my work in Starbuck’s because that is the modern-day Jacob’s Well.”
Agreed D. Gray! In the 1st Century going to the well to fetch your water was a daily occurrence. It was a place where people could hang out and talk, where neighbors and family could catch up, where strangers could make friends.
In John 4, Jacob’s well was where Jesus waited for the Samaritan woman to come and draw water. It was there he struck up a conversation that went from awkward to awesome in just minutes. Soon this woman was sharing the good news with those in her town. And it all started at a watering hole.
Coffee shops, fitness centers and restaurants may just be the modern day equivalent of Jacob’s well.
This morning at 6:59 am I was reminded of that when I got a text from a young lady named Riley that read, “Pastor Greg! Today is October 10th! It was a year ago today you sat me down! Thank you! God changes my life everyday!”
Riley was the woman at Jacob’s well. She was a barista at the Starbucks I frequent who greeted me every day with a big smile, Venti dark coffee and a “What’s up Preacha’ man?” But a year ago she greeted me more somberly. She said, “I have a question for you preacha’ man. My aunt just died of a brain aneurism. Why would God allow that to happen?”
I could see that Riley was thirsty, thirsty for a relationship with Jesus, thirsty for the truth. So, when she got off work, we sat down over coffee at one of those round Starbucks’ tables and talked for 30 minutes.
A year ago today Starbucks became Jacob’s well for Riley. Instead of serving coffee she drank down the Living Water in large gulps. Her thirst was fully and finally quenched.
Since then she has brought tons of people out to church and engaged in countless gospel conversations of her own. But it all started at “the well” called Starbucks.
There’s something about being in proximity to those who don’t know Christ. It leads to conversations, revelations and transformations. Starbucks is a great place to build those relationships and start those conversations.
So where do you go to rub elbows with those who may not know Jesus. What place do you frequent to shine the light, shake the salt and offer the Living Water? Are you so hidden away in a Bible bubble you don’t have time to associate with “sinners”? Or are you, like Jesus, hanging out at the wells where people come to draw their water (or hot water mixed with coffee bean juice?) so that you can share the best news on the planet with them?
Evangelism requires conversation. Conversation requires proximity. Proximity requires intentionality. Intentionally make a decision right now to get in proximity so you can start having gospel conversations and offering others the Living Water to those who are thirsty for it.
Thanks D. Gray (aka “The Evangelism Linebacker“) for the reminder!
Boo-ya!