Will you come with me…?
How do we as Christian people practice evangelism?
Here are some thoughts on the matter:
“Will you come with me when I need to go visit my dying friend who does not yet know Christ? Will you come with me when I want to drop off cookies to my neighbor who has just gotten into a scrape with the law? Will you come with me to deliver groceries to the people down the street who do not speak English? Will you come with me?”
- Amy Shanholtzer, Director of Evangelism and Congregational Development from the June 2008 edition of The West Virginia United Methodist
Bishop Lyght was inspired to share the following insights on Amy’s column:
BISHOP: “Amy Shanholtzer’s article: Sometimes We Must Respond arrested my attention because I immediately realized that my request caught Amy off guard, but did not surprise her. When I asked her and the district superintendents to come to the altar to pray for the “unchurched”, and to bring someone with them, it was the idea of having a prayer partner. It was the reality that there is power in prayer. The Holy Spirit was moving in our midst; and the Spirit guided Amy in finding a prayer partner by practicing a fundamental principle of evangelism – “Would you come with me?” It is the hospitality of the invitation, extended even to a stranger. There is no secret about what God can do; there is no surprise.”
How does it resonate with your vision for evangelism in the Conference?
BISHOP: “Amy’s response experience to my invitation is evangelism 101. As we do evangelism in the West Virginia Annual Conference, I pray that we will take courage and invite people who do not have a church home to come with us.”
What does this paragraph from Amy’s column teach about the nature of evangelism?
“Will you come with me when I need to go visit my dying friend who does not yet know Christ? Will you come with me when I want to drop off cookies to my neighbor who has just gotten into a scrape with the law? Will you come with me to deliver groceries to the people down the street who do not speak English? Will you come with me?”
BISHOP: “Evangelism is not confined to an invitation to come to church. Rather, evangelism is inclusive of our general ministry. It is an invitation to partner with one another in ministry to the sick, the dying, the imprisoned, the troubled, the immigrants and anyone who needs a helping hand. Evangelism is the lifestyle of the pilgrim disciple.”
You can read Amy’s column in its entirety here.
Remember that Commission Possible will be here before we know it!
Tags: Bishop Earnest S. Lyght, Commission Possible, Evangelism
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June 28, 2008 at 8:10 pm
wonderful