Mission next door

First day of summer! J... Some are dreaming of going to the beach, time permitting.  Others are being evacuated (in Calgary) from flash-floods due to heavy rain.  Some are going to stay in doors, away from the heat wave (btw, the Medical Officer of Health has issued Middlesex-London’s first Heat Alert of 2013 from Sunday, June 23, and continue until into Tuesday, June 25).   Others are planning mission trip up north to support smaller church communities. What’s your plan for this summer?

During the snowy winter people find excuse from doing witnessing in the cold weather.  It’s not convenient to go door to door when wind is chilling.  Summer time is too hot.  Spring – too busy with yard work, clean up and getting ready for the summer.   Fall – too wet.  Seems there is no season fit for active witnessing.  Or, maybe, every season should be an opportune moment!  I heard a comparison of evangelism as “flashing.”  Walking in long coats hiding what’s on the inside, and then, for just a moment, “flash” of the inside: “here’s my Jesus, ta-dah!!!”  Really?

The only way witnessing really work, is Jesus’ Style of evangelism: “Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, "Follow Me."--Ministry of Healing, p. 143.

This kind of evangelism, mingling with people, works year-around!  Last Church Council (Board) meeting, June 10, I shared the summary of our 3 months discussion, which followed the rally in April on evangelism as a process.  It makes sense to expect the harvest from an event in October when through the year we are actively planting seeds of friendship, and Jesus’ love in peoples’ lives.  The Fall Harvest event, which some call a “crusade” J has one purpose – to transition people from spectators to being disciples, from consumers to producers.  But first – they need to be consumers and spectators!

We affirm that our homes are the front line of evangelism.  It is in our households among family and friends that first interest for knowing Christ is developed.  We affirm that our multiple ministries are venues for evangelism.  As groups of interest, like Pathfinders, Adventurers, men’s and women’s ministries, CHIP alumni, task force groups of Community Services, and other small groups interact with people – first introduction to Christ and His Gospel Message takes place.  We affirm the Church School, A.C.E.S. of London, as the most effective tool of evangelising our children, transmitting Biblical values and forming most impressionable characters.  Most of all, we affirm that every believer is to lead someone to Christ, every believer is to minister to one another in Jesus’ Name.  It is this process that makes a year-end event of ‘reaping” effective.  Without year-around process no “crusade” will do, no matter how much fight we put up!

This summer, consider who it is that you are evangelising, who it is that you are mingling with and witnessing about Jesus.