Successful Evangelism in the Midst of Faith Journeys

Few things in life make me cringe more than bad 80’s music and the idea of snakes coming up through my toilet, but it ranks near the top of the list when I hear someone finish a story about evangelism or faith by saying, “They didn’t accept Christ, but…”

Many of us have heard the Biblical idea that comes from Jesus’ parables and Paul’s teaching that some plant the seed, some water it, and others harvest, but how many of us actually believe this idea?

It’s the idea that all of these roles are equally important and significant, and we undermine the power of the Holy Spirit and overestimate our own role in someone’s salvation story when we believe otherwise.

I think we tend to want clearly defined boundaries and categories by which to define “successful” evangelism, when in reality, faith and peoples’ journeys toward faith are often unorganized and messy. While I certainly understand the importance and need to challenge people and bring them to a point of decision about following Christ, I don’t think salvation always works like that.

For many, it’s a journey that begins in the context of community and may not have all the same recognizable landmarks of faith as other people. I have heard and seen countless stories of people with long and winding faith journeys that can’t point to a specific day or moment when they “accepted Jesus,” but if you look at the fruit in their lives and ask them who their hope is in, it is evident that though slow-but-surely and not all in one seismic leap, they’ve been living out a life surrendered to God.

Any time we have Gospel conversations with people, the Spirit of God is at work in immensely powerful ways. Just because someone doesn’t come to faith using the same verbiage or may not externalize that process in the way that we’re accustomed to doesn’t mean that there aren’t life-altering, eternity-shaping things going on.

Successful evangelism is stepping out in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God. God works on His own timing and in mysterious ways, so why should salvation be any different?

So let’s let God be God and the Spirit work in us and through us to gradually bring people closer to Him, and instead of lamenting the fact that someone didn’t pray a prayer, let’s rejoice in the fact that God even allows us to take part in the story of salvation.

-CK