You are the light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, and no one lights a lamp and puts it under a clay pot. Instead, it is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Make your light shine, so others will see the good you do and will praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16).
The dreaded “E” word—the most hated and frightening word in the Episcopal vocabulary—”Evangelism.”
We are so turned off by it because we see so many misguided, manipulative attempts at what people call “evangelism” but are really just scare tactics or abusive schemes for money.
Jesus did not stand on the Temple street corner and harangue passersby—Jesus, in fact, did exactly the opposite: he told the self-righteous church leaders and members that they were hypocrites, just white-washed tombs of corruption. Jesus ate and drank with outcast sinners, and healed them, and told them they were God’s beloved children, and invited them to join him in his way of self-giving love. The word “evangelism” actually means “good news!”
Our world belongs to the God of communion and community, who seeks tirelessly to restore and draw all things into right relationship, and the church—us—we—have an integral role to play in that restoration.
The primary question for us as Christians should not be “How can we get more members at church,” but something like “what is God up to in our neighborhood, and how do we join up with it?” and “What is our unique calling, both individually and as a community?” and “How are we gifted to contribute to God’s work of restoration and healing?” When we ask these questions and discern God’s answers, we will be like the bit of yeast that leavens a whole batch of flour, like the mustard seed that grows into a tree.
People in today’s world are looking for an authentic, lived faith, not just a set of propositions to believe in or rules to live by, or an institution to belong to. Our church offers a richly textured Christianity with ancient roots, beautiful music and liturgy, a living commitment to justice and reconciliation, and space for people to explore, question, find support and community, and grow.
Each day my prayers for our parish of St. Andrew’s and for all Christians include the petition that God will enliven and enrich us with all the Spirit’s gifts. I pray we will be so in love with our church and each other that there’s nothing that can prevent us from telling family, friends, neighbors, and everyone we know that they have to come and check out what’s going on, because there’s no place else they can find the joy, caring, and nourishment for their souls they need to face the world around us.
Now is the moment to refocus our attention on the story of God’s life with us and for us in Christ through the power of the Spirit—to live more deeply into our identity as followers of Jesus, the Savior of the world.
Yours in Christ’s Love,Fr. Keith
P.S. If you’re interested in exploring this more, some of what I said above I’ve paraphrased from the book People of the Way: Renewing Episcopal Identity by Dwight Zscheile.
