Living His Storyنموونە

Finding Echoes of the Story of Jesus in Our World Today

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest gift we could ever offer to another person. To share with another human being the good news that in Christ we are known, loved, forgiven, and set free is truly the greatest gift we could give them. But as with other gifts, we need to be thoughtful in how we offer it, considering what and how we might best connect God’s story to the person in view. There is so much we could say about the good news and its themes of love, redemption, reconciliation, and God’s grace. One of the greatest challenges we face is in knowing where and how to begin the conversation. Steve Hollinghurst uses the analogy of a packet of seeds, which is helpful in exploring how we might develop the art of knowing where to begin our conversations. Hollinghurst suggests that instead of viewing the gospel as one single seed, which when planted produces a single plant, we view it as a packet of seeds, which, when sown together, produce a whole garden of beautiful flowers. As sowers of the gospel our first task is to discern which seed to begin with so that in time we might sow the whole packet of seeds. 

Our first step, then, in seeking to engage in imaginative evangelism is to become skilled observers and listeners. We need to hone our ability to notice what is going on around us and to understand what it says about what other people cherish as most important in life 

Alister McGrath suggests that the idea of ‘clues’ can be useful in this imaginative approach to evangelism: God’s existence may not be proved, in the hard rationalist sense of the word. Yet it can be affirmed with complete sincerity that belief in God is eminently reasonable and makes more sense of what we see in the world, discern in history, and experience in life than its alternatives. What we are aiming to do is to identify the ‘clues’ in the world around us which point towards the gospel or provide a foundation upon which a conversation can be built. Such clues might be the inherent value of human beings, the beauty of the created world, a hunger for justice or a desire for hope. Each of these are clues that point towards the good news of Jesus and ultimately only find their fulfillment there. 

In evangelism, we need to learn when we have said enough. We are to use persuasive and creative ways to share this good news with people but at the end of the day, it is an invitation that can be accepted or rejected. Jesus is looking for those who will open their hands and receive the gift. It is never ours to wrestle or force into someone’s grip. However, there will also be those for whom an initial conversation sparks an interest. They are not ready there and then to follow Jesus, but they want to hear more. With these people we need to be more persistent and intentional, seeking out other conversations with them, perhaps offering them something to read. Then there will be those who are ready to follow Jesus, and we need to help them take those initial steps along the pathway to faith.  

Questions for Reflection

1. Which book or film that you might recently absorbed might give you a way of sharing the gospel – or more generally talking about the big questions of life – with others?

2. What are the main challenges of sharing Jesus’ story in modern life?