a continued conversation on evangelism…

I agree that cultural perceptions and priorities are continually changing in our society. I also agree that our methods must be somewhat modified to fit the context of our time. I think it is our duty as ministers of the gospel to make sure that the answers we are giving are relevant to the questions being asked of us. But we can’t expect to simply utilize the latest software, marketing schemes, or innovative tools of technology and expect lives to be changed. We can’t shove our heads in the sand and forget that the gospel is primarily about relationship, however “relevant” to the culture we may perceive ourselves as being. Our message must be coupled with our action and the truth of the gospel must be embodied in order to be identified as genuine. If those in our community are struggling to love others, and they observe us plagued by the same disease, how will they perceive that we are any different? If we are preaching change and living stagnantly, I believe, our message will inescapably fall on deaf ears. The gospel will be rejected on the grounds of the soiled version of Christ that we present. I’m seeing more and more that our character and attitude has to operate as an uninterrupted segue to our presentation of the gospel, not the other way around.