What is effective Evangelism?

There is a tremendous reaction today against using terms like evangelism, sin, being saved or even the term Christian. I think I understand the hesitancy to use old, worn out or culturally offensive terms. Every new generation needs to generate its own language and communication strategy.

Back in my days at the University of Cincinnati, Barney Ford, head of the Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship chapter on campus, once commented to me that we need a MOT Manual. (Managing Our Terms Manual) to stop all the confusion among Christians and others about our work.

I have no negative reaction against the new terms or the Seeker Sensitive churches that use them. My concern is that we are still as fervent about doing the real stuff even when we no longer describe it in old fashioned ways. However, let us older Christ Followers openly admit that even though we used terms like Evangelism we were usually confused about what it is Biblical and in actual practice.

In my culture, evangelism usually meant "Verbally reciting a specific verse of scripture or series of terms well known by people inside the Christian community but largely unknown outside that system". Preachers were expected to recite those words at the end of every religious service while giving an altar call asking people to "Come forward to the altar and pray to receive Christ as their savior." This ritual was followed at almost every Sunday school class, worship service, wedding, funeral or public prayer.

Not following that ritual was seen by many as sure evidence that the speaker was a liberal or Roman Catholic. However, as I became older and read the Bible for myself I rarely found such rituals contained in the pages of Holy Writ.

What about your background? Were the rituals of evangelism similar or different? How did you find out what it meant to be a Christian?

What do you think is the best way to "Share your faith? "

Let me know what works for you?

Gary Sweeten