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A Way of Life

Ray Jones

   Len Sweet has written a thoughtful and important new book on evangelism. I am only halfway through the book, but I am already captivated by the way in which he is presenting evangelism as a natural part of a growing Christian's faith journey. He writes in Nudge, "Evangelism as we know it hasn't worked. Either evangelism is so aggressive you want to get a restraining order, or else evangelism is so restrained you want to call it to order. Our strategies have been spectacularly useless at best, counterproductive at worst" (P. 35).

   Sweet contends that evanglism is all about helping people see God's activity and presence in their lives. This is the "nudge." In our relationships with people outside the church, we help people experience God at work in the beautiful and terrible moments of life.

   However, we can't truly help people with these nudges unless we are aware of God's presence and activity in our lives. Therefore, the body of Christ is critical in our faith development. And maybe you're thinking right now, "Yeah, yeah, I know that! I go to church, serve on a committee, and attend Sunday school." But here's the big question that's become part of my life, "Do we have a community of people that helps us discern God working in our lives?" Are we on a journey with people who are helping us pay attention to what Jesus is calling us to be and do in our lives? In other words, how are we paying attention to God in our lives?

   In my own life, I pay attention best through worship, time spent in scripture and prayer, through spiritual disciplines like fasting, and through serving others. But what I am beginning to believe more and more is that I need a group of people along the journey to help me pay attention to God through all of the above mentioned spiritual activities. And even this is not enough because I also need this group to help me pay attention to my whole life. I continue to learn that God is at work in all that I'm doing and thinking. But it's just hard to pay attention!

   We need one another. Outside of our life together, evangelism is reduced to certain skills and borderline offensive behavior. But within the context of a community of people following Jesus, in which we are helping one another pay attention to God's grace in our midst, we become a people who help all those longing to be free experience the saving love of God.

   Even though I have not finished Sweet's latest book, I'm wondering, "Could evangelism be as natural and simple as nudging people to pay attention to what God is already doing in their lives?" And maybe it is this simple, when by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are paying attention to what God is up to in our lives.

• Posted at 11:01 a.m.
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