10
Evangelism
MID-AMERICA MESSENGER
CONNECTING WITH CULTURE, CURRENT EVENTS KEY TO ENGAGING EVANGELISM BY BRYAN MURRAY It was the Monday after Kobe Bryant died. At work, my colleagues and I shared memories and thoughts throughout the workday, and by the end of the day, I was emotionally exhausted. I arrived home and parked under a streetlamp in the dark. I exited my car and was hit with the strong smell of marijuana. It was coming from a young man’s car two spaces away. Do I ignore him? Call the police? Tell him to leave? Realizing that would’ve been me 30 years ago, I did what I wished someone had done while I was in high school—I approached his car and kindly introduced myself.
“WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT Kobe Bryant’s death?” I asked. “I can’t get it out of my mind,” Hunter (not his real name) replied. Hunter was so afraid of dying, he said, “I pray each time I get in my car.” I’m ashamed to say that often events in society become no more than news and information to me. When stories appeared about Kobe and GiGi Bryant, the coronavirus, stock market fluctuations, floods, wildfires, and mass shootings, some stories caused me to pause, but not for long. It was just more information for an informationaddicted culture. But what if the information became more than that? What if I applied a different filter and a different lens to the information?
That night when I spoke to Hunter, I
“I’m not right. I won’t even lie to
wanted the tragedy of nine people killed
you. I’m not sure,” he said. I shared how
in a helicopter to be more than another
I came to Christ, explained that Jesus
news story. More than just information.
conquered death and offers everyone
More than, “Did you hear…?” and “Can
eternal life, and that Hunter doesn’t
you believe…?” I wanted it to be an
have to live in fear of death. As we talked
opportunity to engage someone in
further, I asked Hunter if he would like
meaningful conversation, and nothing,
to put his faith in Christ for salvation.
ultimately, is more meaningful than the
He said yes and prayed right there in his
Gospel.
car to receive Jesus.
THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS SKILLED AT USING CULTURE CUES
EVANGELISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY still requires the Holy
and events to open spiritual
Spirit. It still requires Christians to
conversations. In Acts 17:16–34, Paul
intentionally and humbly introduce
demonstrates how he observed
a biblical worldview into the cultural
and understood the worldview of
discourse. It focuses on winning
those around him. Furthermore, he
people to Christ more than winning
intentionally used cultural cues to invite
arguments. Lastly, it must be grounded
people to consider the reasonableness
in Scripture, not clever ideas, because
of their worldview in light of one rooted
only God’s Word is true and able to
in Scripture. Perhaps most importantly,
convict someone of his or her rebellion
Paul and Mid-America founder Dr.
against Him.
B. Gray Allison believed strongly in
Our culture provides daily
providing an opportunity for people
opportunities to engage in spiritual
to believe in Jesus. The result was that
conversations. Perhaps today you will
“some men joined him and believed.”
engage in one and share the Gospel, so
In talking with Hunter, it became
someone might consider the claims of
clear his worldview was that death is
Christ and invite Him to save them.
random, something to be feared, and
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
that prayer would tip the odds in his
1. What is happening in the culture
favor. I told him, “There’s no guarantee
around you that might allow
you’ll arrive anywhere safely. Even if
for engaging people in spiritual
you pray, there’s no guarantee. Kobe’s
conversation (i.e., coronavirus, social
daughter was only 13, and now she’s
injustice, etc.)?
gone,” I continued. “Kobe even went
2. What would prevent you from taking
to church that morning. If you were to
the initiative this week to try to share
drive away, get struck and die, how sure
the Gospel? How can you overcome
are you that you’d go to be with the Lord
that barrier?
and not to hell?” I asked him.
