The Gospel with a Side of Fries

EVANGELISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY

SECOND IN A SERIES ON ENGAGING EVANGELISM IN THE MODERN WORLD

IN TODAY’S DRIVE-THROUGH CULTURE, PAYING IT FORWARD CAN MAKE AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE

BY BRYAN A. MURRAY

It was a normal, abnormal Sunday morning. My family was in the living room, my tea was in my hand, my Bible was next to me, and the television was live-streaming a local church service.The pastor started his sermon with a personal story.

He was standing in line at McDonald’s. The woman immediately ahead of him secretly purchased his meal. When he arrived at the cashier and learned of the woman’s generosity,he did the same for the person behind him. That person did the same for the next person. Soon these strangers were smiling at each other, recognizing their shared generosity. It was a throwback to the 2000 movie Pay It Forward.

THE ANECDOTE IMPRESSED ME, and I began considering how purchasing someone’s meal might not only demonstrate human generosity but also provide an opportunity to communicate the generosity of God.That Monday, I determined to translate my idea into reality.

Equipped with a copy of “Would You Like to Know God Personally?” a Gospel tract by Cru, and a personal note I created to accompany it, I pulled into Smoothie King’s drive-through. When someone pulled up behind me in a Nissan Maxima, I briefly said a prayer for the driver to be receptive.

“That will be $9.45,” the cashier said. I gave her my credit card. When she attempted to return it to me, I asked,“Can I pay for the meal of the person in the car behind me?” “Sure,” she said,surprised. When she returned my credit card to me, I followed up. “Would you kindly give this to him?” handing her the tract with my note attached. “No problem,” she said.

I DROVE AWAY, SAYING ANOTHER PRAYER FOR THE DRIVER. I knew he would be reading the following, including my name and contact information:

You must be wondering,“Why would someone purchase thisfor me?”

It feels good to pull up to thecashier and hear “It’s already beenpaid.” You can put your credit cardor cash back into your wallet orpurse and enjoy the meal!

Two thousand years ago, Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sin sand yours. One day you and I will“pull up” to God and have to settle the account for our sin. If you’ve not accepted Christ, you won’t be able to pay the debt and will be sentenced to death (separation from God forever). The good news is that if you receive Jesus Christ’s payment for your sin, God will tell you, “It’s already been paid.”

To learn more, read the booklet stapled to this note.

Have a great day!

I’ve realized that evangelism in the 21st century has to go beyond adaptation to an ever-changing environment to something that becomes more effective and innovative because of a changing environment. Creative thinking has resulted from enrolling in Mid-America, where the emphasis on sharing the Gospel causes me to overcome social-distancing and find other ways to go to all the world for Jesus’ sake.

THE ACTION YOU CAN TAKE

What are ways you can use generosity to open the door to share the Gospel with others this week? Keep a note in your car, stapled to a Gospel tract. Next time you go to a drive-through, determine if you can afford the meal of the person behind you, and if so, pay for it. Then ask the cashier to give the person your note and tract.

� READ

Read the first in the “Evangelism in the 21st Century” series. Go to: tiny.cc/evangelism21-1