Evangelism as a Lifestyle

Joseph C. Aldrich, Life-Style Evangelism: Crossing Traditional Boundaries to Reach the

Unbelieving World, Portland, OR, Multnomah Press, 1981: 246

Prologue

If Jesus were to appear on earth as he did 2,000 years ago, many churches would not
they would choose their officers' board. He would have disqualified himself because he was walking
with the wrong people.

The historian Luke comments that tax collectors and sinners—people who were
rejected by the religious because they had made a mess of their lives—they continued
looking for him to hear what He had to say. Jesus warmly welcomed him.
welcome and often enjoyed dining with them. Socializing with that kind of people
he was ruining his testimony. The Pharisees and Bible teachers who were observing him
they dismissed their association with that element of society as a secret sympathy
with sin. However, the fact was that he went out of his way to cultivate those
relationships, and if we are serious about following Him, we have to do the same.

Making space in our homes for non-Christian neighbors requires effort, thought,
And sometimes risks. Bridges are harder to build than bridges. But that
it does not change reality: those who are outside the faith (outsiders) are first attracted to the
Christians and then to Christ. Unfortunately, not all Christians attract. But
Christians, alive for God, loving, who take care of others, who smile, who share,
involved in the needs of people, present an undeniable testimony of
Christ in his society.

Developing a lifestyle for this to happen is the theme of this book. For this
Reasoned thinkers among Christians will read it, and this is because the neighbors who live next door or
Those who transport or work with us will thank God that we read this book.

Dr. Haddon W. Robinson

President, Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary

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Introduction: The Entrepreneurship Called Evangelism

There is a legend that recounts the return of Jesus to glory after his time in the
earth. Even in heaven, He bore the marks of his earthly pilgrimage with his cruel cross and his
shameful death. The angel Gabriel approached him and said: 'Master. You must have
suffered terribly from the men down there.” “That was so,” said Jesus.

And do they all know what you did for them? the angel asked. "No," said Jesus and added
“Not yet, only a few know about it in Palestine.” Then he said the
angel: "What have you done for all men to know about your death and
resurrection?” “Good,” said Jesus, “I asked Peter, James, and John and my others
disciples who take care to tell the story to others and the others to others more.

Gabriel looked with an air of doubt, because he knew how poor and inconsistent creatures they were.
the men. And then he added: 'But what if Peter and James and John and the others...'
Do they forget? What if they get tired of telling the story? What if far away in the twenty-first century, the
do men stop recounting the story of your love for them? Do you have an alternative plan, a
Plan B?

Jesus' response was: "I have not made any other plans. I rely on them."

Twenty centuries later... He still has no other plan. He is counting on you and me.
Very high on their 'to-do list' is the evangelization of the world. Their
The first disciples adopted His priorities and dedicated themselves to reaching their world.
Christ counted on them and they fulfilled. And us, have we done so well?

Too Many People

Before entering another 'guilt trip', let's consider reasons why
we seem to be 'ineffective' compared to the apostles. Our purpose is not
excuse us. But we clearly need to understand some of the forces or influences
that hinder our effectiveness.

First, the need to connect with an increasingly large number of people

In our daily experience, it has atrophied our ability to relate to others.
Indeed, even to a single person. Excessive relational demands have atrophied
our relational capabilities. There are simply too many people. A
A casual walk down the street brings me face to face with dozens of people every minute.
It is not possible for me to recognize or relate to them. I need to overlook them and
treat them as indifferently as part of the machinery moving in a line of

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production. To make things more difficult, the population density of most
metropolitan areas reinforce alignment and indifference.

The attitude of isolation becomes a lifestyle. I don't want to bother you, and I don't.
I want you to bother me. Am I perhaps my brother's caretaker? Absolutely not.
way—No! Unable to relate to the piles of people, my mind
concludes that there are no more people. The millions overflowing with people from Asia do not
They exist. "What people? I don't see any people." A million people...
convert to zero.

The response of nonchalance may be necessary to maintain a kind of

psychological balance. But without a doubt it harms the evangelistic company.
When interpersonal relationships are critical to the impact of the gospel, we discover
that the majority of Christians have neither significant contacts with non-Christians nor
the ability to relate redemptively. When it comes to relating to
People, being bigger is not necessarily better.

Stop the World—I Can't Get Off

A second reason for our ineffectiveness is the pace of life: it is very fast and
complex. Technological advancements have directly affected our way of living.
Jobs change, people move, congestion grows, bottleneck of
vehicles. The phones ring incessantly, and the sound of the television can be heard
constantly, whether it is being seen or not. Being captives of the itineraries and
demand from others we find ourselves unable to stop our world and get off.

Add to this fast pace the complexities of the world's problems. We live under the
threat of annihilation at any moment. News reports of the crises
around the world and near us fill our minds beyond our
limits. We are flooded with problems beyond our understanding and we feel
that no one has the solution.

Caught up in the whirlwind of activities, itineraries, and events, we find that

Time with healthy people who support is increasingly a luxury that is not given.
Adding evangelism to an already busy itinerary would be the last straw.

Aquariums, Ambushes and Safaris

A third source of ineffectiveness in evangelism is our exposure to models.
unhealthy options of evangelism. The evangelistic "options" presented and practiced
they only provide realistic opportunities for a low percentage of the community
Christian. Although many evangelism practices "work" in some cases

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they really hinder the total impact of a certain church in a community.
While some churches do not grow because they do not evangelize, others do not grow because
yes, they evangelize—in obsolete and ineffective ways.

For many, evangelism is what the pastor does on Sunday morning when he throws the
bait from the pulpit, hoping that some "fish" in the aquarium of colorful stained glass
Pique. The task of the "layperson" is to bring fish within the reach of the "great fisherman."
Week after week the pastor evangelizes the already evangelized. His people will weaken.
with the diet of evangelical sermons, unable to effectively testify about the
reality of the complete gospel in their own lives. The church members with
hunger "they are incapable of testifying to the good news...(because) they are not
experimenting.1It is a strange phenomenon for a group like the church, whose emphasis
the evangelism is greater.

The truth is that 'everything that happens teaches.' If the only means of evangelism is the
"great fisherman", who continuously fishes from the pulpit, he may catch
some; but he is really teaching through an approach to evangelism that could
hinder the evangelistic potential of your local faith community. Evangelism is
contextual, and without careful attention to the 'beauty of the Body' (edification, the
evangelistic efforts are becoming increasingly artificial, forced, lacking naturalness and
infectious. Effective individual evangelism grows from the context of a communion.
healthy and vibrant believers (church). The impact of their evangelistic efforts
it is in direct proportion to the health of your corporate life.

Another potentially unhealthy model of evangelism is what I call "the model

from the ambush.” The non-Christian is invited to an event where a prominent speaker
impact unloaded all its ammunition. Often the 'guest' has no idea of the function
or the purpose of the invitation and feels trapped and embarrassed. This method us
remembers some slippery paths or tears for being scolded driven by
skilled individuals in the manipulation of both emotions and the Scriptures.

Many assume that evangelism is what Billy Graham does and therefore it
they are removed from all participation because they 'do not have their gifts'. Sometimes the only
evangelism exhibition for believers is being part of a group that carries out a
operating in a 'spiritual safari' in enemy territory. In such expeditions, people
totally unknown are confronted with a verbal message, which is said to be the
gospel. Such experiences of evangelism are valid and God blesses. However.
Many are not, and they represent an unbalanced, unnatural approach and
in some cases, a non-biblical approach to reaching people.

1James Engel, Contemporary Christian Communications (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1979). p. 27.

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I find that many believers have been 'burned' by an experience.
unfortunate—and often unnecessary—trying to evangelize someone. As
they have given up. Often this bad experience is the result of
not distinguishing between testifying and winning souls. "While a person simply
share something about Jesus, he is a witness. But the moment he tries to get the person
do something about Jesus, his role changes to being a soul winner.2Testify and win
souls are two different specialties. Many have been taught that evangelism is
the same as winning souls, and has tried to "win souls" with disastrous results.
Embarrassed and humiliated, they have completely detached themselves from anything that is
evangelism. I must add that true witnessing is based on what we
(the saved) make it so that they (the unsaved) cannot do, not in what we do not
we make them do.

Due to being exposed to unhealthy evangelism models, the evangelizing company

it has been damaged. Often it is the methodology of some of these models that offends
the sensitivities of Christians who offer care to others. Sometimes they are artificial and not-
natural. Many Christians have personal objections to some approaches of
to 'win' the lost. Tricks, pseudo-questionnaires, wearing buttons, Christian assaults, and
the open lack of courtesy from some witnesses discourages them. The final result is
that evangelism becomes a misunderstood term, one where the much
People swear by her or to her.

Separation or Segregation
Perceived cultural barriers and theological errors combine to be the fourth factor
What creates a short circuit in evangelism. I think it is fair to say that the majority of the
Christians have lost their ability to relate significantly to the non-
Christians. Under no circumstances can the Christian community be called 'the salt of the
earth.

For salt to be effective, it needs to come out of the shaker and penetrate the world of people.
hurt, dying, suffering and sinning. There is no impact without contact, however,
After two years of knowing the Lord, the average Christian has no relationships.
significant connections with non-Christians. Conversion often opens up a new network of
relationships and the new Christian unknowingly begins to distance themselves from their non-Christian acquaintances.
In some cases, this separation from past friendships is necessary if one is to grow.
However, too often, they withdraw from these meaningful contacts because
your local church misinterprets the biblical doctrine of separation.

2C. S. Lovett, Witnessing Made Easy (Bladwin Park, CA: Personal Christianity, 1979), p. 20.

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Often the unconverted are seen as enemies instead of victims of
Enemy. Spirituality is seen as separation from the unsaved. To the new Christian.
it is said that "he has nothing in common" with his non-converted acquaintances. Frankly,
I have a lot in common with them: a mortgage, car payments, kids who misbehave,
grass to cut, a car to wash, an imperfect marriage, a few pounds
around the waist, and an interest in sports, hobbies, and other activities
that they enjoy. It would do us well to remember that Jesus was known as 'friend of
sinners.” That’s right, friend of sinners.

Overcoming the Lack of Credibility

The fifth cause of a weak evangelistic company is the lack of balance between the
verbalization and the embodiment of the gospel. Christians must be good news
before sharing the good news. The words of the gospel must be embodied.
before being verbalized. Let me put it this way. The music of
the gospel must come before the words of the gospel and prepare the context in which
it will produce hunger for those words.

What is the music of the gospel? The music of the gospel is the beauty of Christ that
it dwells within us that is lived externally in the everyday relationships of life. The
The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ has solved the problem of sin.
of the human being and offers him the potential for an exchange of life, a life in which the
God's resources himself are available for your transformation. And the gospel is
translated to music, makes redemptive relationships possible. When the world observes
husbands loving their wives, and wives supporting and taking care of their husbands, have seen
a miracle; they have heard the music. It is a miraculous music that many have
longed for.

The two strongest forces in evangelism are a healthy church and a

healthy marriage. The two are interdependent. One cannot exist without the other.
However, it is the healthy marriage that is the 'frontline weapon'. The family
Christianity in a community is the ultimate tool, assuming that the circle of
home is open so that the beauty of the gospel is easily available. It is the
ancient history: When love is seen, the message is heard.

Even God's evangelism strategy in the Old and New Testament has to
seeing a beautiful wife and her relationship to Him. Israel and the Church are called 'wives' by
God and His beauty are of great concern to Him. But the beauty described (Ezekiel 16,
Ephesians 5) is relational. It is the beauty of how they live together. Israel became a harlot.
because she forgot the source of her beauty and splendor. The Church in Ephesus was warned

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for losing its beauty even though it adhered to a healthy theology (the condition of
hundreds of churches today.

Much of evangelism training focuses on helping people to "say

the words of the gospel. Little attention is given to developing a biblical philosophy of
the gospel that moves the bodily life of the Church from its ugliness to beauty.
We need to be candidates for God's blessings, starting to embody His beauty.
in our relationships, and open these relationships to non-Christians. Once the 'music' is
I have heard, I expect to be asked about 'the reason for hope (beauty) that
you have.

Play the music and there will be candidates for the Word! Sheldon Vanauken says it well: 'The
the best argument for Christianity is the Christians; their joy, their certainty, their
integrity. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also the
Christians - when they are gloomy, without joy, when they are self-justifying and
conceited in their comfortable consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then the
Christianity dies thousands of deaths,3

When the joy, certainty, integrity, and beauty of a Christian community is

cultivated and communicated, evangelism is the glorious result. I have written this book with
the intention of pushing the Church towards its divine heritage so that it explores its
beauty in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

3Sheldon Vanauken, A Severe Mercy (New York: Harper and Row, 1977), p. 85.

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Part 1: Evangelism As It Should Be

Embarked on a Pilgrimage of Beauty

What do Cinderella, a princess kissing a frog, and the ugly duckling have in common?
ugly ducklings)? All of these describe a pilgrimage to beauty. Why the
the charming story of Cinderella captivates the hearts of millions of people
around the world? Because a persistent princess can transform a
slave girl, insignificant, careless, clumsy in a lovely, beautiful princess
and elegant. Whether it's princesses kissing frogs, ugly ducklings turning into swans, or
abused Cinderellas becoming the belle of the ball, beauty is always
irresistible. Its secrets are priceless, its presence is magnetic. So, we do not
It must be surprising that God's strategy for evangelism has to do with a
beautiful wife.

A beautiful wife, that is the key to evangelism. Wives surpass the

intellectuals and capture hearts. Rough, insensitive, and tough men often
They cry in his presence. Iron men melt and their wives cry tears.
Ideally, a wife is the embodiment of everything right and beautiful. She is a
symbol of purity, hope, purpose, trust, love, beauty, and integrity in a
world marked by ugliness. The theme of the wife, which is present in both
testaments, is used by God to illustrate his strategy to draw humanity to
the availability of His grace that changes lives.

The name of God's wife in the Old Testament is Israel. In the New
The testament is the Church. Both Israel and the Church are described as brides whose
beauty is traced to God's love for them. Our focus now is on the Church. Paul
He tells us that Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it to "present it to Himself,
a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be
holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27). This verse about Christ's love for the Church
it has a lot to do with God's evangelism strategy.

Invoke Beauty
Carefully take note of the purpose, the product, and the process of Christ's love.
The purpose of Christ's love is to invoke or bring before us his beauty.
march or wrinkle). The product of Christ's love is described as 'holiness without
"Santa" describes the character of the Church; "intachable" describes its
conduct. The love of Christ for His Bride is the process by which He develops her.
holy character and his impeccable behavior.

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As a successful agent of change, there is nothing that compares to love. Its power
transformer reflects a real beauty—and miraculously effective. A few years ago
A street dog adopted the nine children of the Aldrich family. Obviously mistreated.
and suffering from poor nutrition, the dog's reactions clearly showed that love
it was not part of his daily experience. With his tail between his legs, he walked
covering himself as if he expected to be attacked, abused, or thrown out. We put him
we named the dog Tex and began to love the new member of our family
as only children can do. We weren't psychologists, we didn't know the power of
love to change. We only liked animals. But love triumphed and Tex was
transformed into a different dog. Eager to join our antics, quick to
accept our leadership in every situation, and overflowing with love that came in form
lame and give caresses with the snout, Tex literally became a new creature
when love became part of his experience. We can also be
transformed by this process. Broken by sin and stained by
infinite imperfections, we have not been excluded from the love of Christ.

Love includes being nurtured and appreciated. The word nurture is a term that refers to
to the behavior describing the actions of His love. To nourish means to provide everything
necessary for growth. Love includes action, loving actions motivate
and produce growth. Appreciate describes Christ's attitude towards the objects of his
Love. Isn't it amazing to think that He appreciated us? That He goes the extra mile for
us? What does He consider of great value and worth to Him? As objects of His love
we grow and become beautiful people; that is, saints and untouchable.

What is holiness?
Holiness is primarily a declaration of a person's moral condition.
However, it has visible and observable dimensions. A synonym for holiness is
wholeness or integrity. We all appreciate people who are integral, people
balanced. This term refers to someone who is functioning according to the
divine intention, someone who is fulfilling the intended purpose and is being
restoring to that purpose. A person who is holy will be growing in their ability
to act and function as a whole, integrated, and balanced person. Such growth
it is an observable miracle because no human being can reverse the progressive
disintegration, separation, and isolation that sin produces. Genuine holiness
it is not a static quality. Translated into life and action, it manifests itself through
such qualities as integrity, justice, righteousness, and freedom from guilt. In summary,
A truly "holy" person is a person of strong character.

Holiness is the basis or foundation for being impeccable. One cannot be impeccable and
no-saint. When we say that a person is unimpeachable, we usually mean

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to say that, under particular circumstances, his behavior is beyond reproach. Nobody blames him
You can point the finger to accuse him. His holy character (his basic essence) is expressed by
through his impeccable conduct. It is also a relational term that presupposes
interaction and relationship with people, events, and circumstances. An elderly person is given...
requires the quality of being blameless (Titus 1:7). The term suggests the possibility (and the
need) to live life to the fullest without compromising the limiting conditions of
character of God. Positionally, the believer is blameless before God for the
substitutory death of Christ. Practically, impeccable is a verdict achieved by
those who observe a life and compare it to a standard. Such a person or group has Commented [RS1]: ?, I don't know what we believe.

credibility, the first essence for effective evangelism. We need to be good

news before sharing it.

When an individual, a family, or a corporate body of believers are

moving towards integrity (holiness), a credible lifestyle emerges (Unblemished), and
its potential for an effective testimony (its beauty) increases drastically. By
How much this is true, evangelism is a way of living with beauty and opening your network.
of relationships to include non-believers. A person is exposed to both music
and to the words of the gospel. God begins the process and we become
the product in our integrity and wholeness. All with the purpose of exposing or
show her beauty.

The Catalytic of God's Love

The love of God is the catalyst that makes the pilgrimage to holiness possible and the
undefiled life. The theme of Israel as the wife of God is useful here. The prophet Ezekiel
graphically describe God's efforts to make Israel beautiful (Chapter 16). He
remember Israel that God rescued him from a pile of trash where he had been
abandoned and left to die. The rescued infant grew up under care and nourishment.
and came to be 'old enough for love'. God entered into a covenant with her and she
she became his wife. As the object of his love, God generously poured out on her
of its riches and resources on it and it became beautiful. (He nourished her and appreciated her). Already
adorned, God declared that she became very beautiful and a queen (Ezekiel
16:13). From the amount of garbage to royalty! The well-known words, "I love you
Are you beautiful or are you beautiful because I love you? They are loaded with meaning. Yes, we are.
beautified to the extent that God loves us.

What an incredible day. It is the day of good news offered to every man and
woman, every boy and girl. It is the gospel in a condensed way. God is in the business
to transform rejected people and those from the trash heap into royalty through the
mystery of the new birth.

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With royalty came recognition. God placed Israel in the spotlight, 'And your...
renown among the nations because of your beauty; for it was perfect...” (Ezekiel
16:14). What did the world see when the beauty of Israel was exposed before everyone? The splendor
by God himself. How was it seen? It was exposed through culture and institutions
from Israel. Its courts of law revealed the justice and holiness of God. Its expressions
artistic (the glorious tabernacle and temple, etc.) revealed order, symmetry, and beauty
of God. The sociological patterns of marriage and family in Israel, their care for the
infants and the aged pointed to their God. Israel's relationships with other
nations pointed to the nature of God to keep His covenant (in addition to His hatred for
the lack of rectitude). The law of Israel with its exalted perspective on value and dignity
personnel was part of the reflection of her beauty. The business ethics code of Israel as
was expressed in its laws was another facet of God's splendor in action in the
human affairs. In summary, Isael's beauty was the beauty of a redeemed people,
living, acting, and relating in harmony with human will. The
evangelism practices the art of influencing the unsaved according to the
aesthetic sense with which God endowed His creatures. They respond to beauty!

Look again at this highlighted statement: "The splendor I have given has made that
"Your beauty may be perfect." Beauty is the possession and expression of the nature of God.
Faith in Christ makes me a participant in the nature of God. God Himself comes to dwell in
me and to manifest His life and love through me. Through the new birth,
I have a great "treasure" (The Holy Spirit living in me) in an earthen vessel (me). I am
a clay vessel where the Almighty God who loves me dwells!

Evangelism is expressing what I have in Christ and explaining how I came to possess it.
in the truest sense, evangelism is to show the universal aspects of
character of God—His love, His righteousness, His justice, and His faithfulness—through the
details of my daily life. Therefore, evangelism is not a 'special' activity.
that must be carried out in a prescribed time. It is the constant overflow and
spontaneous from our personal and corporate experience of Christ. Even more
especially, evangelism is what Christ does through the activity of his children in
to the extent that they are involved in (1) proclamation, (2) fellowship, and (3) service.

Spread Beauty Everywhere

God's intention is not for His message of beauty to stagnate. After catalyzing
the beauty process with love in an individual or in a group, he pushes forward his
people like a seed—seed that will grow into a beautiful message. The first two
Matthew 13 parables teach us that God harvests two types of seeds: a message.
blessed and a beautiful man. In the first parable, the seed is harvested.
mostly a verbal message, the gospel of the kingdom. The focus of this parable is

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on land receptivity (the target audience) and the factors that influence it
receptivity. The forces that impede the evangelistic enterprise are described. Satan
works to remove the truth. The pressures and afflictions of life and the priorities
materialists resist the potential fruits of the gospel. All of us have
experienced these struggles in our personal pilgrimages.

But some do respond to the message and through faith in Christ possess the
nature of God. As they grow (as they are built up), they begin to express what they possess. The
the nature of God becomes operational and observable in practical events and
daily lives. What joy it is to see a new creature in Christ begin to
change, grow, and move towards wholeness. The Spirit plans the surgery, you will mark it.
bad habits start to disappear, attitudes change, and relationships
begin to improve. Those who respond to the seed (the verbal message) of the
The first parable becomes the seed (the message) in the second parable.

The 'good seed' of the second parable are called 'the children of the kingdom' (Matthew
13:38). Jesus Christ is the one who harvests the good seed and His field is the world. (It
It is interesting to observe that Satan follows the same strategy). The qualitative adjective
"good" indicates that God's strategy is not simply to reap in one area.
specific geographic a mouth that moves when requested. The translated word
"good" is one of the favorite terms in Greek to talk about beauty. Seeds
They are beautiful when they respond to the gospel and they are productive when harvested.
through Christ to reveal His beauty as He did with the Father.

Friend, you are the seed of God. God wants to take a radical idea (All his bread of
redemption), to dress it in flesh and blood, and to release it into the world of human beings. What
privilege—however, what an opportunity! Your—displayed in the showcase, launched like
good seed in the field of the world, and placed like a shining lamp in a
world of darkness.

The Personal Christ Beautification Program

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 To Be Before Announcing

Beauty As a Lifestyle

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