Weekly Devotion: What's the Good News?
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In November 2018, the world heard of the death of a young American missionary. John Chau a 26-year-old from Washington state was killed by a tribe on North Sentinel Island located on the Indian Ocean. Chau wanted to share the gospel with this isolated tribe, but the tribe wasn’t too eager to hear his message or anyone else’s message.
Chau's death sparked debate in and outside the church, with some condemning his efforts to meet with an isolated tribe, while others praised his faith and willingness to risk his life to share the gospel. Chau's death reminded me of Jim Elliot, another young missionary killed by Huaorani people in 1956, who was also committed to sharing the gospel. Both Chau and Elliot were willing to risk their lives to share the gospel.
Christian evangelism's history is complex, with mixed church-state interactions causing forced conversions, including Jews, and missionaries seeking to convert people to Western culture.
An article in the Guardian denounced Chau for being a "dumb American" but argues that his decision to contact the Sentinelese was deliberate and reckless. Chau, an intelligent and thoughtful thrill-seeker, spent years preparing and understanding the risks involved. Chau believed his purpose was to bring Christ to the island, considered "Satan's last stronghold."
Mainline Christians tend to shy away from evangelism for a lot of reasons, as I explained earlier. But the thing is, Jesus called us to go and make disciples. The book of Acts shows us people explaining their faith in action. How do we share the gospel in ways that are respectful of others?
Caitlin Deyerle, a Presbyterian Pastor wrote the following in 2016:
I believe evangelism is learning to color outside the lines. Evangelism is the practice of living out our faith everywhere we go, not just at church and not just among church people. We know the good news. We know how important it has been to us, and to our children, and to our parents. We even know how important it is to pass on that faith and share God’s love. Our final step towards fulfilling our call to be evangelists is to constantly challenge ourselves to wonder: Why do we so often hide the light of something so powerful and transformative under the bushel of the church instead of shining brightly for all to see?
Paul emphasizes the difference between the law and faith in Romans, urging fellow Jews to see righteousness through faith rather than the law. He believes that righteousness comes through faith in Christ, and evangelizing without faith is impossible.
To proclaim the good news means you have to believe in the power of Jesus Christ, not just as a historical figure, but as someone that is living and is changing lives now.
Paul challenges his people by saying that if people haven’t heard about Jesus, then they can’t confess or profess. “How can they hear without a preacher?” he says. How do people know that Jesus loves them?
Be authentic and share your faith without feeling superior or having all the answers. Share your feelings during tragedy and doubts, as sharing faith involves sharing your entire life, including all of your lives.
Next, do justice. Showing justice and charity reflects our character and proclaims the gospel of Jesus through actions..
Finally, we can evangelize by being hospitable. We show hospitality, as it directly impacts faith. Treating strangers with kindness and hospitality is crucial, as it demonstrates Christ's love and puts Christ's love into action.
The end of evangelism is not to gain more “butts in the seats”, but rather to share our faith because we hear the old, old story and learn that God loves us, even with our faults. This good news should drive us to share it with others. John Chau's burning desire for sharing faith stemmed from God's love for him. The hope is that we can share our faith with others out of a deep love for God, and people will hear and believe.
-Dennis Sanders, Pastor