Go Fish!: First Things First

At a church I once belonged to in Southern California a committee designed an action plan in case there was an earthquake during worship. A card was created to sit in every pew rack with instructions on what to do if natural disaster struck. I chuckled every time I saw the card because the number one instruction was "Pray!"

It seems obvious, but I guess we all forget from time to time that the number one thing to do is to "Pray!" Prayer is the foundation of all work of the church. Prayer, is critical before, during, and after we engage in any work of the Church, including evangelism.

In Reimagining Evangelism, author Rick Richardson lays out his case of how we collaborate with God in prayer for the purpose of evangelism. In Chapter 2 of his book he reminds us of what he calls is the "startling promise" in John 14: 10-14:

"Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it."

Richardson comments: "Notice, the secret of the miracles and the power of the prayers was once again this dynamic of collaboration. Jesus did what he did because he and the Father were one. The Father was living in him and doing the works. In our case, the Father and the Son have made their home in us by the Spirit (John 14:23). Witness and prayer are not first of all our work; they are God's work in us and through us. In witness and prayer, Another lives in us, and we are the junior partners."

We have to take the time, however, to be receptive to God's desire to collaborate with us, which means, we have to take time to pray. Furthermore, during that prayer time we not only speak, we listen. Richardson says he gets "quiet and receptive for a moment" and then he asks God the following questions:

"Jesus, where are you already at work? Lord, lead me to people who are receptive."

"Is there someone you want me to talk to, care for or pray with?" Is there someone here who is hurting?"

He then waits for the "nudge" that tells him to speak to particular people, or take specific actions.

In Presbyterian pastor Glenn McDonald's book, The Disciple Making Church; from Dry Bones to Spiritual Vitality, he speaks of the "Six Marks of a Disciple." One of the marks is "A Voice to Speak the Good News." The mark immediately before that one? "Knees for Prayer." McDonald recommends people develop a list of about 10-12 individuals or concerns, and then spend 15 minutes each day prayer and journaling about who or what is on the list.

At the end of the book, McDonald lays out "The Habits of a Disciple-Making Church." Number one, "Stay Centered through Prayer and Discernment." He says, "Prayer must not be a perfunctory seeking of God's blessing on our work. Our work itself is prayer - sustained waiting, listening, and calling on the name of the Lord."

These blog posts about evangelism always have "Go Fish!" in the title. I like the idea of "going" out into the world, and I'm playing on Jesus' promise of making the disciples "fishers of people." Unspoken in that title however is this command: "(Pray! Then) Go Fish!".

Go Fish!: Becoming a Good Detective for the Holy Spirit

My all-time favorite TV detective is Lt. Columbo, portrayed by Peter Falk. I love Columbo's rumpled personality, his razor-sharp powers of perception, his humor, and his ability to outwit even the cleverest of criminals. Actually, I like watching TV detectives in general, because I enjoy the whole process of looking for clues to solve mysteries.

It may be why one of my favorite parts of the book "Reimagning Evangelism; Inviting Friends on a Spiritual Journey" is when author Rick Richardson says we as Christians are all "junior partners" in the "Holy Spirit Detective Agency".

"We look for clues. We ask good questions of our lead detective, the Holy Spirit, and of people," he writes in Chapter 2, "Rediscovering the Holy Spirit". The purpose, he says, is to find out, "Where is God already at work?"

Detectives Not Sales People

Richardson's book is perhaps one of the best evangelism books for Presbyterians and other mainline Protestants I've read. It overcomes a couple of challenges for non-evangelical Christians. One I call the "Hit by the Bus" challenge, the other is the "Close the Deal" challenge.

The "Hit by the Bus" challenge comes when books by evangelical authors come to the "why" of evangelism. For evangelicals, there's a very real urgency. I think it was in a Bill Hybels book I read when he asked what would happen to a non-believer if they walked out the door and were hit by a bus tonight? People need to get saved as soon as possible, the reasoning goes, because they might die tonight and wind up in Hell for Eternity.

Many Presbyterians I've talked to don't spend a lot of time focusing on what might happen to a non-believer in Eternity. Which is why some evangelical books fall short for mainline Christians who don't feel that same urgency to convert people.

Actually, I have a feeling none or few of my non-Christian friends worry about Eternity. They either don't believe there is one, or they've adopted the theory that most everyone is going to get there, as long as they are basically good people on Earth. It makes using the "Hit by the Bus" reason a poor talking point. Most of my friends are more concerned about the here and now. As I said in an earlier post, there are plenty of reasons to share why following Jesus on Earth improves, enhances and enriches life.

The "Close the Deal" challenge has to do with the end-game of most evangelical books on evangelism: conversion. We as Christians should be able to help someone "cross the line of faith", readers are told. I absolutely believe that if given the opportunity, I should help someone step over the line of faith. However, many non-evangelical Christians I know are turned off by what they perceive are veiled sales pressure tactics. I've heard some folks say they worry they have to be like sales people getting customers to sign on the dotted line.

Richardson provides the perfect antidote to these worries. "Reimagining Evangelism" is more about working in collaboration with the Holy Spirit, and acting as one of many touch points along the way of a person's spiritual journey. The responsibility for a non-believer's conversion rests with the Holy Spirit, not with us. But we do have to cooperate!

Skills of a Good Detective

How can we be good junior detectives? According to Richardson there are three primary skills necessary:

1) Listening for the "whispers and nudges of the Holy Spirit to show us where God is at work in the lives of those around us."

2) Asking good questions of people "to find clues for where God is already at work in their lives."

3) Collaborating with God in prayer "for seekers and skeptics and with seekers and skeptics." (author's emphasis)

If you are looking for a book or curriculum - there is a DVD teaching series - to share with your Session or congregation, consider using "Reimagining Evangelism".

And as Lt. Columbo would say, "just one more thing": consider yourself deputized into the Holy Spirit Detective Agency.