Evangelism & Conversion
Mark 6: 7-13
Jesus called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Evangelism… Conversion…
For a long time, these two words—conversion and evangelism—provoked images in my mind of self-appointed preachers eager to exploit others in the name of religion. “Evangelism” and “conversion” were religious four letter words. Dirty words.
Our gospel text today doesn’t use these two words exactly…. But “evangelism” and “conversion” are the main ideas in Jesus’ instruction to the twelve. Jesus sends his disciples out two by two with a particular mission, message, and method suitable for that context. The disciples are called to go out and evangelize so that the people will be converted. Evangelism and conversion are essential to our gospel text this morning. Certainly, these are two words with which we Christians must come to grips.
For many Christians today, the words “evangelism” and “conversion” still mean something like making Christians out of those who have different beliefs. That process normally involves another Christian “evangelizing” the non-Christian, who then in turn has a “conversion” experience. This is likely to be a very personalized experience of religious guilt and repentance.
Something like this describes my own initial coming to faith. At age fourteen a Boy Scout leader of Southern Baptist flavor attempted to convert me during an intense Texas thunderstorm; he made me fear for my eternal soul in view of the impending rapture—you know, all that “Left Behind” stuff. In response I took it upon myself to read the gospels in the course of two weeks, and in them I encountered a Jesus of compassion, not of condemnation. Soon after that I told my mother I must start attending church, and after some conversations and study, I was baptized. My experience was clearly a “conversion.”
After my “conversion” you could accurately call me a fanatic. I had a closet full of Christian T-Shirts. I carried a Bible in the halls of my high school. But I firmly believed my particular doctrines were the only correct ones. And I was compelled from somewhere deep within to convert others myself. On one particular occasion I remember attempting to evangelize a classmate in high school—an Episcopalian! While I was probably quite insistent and perhaps a little belligerent, I was impressed by his patience and surprised that he had coherent reasons for his own beliefs, however unbiblical I may have thought they were. You see, the impulse towards evangelism, whatever other psychological reasons there may be, is rooted deep within some because of their own profound experiences of conversion.
I have traveled some mental distance since I was a student in high school. A few years ago in seminary a professor of pastoral ministry asked me what my theology of evangelism was and I replied that I didn’t believe much in evangelism. I had seen my fair share of emotional manipulation and Christians believing their way was the only way….
And so today I am trying to re-embrace the ideas of evangelism and conversion. I am trying to understand anew those words I once fully embraced, and then later winced at.
We must reclaim these words “evangelism” and “conversion,” because they are Christian words. They should not be monopolized by those who wish to manipulate under the guise of the word “evangelism.” And they should not even be monopolized by those who are sincere, but feel compelled to make everyone in their own image. These words “evangelism” and “conversion” are good ones. These are ideas our Jesus of peace and compassion meant seriously.
So, then, what are conversion and evangelism re-envisioned? One way of considering what conversion might be is to examine those times we’ve experienced conversion or a change of heart. Most of the time I only know I’ve experienced conversion some time after the fact. These experiences are unexpected and become most clear in retrospect. These are the moments that clarify the essential meaning of life. I realize a truth more deeply in a way that I haven’t previously. I experienced this in my first reading of the gospels. Not only did I learn some of the story of the person I would claim as Christ, but I learned something more deeply and essentially about myself—that I was called to a life of compassion.
Sometimes these moments happen alone, when we find within ourselves a connection to our essential being. I have had moments like this recently when reflecting as a new father on my childhood and inner emotional life. I have had moments like this when reading a good fiction book or watching a good movie that so hit on the reality of human experience that I was compelled towards compassion. Conversion draws us more deeply into our true and godly selves.
Sometimes these moments occur in interaction with others. For example, when I’ve tried so hard to change someone else, but end up changed myself. Perhaps when in getting to know a person I disagree with or am annoyed with, I come less to care about the disagreement or annoyance and more about the person as a human being.
I think Frank Griswold says it best in a recent interview. Reflecting on his term as presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, he says:
I’ve stressed throughout the last nine years conversation as a discipline. Conversation and conversion come from the same Latin root. And if you open yourself deeply in conversation to the other, you may in fact be converted in some way—changed in your perceptions by what you hear. That may not mean a change in point of view, but it may mean change at the level of the heart. You may see the other not as enemy and threat, but the other as brother or sister even though they have a different point of view. And out of that can emerge a capacity to be together in common action.[1]
Bishop Griswold hits on an important aspect of conversion here. Conversion is less about changed beliefs and more about reconciled relationships. Conversion draws us more deeply into real community—into the diversity of the people of God—into the diversity of God.
When in these moments of conversion we hit on something very true in our selves, when we encounter God in interaction with another, we are moved to refine ourselves. We attempt to adjust our counterproductive behavior. We make a step towards reconciliation. This is conversion.
These moments of conversion I’ve described in a general way are often triggered by something—an action, perhaps intentional or unintentional. The trigger might be a book or a beautiful piece of art. It might be a good conversation with a friend over coffee. I believe that “evangelism,” understood as something deliberate, ought to be seen as an attempt to elicit these moments of conversion in our common lives. Evangelism is the active attempt to draw people more deeply into themselves, their community, and their understanding of God.
And yet we know that evangelism and conversion cannot be coercive. Jesus teaches us this in our gospel passage. If the message is not welcome, move on--"shake off the dust that is on your feet." Enlightenment and change only happen if people are willing. It isn’t something that can be forced. Conversion must be natural and organic. So evangelism must also be natural and organic, not something with a plan or a handbook.
Evangelism need not mean carrying a bible to school or work. Evangelism is not preemptive. Evangelism is not selling someone on our flavor of Christianity. It isn’t even convincing someone that ours is the most tolerant denomination. Evangelism is opening the door to a deeper reality, a bigger truth, making possible the inbreaking of God into human life.
This kind of evangelism may result in conversion in unexpected form. For us Christians, our moments of conversion may lead us more deeply into our faith in Jesus. But when we trigger moments of human conversion through our deliberate way of living, we may trigger someone else into living their own different path in a deeper way. A Buddhist may become a better Buddhist. A Jew a better Jew. A Muslim a better Muslim.
Perhaps the conversion we make possible for someone else occurs in a form we do not even recognize, as God works in that life in God’s own way… not ours.
So this morning I’m not giving you a plan for Christian evangelism. Rather, I’m suggesting that we Christians not be scared of the words "conversion" and "evangelism." I’m suggesting that we open our hearts to being deeply converted to the cosmic love of God and open our eyes to the ways in which we may make that love manifest in others’ lives.
[1] Frank T. Griswold III, interview by Terry Gross on NPR’s “Fresh Air,” June 28, 2006.
Jesus called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Evangelism… Conversion…
For a long time, these two words—conversion and evangelism—provoked images in my mind of self-appointed preachers eager to exploit others in the name of religion. “Evangelism” and “conversion” were religious four letter words. Dirty words.
Our gospel text today doesn’t use these two words exactly…. But “evangelism” and “conversion” are the main ideas in Jesus’ instruction to the twelve. Jesus sends his disciples out two by two with a particular mission, message, and method suitable for that context. The disciples are called to go out and evangelize so that the people will be converted. Evangelism and conversion are essential to our gospel text this morning. Certainly, these are two words with which we Christians must come to grips.
For many Christians today, the words “evangelism” and “conversion” still mean something like making Christians out of those who have different beliefs. That process normally involves another Christian “evangelizing” the non-Christian, who then in turn has a “conversion” experience. This is likely to be a very personalized experience of religious guilt and repentance.
Something like this describes my own initial coming to faith. At age fourteen a Boy Scout leader of Southern Baptist flavor attempted to convert me during an intense Texas thunderstorm; he made me fear for my eternal soul in view of the impending rapture—you know, all that “Left Behind” stuff. In response I took it upon myself to read the gospels in the course of two weeks, and in them I encountered a Jesus of compassion, not of condemnation. Soon after that I told my mother I must start attending church, and after some conversations and study, I was baptized. My experience was clearly a “conversion.”
After my “conversion” you could accurately call me a fanatic. I had a closet full of Christian T-Shirts. I carried a Bible in the halls of my high school. But I firmly believed my particular doctrines were the only correct ones. And I was compelled from somewhere deep within to convert others myself. On one particular occasion I remember attempting to evangelize a classmate in high school—an Episcopalian! While I was probably quite insistent and perhaps a little belligerent, I was impressed by his patience and surprised that he had coherent reasons for his own beliefs, however unbiblical I may have thought they were. You see, the impulse towards evangelism, whatever other psychological reasons there may be, is rooted deep within some because of their own profound experiences of conversion.
I have traveled some mental distance since I was a student in high school. A few years ago in seminary a professor of pastoral ministry asked me what my theology of evangelism was and I replied that I didn’t believe much in evangelism. I had seen my fair share of emotional manipulation and Christians believing their way was the only way….
And so today I am trying to re-embrace the ideas of evangelism and conversion. I am trying to understand anew those words I once fully embraced, and then later winced at.
We must reclaim these words “evangelism” and “conversion,” because they are Christian words. They should not be monopolized by those who wish to manipulate under the guise of the word “evangelism.” And they should not even be monopolized by those who are sincere, but feel compelled to make everyone in their own image. These words “evangelism” and “conversion” are good ones. These are ideas our Jesus of peace and compassion meant seriously.
So, then, what are conversion and evangelism re-envisioned? One way of considering what conversion might be is to examine those times we’ve experienced conversion or a change of heart. Most of the time I only know I’ve experienced conversion some time after the fact. These experiences are unexpected and become most clear in retrospect. These are the moments that clarify the essential meaning of life. I realize a truth more deeply in a way that I haven’t previously. I experienced this in my first reading of the gospels. Not only did I learn some of the story of the person I would claim as Christ, but I learned something more deeply and essentially about myself—that I was called to a life of compassion.
Sometimes these moments happen alone, when we find within ourselves a connection to our essential being. I have had moments like this recently when reflecting as a new father on my childhood and inner emotional life. I have had moments like this when reading a good fiction book or watching a good movie that so hit on the reality of human experience that I was compelled towards compassion. Conversion draws us more deeply into our true and godly selves.
Sometimes these moments occur in interaction with others. For example, when I’ve tried so hard to change someone else, but end up changed myself. Perhaps when in getting to know a person I disagree with or am annoyed with, I come less to care about the disagreement or annoyance and more about the person as a human being.
I think Frank Griswold says it best in a recent interview. Reflecting on his term as presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, he says:
I’ve stressed throughout the last nine years conversation as a discipline. Conversation and conversion come from the same Latin root. And if you open yourself deeply in conversation to the other, you may in fact be converted in some way—changed in your perceptions by what you hear. That may not mean a change in point of view, but it may mean change at the level of the heart. You may see the other not as enemy and threat, but the other as brother or sister even though they have a different point of view. And out of that can emerge a capacity to be together in common action.[1]
Bishop Griswold hits on an important aspect of conversion here. Conversion is less about changed beliefs and more about reconciled relationships. Conversion draws us more deeply into real community—into the diversity of the people of God—into the diversity of God.
When in these moments of conversion we hit on something very true in our selves, when we encounter God in interaction with another, we are moved to refine ourselves. We attempt to adjust our counterproductive behavior. We make a step towards reconciliation. This is conversion.
These moments of conversion I’ve described in a general way are often triggered by something—an action, perhaps intentional or unintentional. The trigger might be a book or a beautiful piece of art. It might be a good conversation with a friend over coffee. I believe that “evangelism,” understood as something deliberate, ought to be seen as an attempt to elicit these moments of conversion in our common lives. Evangelism is the active attempt to draw people more deeply into themselves, their community, and their understanding of God.
And yet we know that evangelism and conversion cannot be coercive. Jesus teaches us this in our gospel passage. If the message is not welcome, move on--"shake off the dust that is on your feet." Enlightenment and change only happen if people are willing. It isn’t something that can be forced. Conversion must be natural and organic. So evangelism must also be natural and organic, not something with a plan or a handbook.
Evangelism need not mean carrying a bible to school or work. Evangelism is not preemptive. Evangelism is not selling someone on our flavor of Christianity. It isn’t even convincing someone that ours is the most tolerant denomination. Evangelism is opening the door to a deeper reality, a bigger truth, making possible the inbreaking of God into human life.
This kind of evangelism may result in conversion in unexpected form. For us Christians, our moments of conversion may lead us more deeply into our faith in Jesus. But when we trigger moments of human conversion through our deliberate way of living, we may trigger someone else into living their own different path in a deeper way. A Buddhist may become a better Buddhist. A Jew a better Jew. A Muslim a better Muslim.
Perhaps the conversion we make possible for someone else occurs in a form we do not even recognize, as God works in that life in God’s own way… not ours.
So this morning I’m not giving you a plan for Christian evangelism. Rather, I’m suggesting that we Christians not be scared of the words "conversion" and "evangelism." I’m suggesting that we open our hearts to being deeply converted to the cosmic love of God and open our eyes to the ways in which we may make that love manifest in others’ lives.
[1] Frank T. Griswold III, interview by Terry Gross on NPR’s “Fresh Air,” June 28, 2006.
posted by J. Brent Bates | 8:51 PM
5 Comments:
Brent-I appreciate this sermon very much. Much of it reminded me of the wonderful movie The Big Kahuna. If you've not already seen this film I would encourage you to check it out or stick in your queue. Hope things are going well with you new child. shalom.
Beautifully said. Gives me alot to think about.
i definitely have similar reservations about conversion and evangelism as I experienced it growing up. however, your thoughts on how one might re-embrace these concepts was well-said and compelling. thanks.
Well said, man. I think it helps "reclaim" the idea and practice to know people and be with people and to ask oneself just what it looks like to bless people and bring in some redemption in particular, personalized situations.
Anyway, blessings.
Hooray for more people not willing to let people steal "our" words and corrupt them.
This might be one of my biggest peeves with the "emerging church" movement...their willingness to abandon the historical language, declaring the words we use to be too antiquated to be of any value.
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