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How often do you have a conversation about God about somebody? Once a week, five

times a week, ten times a week. No—I’m not talking about how many conversations you had

about Chain of Lakes Church. It wouldn’t surprise me if we all had conversations about this

place. I’m talking about conversations with God.

I want us to be a community of people who frequently talk about God with others. We’re

curious and interested to hear what other people think. We’re not afraid to hear other people’s

opinions. And even if people’s opinions about God are quite strong, we’re still willing to

demonstrate the love of God through Jesus Christ.

Talking about God can be so much fun. If we approach it with a sense of curiosity these

conversations can stimulate us, intrigue us, stay with us, and help us grow as followers of Jesus

Christ. They are as important to our faith as breath is to our lungs. When we have these

conversations we’re participating in evangelism—new evangelism.

Today I’m completing a two-week sermon series called New Evangelism.

The AIM of this series is to equip every one of us to participate in and enjoy evangelism.

This is a teaching series and we’re approaching it with a sense of curiosity. We want to

learn about the connection between our story and God’s story.

During this series we’re reading through 1 Corinthians. Last week we read the first eight

chapters, this week the last eight chapters. I want to encourage you to get out this brochure that

is in the bulletin. I’ve written a devotion for you that covers the last eight chapters of 1

Corinthians. Use it this week. In the middle is a place to take notes. God might say something

to you that you’ll want to remember. On the back is a listing of prayer requests.

Last week I shared that the first part of being an evangelist is knowing our own story.

Last week we heard stories of people who shared how knowing Jesus Christ has benefitted their

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lives. We heard the story of Ray Jones, the national coordinator for Evangelism with the

Presbyterian church. Ray shared how moved he was to experience the love of Jesus Christ in a

community. We looked at the story of the apostle Paul and how the death of Jesus was so

important to him. I shared some of my own story of how knowing Jesus has benefited my life.

The three most important parts of my life—my marriage, the birth of my daughter, and my being

a pastor—came because of knowing God. Then after the sermon we enjoyed hearing Jason

Blair’s story. His story stayed with me all week. I loved hearing Jason share how he died to his

own self as a result of knowing Jesus Christ.

In the bulletin you have this card. Later in worship we’re going to ask you to fill this

out. Some of you might have brought this to worship today.

Last week my daughter, Hannah, told me she liked the sermon. But she told me I should

have shared a definition of evangelism earlier in the sermon.

SLIDE Evangelism is helping people discover and own a life-transforming relationship to

Jesus Christ.

We want every person at Chain of Lakes to discover and own a life-transforming

relationship to Jesus Christ. This is a reflection of our Purpose Statement. This is also what we

want for every person in the wider community.

I think the ways and techniques of evangelism have changed. What worked years ago

doesn’t work today.

We’re calling this New Evangelism. Let me contrast New Evangelism with the

stereotypes of Old Evangelism.

SLIDE

New evangelism is developing relationships; old evangelism is a single encounter

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New evangelism is a dialogue; old evangelism is a monologue

New evangelism is asking good questions; old evangelism is giving a lot of information

New evangelism is demonstration of the gospel; old evangelism is presentation of the gospel

New evangelism is being a fellow journeyer; old evangelism is being an expert

New evangelism is being soft; old evangelism is being loud

New evangelism has the tone of consideration; old evangelism has the tone of argumentation

New evangelism believes salvation is now and after death; old evangelism is concerned about

after death.

The Good news about New Evangelism is we don’t have to be experts on God or

theology to be an evangelist. We don’t have to know the different views of Creation or

atonement. We don’t have to know how John Calvin interpreted the Bible compared to how

Martin Luther interpreted the Bible. We don’t have to know how differences between Trans-

substantiation, con-substantiation, and Zwingli’s view of the sacrament.

We don’t have to be theological experts.

What we want to know well is our story. We want to be able to share how Jesus Christ

has made an impact in our own life.

The first part of New Evangelism is knowing our story. The second part is knowing

God’s story. I want to spend some time talking about God’s story.

The best way to share God’s story is to talk about how God loves us. God created us out

of love. Jesus came into the world because of love.

Remember John 3:16—

SLIDE “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him

will not perish but have eternal life. God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through him.”

God’s love saves us.

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Then Jesus grew up and as an adult gathered a group of people who lived with him for

three years. During those three years this group of people learned about this love and saw thie

love in action. Jesus taught his followers through parables and through healings and by helping

people who lived on the margins of the world. This week we’re seen about the migrant crisis in

Europe. There is no doubt in my mind that if Jesus was alive today he would be with those

migrant. When the religious establishment condemned him, Jesus stayed firm in this love. He

prophetically stood up for it.

The night before Jesus died he gathered with his disciples and shared what some call the

11th commandment. Jesus told them this:

SLIDE

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also

should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love

for one another.” John 13:34-35.

The next day Jesus willingly let himself be murdered on a cross—the greatest example of love

the world has ever known. Jesus could have retaliated against his murderers. But instead

Jesus—vulnerable, naked, dying from asphyxiation, experiencing pain that few humans in

history have experienced. Jesus looked out at them and said, “Abba, Father, forgive them for

they know not what they do.” Because of the cross you and I have a relationship with God

Then God raised Jesus from the dead to prove that love and life can always overcome

hate and death. After Jesus ascended to heaven, God shared the Spirit with us—the Holy

Spirit—who resides within each of us.

This love is the most powerful force in the universe. The Apostle Paul shared this in

Romans.

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SLIDE For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things

present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

This love from Jesus changes everything.

This love can change the human heart. If you know of someone who is struggling, pray that they

can have an experience of God’s love.

This love can give us direction. If people are struggling with direction with their life, pray that

people can be directed by God’s love

This love can break down barriers between people. If you know of people who are struggling in

a relationship, pray that this love can prompt them to forgive each other and even experience

reconciliation.

This love will never end. As Paul wrote in Corinthians, for now we only know see in part. On

earth we only get a glimpse of this love. When we die we will receive the gift of salvation in

heaven. We will eternally receive the fullness of God’s love.

God’s love is a spiritual force that exists here on earth. But it is a force that exists with

other forces. In heaven God’s love won’t have to co-exist with other forces.

This is God’s story. When we share how our story connects with God’s story we’re

being evangelists.

Last Sunday we had a congregational forum where we shared how we’re doing this year.

We celebrated that 12 new families have connected to Chain of lakes. Almost all of those

families connected because they were invited to come to church. The best way to grow for us is

to encourage you to invite people. Sell tickets this week to the carnival.

We have to be careful about our own motives when we invite people.

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Recently I saw an example of evangelism that really didn’t work. I was in a restaurant

and the person I was with (let’s say his name was Sam) recognized someone who hadn’t come to

church for a while. (let’s say his name was Frank). Frank was dressed in a motorcycle outfit.

One look at Frank and it was obvious that Frank had experienced some very hard living.

Evidently Frank had gone to Sam’s church and hadn’t been present for a while.

When Sam saw Frank he said something like, “where have you been.”

If you see someone who has attended Chain of Lakes and hasn’t been here in a while,

what is the worst thing you can say to that person. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Why is this so bad? Immediately the person is going to feel guilty about not coming.

If you see someone who hasn’t attended Chain of Lakes what is the best thing you can

say to that person, “How are you?” Our task is to show concern for the person. We’re not

trying to lay a guilt trip on the person.

When Sam saw Frank he laid a lot of guilt on him. They started joking about Frank’s not

coming to church. Sam said he was going to wait at the entrance of the church for Frank. Sam

said that Frank better not make him wait. Sam was hinting at “you better come to church to get

your life cleaned up.” There was this whole veneer of morality and goodness in the

conversation. If you want to be good, you better come to church. Sam was operating under the

assumption that church is this club of good people and that Frank—who obviously had done

some things that weren’t good—had better come to church to get cleaned up.

The church is not a club of good people who exist to judge the world.

The church is a group of sinners who have dedicated themselves to the love of Jesus

Christ and want to show that love (it’s called the Kingdom of God) in a humble way.

To be an evangelist we’re called to be authentically humble.

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People who are not connected to God. They aren’t waiting for the opportunity to a

member of a club. But people who are not connected to God can have their hearts touched by

the love of Jesus Christ that is demonstrated in humility by a group of people. When people who

are not connected to God or the church see how our lives have been transformed, then they are

going to be interested. That speaks to people.

That’s why at Chain of Lakes we don’t try to use the language of membership. We

certainly do want people to be connected to this community. But we’re more interested in

helping people. We’re much more interested in seeing that relationship with Christ direct

people’s lives.

Invite people to church—absolutely. I hope this week we do a lot of inviting. Invite

people with a sense of authentic humility.

Let me close by addressing one question. The question is this:

SLIDE

How do we have these conversations about God with people where we demonstrate God’s love

through Jesus Christ?

Let me close by sharing three tips for demonstrating this love.

First is pray that we might be aware of opportunities. The best thing we can do at Chain

of Lakes is for everyone to pray for opportunities to demonstrate the love of Christ. Imagine the

power of every person praying. This week I want to challenge you to pray for an opportunity.

By praying we become even more aware. Our prayers give us a focus.

Last week we looked at how the apostle Paul felt insecure in sharing the message of Jesus

Christ with the people in Corinth. This is quite amazing that the greatest new church

development person in the history of the world felt insecure. We know that sometimes it is scary

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to demonstrate God’s love—to talk about our faith. I feel insecure. Our own insecurities lead us

to pray. Why would we do this without God’s help. God wants to help us—so let’s pray for this

help.

Second we can acknowledge that God is working in another person’s life. You and I

aren’t evangelists—God is the evangelist. We trust how God is working.

This is what the apostle Paul was sharing in the reading we heard today. Paul said this:

SLIDE

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus

Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:13

If we use the metaphor of a house to describe another person, we can take comfort in

knowing that this foundation has already been set by God. God is working.

When we have opportunities to demonstrate God’s love with another person, then we

can take comfort in knowing that God is working in that person’s life.

Finally when we do find ourselves in a situation where we have a conversation about

God, an excellent way to respond by asking questions. Draw the other person out. Ask

questions like:

SLIDE

When have you had an experience of God?

When have you seen God’s love in action?

Do you believe that God loves you?

What are your thoughts about Jesus—his life, his death, his resurrection?

What questions do you have about God?

Our sincere, humble questions can spark a conversation. When we ask questions like this

suddenly our conversation doesn’t have to have a tone of defensiveness or morality. We’re

another person on a journey who is interested in the faith journey of the person in front of us.

Pray—know that God is working in that person’s life—ask questions.

We can do this …