It’s Just Talking to People!

Did anyone else know how easy evangelism could be?

This week, my group got the chance to leave the base and practice evangelism. To understand all my thoughts we’ll have to go back a tad earlier in the week. Tuesday night for dinner a market was set up. All the mentors and leaders dressed up as merchants, beggars, visiting Americans, or just drove through honking their car horns. When I walked into that, I was excited. I grew up in a big family and I knew exactly how to get in and out of that area: keep your eyes on where you’re going and keep up. Repeatedly, we were stopped by a number of people who asked if we were fellow Americans, 

others who tried to sell us drugs, or others who were pick-pocketing us. At first when we exited the market, I thought I did so good. I got in and out quickly, stayed under budget, and when we got stoped and talked, we stayed polite but left after a small conversation. 

   It was only after we debriefed from it, that I felt I did poorly. The mentors came in stage as we all participated in a Q&A. They explained how it felt to be so easily dismissed when in the position of the beggar, how lonely it felt in the position if a homeless person, and how aggressive it felt when in the position of a street merchant. After analyzing my actions, I felt so bad. Sure, I was kind to whom I talked to, but I was primarily goal oriented rather than people oriented. The market was just a practice scenario, but it taught me to delight in what God delights in and hurt for what hurts his heart(bible verse). Afterwards I was completely discouraged for the evangelism we were going to practice the next day; I had never done it before, and I thought I did crapy on the last on.

   But Wednesday came and we were getting on the buses. After talking with some of my squad mates I learned two things when going into evangelism: (1) make a connection (learn to know them and a little of their life before you scream Jesus in their face), and (2) you don’t have to start with the sentence, “do you know Jesus?” These 2 tips took the pressure off even though I wasn’t 100% confident. Now it just sound like talking to people. No way! I love talking to people!

    So my group of two other ladies got to Walmart. After a little of walking around, doing a little shopping, we started talking to someone as we helped her look for Gatorade powder. We introduced ourselves and she said her name was Julie. No way! My name is Julia!

   She talked about one of her granddaughters birthday party on Saturday. She went on to say that she has a couple other granddaughters, one named Grace and Faith. No way! My middle name is Grace and my sisters middle name is Faith! We talked a little more and she ended with maybe we’ll meet again because she lives right down the road. To which I explained that were not going to be in town very long because of our “church thing” before our 9-month mission trip. When I mentioned that, she broke down in tears and began to explain that she really needed God because of her marriage issues. One of my partners prayed for her. We talked to her more and got to pray for her again as we knew more to her story.

   Then I asked how her relationship with God was, because whenever my parents fight they pray together. She explained that she grew up in the faith but doesn’t devote time to it anymore, and her husband doesn’t at all. We continued to asked about her Christian community and local churches, because you really can’t walk this road alone. She was hesitant to go to the churches because of how her husband would react, but as we talked further we learned that her neighbors are actually Christians! We were able to encourage her to talk to them, and bring up God to her husband so they could walk together.

   God was working evidently in her life. She told us how someone at a concert talked to her last week about God, and she doesn’t even normally go to Walmart at night, but because she did God was able to work through us.

    Evangelizing can be scary or discouraging if the people you’re talking to aren’t as excited about the gospel as you are. However, if you realize that it’s just people loving people it becomes so much easier. The only difference from my previous mindset is that if you’re constantly thinking of God, he will come up and then it’s just talking to people. I love talking to people!

God is so good!