In this past Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells the newly fishermen-turned-disciples, “I’ll show you how to fish for people” (Matthew 4:19). Right after this, Jesus begins traveling, teaching, sharing good news, and healing people. In going and doing, this is how Jesus is showing the disciples how to fish for people: going to where the people are and showing them God’s love in words and actions. In a word, fishing for people is evangelism.
Evangelism has, for good reason, gotten many negative associations. Evangelism is associated with street preachers telling people that they’re going to hell or overly eager college students with bullhorns asking people if they’re saved. It also doesn’t help that “evangelical” is as likely to be connected to political affiliation than it has anything to do with religion.
However, we at Calvary have the opportunity to do evangelism OUR way. Like Jesus, we have the opportunity to follow in Christ’s footsteps and go where people are, share the good news and show up for hurting people. We can go out in our neighborhoods and beyond to show our neighbors that we care for them through Laundry Love and Tender Mercies and for standing in solidarity with our neighbors, like we have for Imam Ayman Soliman. We can show our LGBTQ+ neighbors that they are beloved by God and by us and that they are welcomed and celebrated in all parts of our community. We already do this, but take some time to discern how God might be calling you to practice evangelism in your own way:
- What good news do you have to tell?
- What do you love about Calvary or the Episcopal Church that someone else might not know about?
- How has God spoken to your heart through the worship and service here that feels like good news?
- Who is God nudging you to tell this good news?
Another way you could do evangelism is to help here at Calvary in our work of inviting, welcoming and connecting people that come through our own doors. Each point from when people come to our website to when they walk through the doors to worship with us is an opportunity for us to let people know that they are welcome here and loved by God and us. If doing that work is something that tugs on your heart, reach out to Stephanie Townes and join the newly forming group of folks who want Calvary to do its best job in this work. We already do this work very well, but we can always improve our welcome to new people!
Good news, shared in our own way, can be a balm that people are hungry for. In a world where the news moves at break-neck speed and our collective anxiety is through the roof, the world is groaning for good news, especially the good news of the love of Jesus Christ. Let that be Calvary’s evangelism to the world.
