Even a quick look at history will show that churches have had a rocky past. While churches grew out of communities of faith dedicated to following The Way of Jesus, human interests, greed, and pride often caused churches to do exactly the opposite of what Jesus taught us. One of the results of this rocky history is that beautiful activities born out of a love for Jesus are now seen as oppressive.
During the first Pentecost, Jesus’s first apostles were sent out into the world to spread the Good News. They were sent out to evangelize as Jesus had taught them. They shared the beauty of love for God and their neighbours and inspired billions of people to also seek that love. Evangelism was understood as a divine gift we could share with one another. Then it changed.
In some churches evangelism seemed to become a license to force or coerce others to change their beliefs. In the name of God, people were hurt by evangelists. But evangelism, as taught by Jesus, is still a divine gift. By sharing our stories and experiences of God’s love and loving one another, we can inspire others. By listening to others’ stories of how they know God’s love and how they love one another, our faith can grow as well. Evangelism is a divine gift – let’s share it!
Rev. Paul Whynacht
