The number one reason for a decline in evangelism in the churches is the sum of all the others: resistant theological systems, changing culture, fear of offending, accepting the notion, in practice if not in principle, that there may after all be more than one way to God, and then our busy, crammed-calendar lives!  The sum of it all, the result, is that Christians lose the sense of urgency to reach lost people.  Presbyterians have not historically been avid evangelists.  Our denomination encourages us to let our Christian lives do the talking, and that’s fine with us.

The problem now is that our lives are more remote from others than ever before.  We interact with fewer people and our interactions are more shallow and transitory than ever before—ships passing in the night.  Yes, the Bible says some things about proclaiming Good News, and Jesus and the apostles back in Acts seem to say some things about inviting others into Christ, but that was nearly two thousand years ago; we live in a different world now.  Besides, it’s all in God’s hands, so let God do God, you know.

I’m not sure how we can respond.  There’s so much inertia.  Let’s just coast along, do like we’ve always done, though we know coasting has its risks, too.  And we know God will provide.  He always has.  Just get out of the way and behold God do His thing: whoa.

It doesn’t seem like the time is short.  Maybe you’re even feeling ready to be a little more evangelistic, after all this preaching—anything just to get pastor to change the subject!  It’s hard to cultivate new habits.  It’s hard to break old routines.  Mr. Routine here knows a lot about that!

It doesn’t seem like the time is short.  Evangelism has benefits both ways.  All ministry is for our own blessing and benefit as well as for the blessing and benefit of the one receiving our ministry.  I think the urgency of evangelism works the same way.  Indeed, it may just be the case that the urgency of evangelism is not so much for those outside as for those of us already inside the church: Spirit urgency, making the most of the sacred gift of time.  We also have only so much: how shall we use it?

We may yet have many years ahead of us—I certainly hope so, but as someone who has passed the 50-year mark, I know that I have fewer years ahead than behind.  That makes me sad only to the extent that I reflect upon how many opportunities to serve God I’ve allowed to slip past.  I would save our younger disciples from such regret.  As for our older disciples, some of whom have many years on me, I hope what I’m saying resonates with you.  We want to make the most of the time, now!  But how?

Are you willing to invite someone to come and see?  The time-honored Presbyterian response is probably something like, “You know, I just don’t think about it.”  Yet the time is short.  The length of our days never increase, beloved, until we enter eternity; at that point, we can do nothing more here.  Are you willing to be one who invites people to come and see?  Maybe, but that awful fear of rejection, that dread of offending!  All I can say is you’ll be in good company: remember that Jesus also was rejected, and the Apostles, but not always, not every time.

In the five years since I arrived here, several new churches have started in town.  New churches are good, but what makes us sad is that these new churches tend to draw away members from existing churches—why don’t those new churches go out and evangelize, rather than taking our members?  Beloved, all I can tell you is that if those members truly wanted to stay, they’d have stayed.  Their friends go there, or their family, or like-minded people.  They like the music better, or the preaching.  My preaching isn’t to everyone’s taste.  I know.  No, our traditional Presbyterian music isn’t the current style.  I listen to the twelve songs on KSBJ, too, sometimes.  Do you know what brings someone to church?  Your invitation.  Not the music.  Not the preaching.  Not the name out in front of the building.  Your invitation.

I know you have.  I know you’ve gotten a tepid response, “Oh, we’ll see.” “Some other time.”  You haven’t bothered asking people you just know will say no.  Keep inviting.  Keep reaching out.  Family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, fellow students; be persistent, be patient, be prayerful.  Keep cultivating new relationships, new connections, new conversations with new people.  Your invitation—the Holy Spirit, at work in you, among us, through us, together, for Jesus, for life.  You know there’s only so much time.  Each day, we have less.  Events remind us of this all too suddenly, all too painfully.

Those gathered believers, huddled there in Jerusalem, knew Jesus was alive.  They also knew that Jesus was no longer with them, not physically, anyway.  Jesus and the angels kept telling them to remember, remember.  Watching as Jesus ascended to the Father, they tried to remember what he had said about the Comforter who would come.  Huddling together inside their walls that fiftieth day, they tried to remember what Jesus had told them, promised them: that he would be with them always and in a way different than he had been with them while he was physically on earth.  Still and differently, still and even more powerfully.

Then a wind; then the fire; then the proclamation to those outside, wondering what was happening.  Then, what?  Nothing?  Rejection?  Mockery?  Wondering people, who hear, hear in words that they know, yet they don’t understand.  What they are hearing requires interpretation, explanation, invitation.  Yes, there is also mockery and rejection, but not in every instance, not all the time.  Salvation comes, beloved.  Salvation comes in Jesus Christ, the Word of God, through the Holy Spirit, who uses what’s to hand to demonstrate the truth and power of the message of life, the power of God who saves.  Still and differently, with us still and even more powerfully.

The Spirit uses us.  The Spirit uses what’s to hand to demonstrate the truth and power of the message of life.  The Spirit uses bread and juice.  Still and differently, with us still and even more powerfully.  Bread for substance, juice for sweetness—the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ!  The sacrifice that calls us to sacrifice and service.  The life-saving, life-giving message.  The Spirit is at work in us, feeding us, sustaining us.  Hallelujah, Amen!  The Spirit is doing more, though: the Spirit also sends us out to those in whom the Spirit is also at work for salvation, for life for God.  Invite your one to come and see.  Then invite another.  Repeat as needed.

Now to the One who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all we can ask or imagine, to God be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.