Sometimes ministry is that simple

So, we've been learning over the past 3-4 years at Gethsemane that evangelism is not about forcing your faith on people, preaching from a pulpit... it is mostly about building relationships with people, and genuinely sharing who Jesus is in your life with people you love. The first step though is just loving people.

In Engage, a PCUSA evangelism resource our session and evening and now Sunday school classes have been using, one chapter talks about how God began the work of sharing the good news through Abraham... and Abraham was sent as a blessing. Through him all nations would be blessed. So, part of our job as evangelists is to bless people, not so that they will join our church... just to bless them. It's a journey of trusting that God will reach people, and we need to be willing to go out first and love, without strings attached.

So, last week, over a couple of casual conversations, we decided to do just that.

Tarrant County College is across the street from the church, and often we have 20 or so cars park in our lot during the week as the students seek extra parking that isn't so far away as the overflow lot. Many churches might view this as either a nuisance, a threat, or a way to make money. We wanted to view it as a blessing, so we have let students park, no strings attached.

But, we weren't building relationships, and if we are called to love our neighbor, we certainly need to get to know our neighbor. And what does a student need or want in the morning on their way to class? Coffee.

So, George, Vickie, Susie, Vincent, Travis and I set up shop with coffee thermoses and muffins made from our very own Robin O. Most people were suspicious and walked on by. How could you be giving away coffee for free?

But we had a few takers. We learned a few names. We shot the breeze with a couple folk. We fellowshipped with one another... and we felt we had great success. At the end of the day, we blessed some folk who were already trying to better their lives. We broke bread/muffins together. We learned names, and we have been faithful in praying for them since we saw them.

Often we think that evangelism needs to be this overwhelmingly well planned program, but the best evangelism is building a relationship and loving someone.

Matthew 10:42
And if you give even a cup of cold water [or hot coffee] to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”