"Inviting people to church is not evangelism." Or so I've been taught.

A seminary professor used to tell me, “Inviting people to church is not evangelism.”  I disagree.

In seminary, we were trained to walk people through the “Roman Road.”  Using passages from Romans like 3:23 and 6:23 (along with other passages like John 14:6), we were taught to show people they were sinners destined for hell, but that the blood of Jesus could wash away their sin, securing them a spot in heaven.  

The Romans Road is doctrinally correct.  I agree that it’s important that we understand how to make the case that Jesus is the only antidote for our sinfulness and our only ticket to salvation.  I just don’t think talking about their sin is our best first tool for reaching lost people.

I know that a lot of good Christians disagree.

I had a call the other day from a man inquiring about our church.  He wanted to know if we were doing evangelism.  “Yes,” I said.  “Every day.”  He wanted to know if I confronted people about their sin as a means to evangelize them.  “Nope.”  That wasn’t the answer he was looking for.

When Jesus walked into Jericho in Luke 19, He ran into a sinful, arrogant tax collector named Zacchaeus.  Jesus didn’t ask him if he’d ever lied, stolen or looked lustfully at a woman.  The answers to those questions were self-evident.  Instead, Jesus simply said, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately.  I must stay at your house today” (19:5).  

"Have you ever killed anyone?  Ah!  You need Jesus, then."

Those 11 words (in the Greek) changed Zacchaeus’ life forever.  He was saved immediately and powerfully.  It doesn’t seem like these few words should have been enough to crack such a tough nut.

Instead of focusing on people's sin, perhaps we could teach Christians the Luke 19:5 method of evangelism:  “Dude, come down out of that tree!  I’m staying with you today.”  Maybe we could say it in Aramaic.  Would people get saved?  Probably that wouldn't work, either.

But I don’t think Jesus’ words to Zacchaeus that day were all that it took to save him.  Let me explain:

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).  But He also said, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).  Which is it?  Well, it’s both.  Jesus works through people.  He is the light, which, reflected off his people, gives light to the world.  The world is attracted to Jesus’ light as it is reflected off us.

What does this mean, in practical terms?  The day Jesus came to Jericho was not Zacchaeus’ first encounter with the Light.  He had met believers who had given testimony about Jesus.  He had seen some reflected light.  How do I know?  Zacchaeus climbed up a tree to see Jesus, didn’t he?  A dignified rich man would not have climbed a tree to see someone he wasn’t already excited about.  When Jesus stopped at that tree and called Zacchaeus by name, He was harvesting seeds planted by Christians Zacchaeus had encountered already.

Brier Creek Fellowship

Application:  Be a light.  Love everybody you meet.  Make real friendships with as many people as you can.  Don’t be self-involved, but pour yourself into the lives of others.  And simply let them know you’re a Christian.  Make sure to warmly invite people to attend your church, but make sure they don’t feel pressured.  Then let the Holy Spirit do his work.

And leave the preaching to your preacher.



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