For 2010, this is my heart-felt desire
To cast vision to which we can aspire
To reach out to neighbour – no matter who that may be
To see the face of Christ in every you and me
To move beyond the labels we place on others who are different
And draw the circle wider with no barriers or deterrents
Where evangelism is not a term that signals in or out
And faith is open to what may be, even times of doubt
At even though we call ourselves liberal, biblical or middle
Our tolerance moves to acceptance and we tear down all the hurdles
We place before each other as pilgrims on the way
A rather than the tearing down we find new ways to stay
We strive for social justice and won’t capitulate
And issues of our human rights – no longer tolerate
Where ministry takes on the form of housing and of bread
And children are tucked in at night safely in their beds
Where we focus on our common goals and not our differences
And our of our abundance we ensure that everybody has
Enough to sense the God of grace embraces who they are
And the witness of our Gospel light demonstrates we care
nice poem, sorry theology around evangelism – the very nature of it is assumes that some people are in and others are not. The point of evangelism is to call those who are not believers to put their trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation. Some people are believers, others are not. Some people are Christians, others are not. Some people trust Jesus as Lord and Saviour, others do not. Evangelism attempts to convert the lost. Evangelism offers information and prayers and persuasions to bring people from the Kingdom of Darkness to the Kingdom of Light.
Thank you Brian for responding to my poem. I do apologize for the typos. I do not apologize for my theology on evangelism. I grow weary of Christianity that is exclusive and divisive. I grow weary of Christianity that sells Jesus like a product rather than believing the scripture that resounds, “If I be lifted up I will draw all unto me…” Our greatest tool for evangelism is the Eucharist, wherein we share Christ at table. It is by grace and joy, compassion and love, tolerance and inclusiveness. I have seen people come to God’s light, like moths to the flame, as compassion, love, and tolerance have been given. In a theology that defines “in and out” who serves as the gate-keeper, who interprets, and by what hermeuitic, the Bible, which moves from guide pointing to The Word, to the words?
I know that we won’t agree, but can we come together around God’s table and receive grace together? Can we reason to hold together the “communion” even if we don’t see eye to eye? Is it o.k. to think differently about that which we see through a glass darkly?
These are the questions rather than who is in and wo is out, in my humble opinion.