Letters From Timothy

I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.

-John 13:15

“Evangelism” is a word that is very prominent in today’s Christian discourse. “Evangelists” are growing in numbers and “Evangelical” movements are multiplying. But what is evangelism, really? The simple answer that you would get, if you asked nearly any Christian today, is that “evangelism” is spreading the Gospels and, more importantly, converting others to Christianity. Personally, I don’t believe that this is a good definition of evangelism. For me, evangelism means living the word of God. Perhaps because of my different definition of evangelism, I similarly disapprove of the works of many modern “evangelists.”

As you may remember from reading my letters “Fundamentalism” and “One God, Many Religions,” I don’t subscribe to the belief that only people who are Christians and believe in Jesus Christ will go to heaven. But many Christians do, and I admire the fact that many have the compassion for others to truly want to “save their souls.” But this desire is often acted on in counterproductive ways. On the campuses of many colleges, in parks, and in cities you will find “street preachers” who carry inflammatory signs and shout about sinners and people going to hell. I don’t understand how these people think that they are helping anyone. Has anyone ever been converted to Christianity because a man shouted at them that they were a horrible person and would burn for all eternity? Such people actually end up turning people away from their faith, disgusted in how it is used and interpreted. People who are not of the faith will become irritated and resent those of the faith even more than they did before. Worse still, some people who are Christians may end up believing what these people are saying. But it’s not just the means that are morally abhorrent. The message—that you need to convert or else—is nothing short of a direct threat. People should never become of a faith or change faiths out of fear. Fear is how the evil and immoral control people. There is also an implicit judgment in another that takes place when you tell someone they will go to hell if they don’t believe in Jesus; there’s no avoiding it. And, of course, the Bible very firmly commands that we avoid judging others. So be it a crazy person holding a sign on the sidewalk or a calm, collected preacher in a pulpit, threats of hellfire and damnation are the worst possible ways to evangelize.

Some people distribute fliers or pamphlets or “tracts” to spread the Gospel. Who hasn’t found some pamphlet in a public restaurant stall asking “Does God Really Love You?” or some similar question? I also cannot imagine that these are very effective. First and foremost, these are just annoying. I don’t like the feeling that I can’t escape people trying to preach to me, and I can only imagine what it’s like for someone who isn’t already a Christian. Worse, some of these tracts, particularly those published by Jack Chick, are just flat-out offensive. Insulting someone else’s native religion absolutely will not get them to change their minds.

I think my main problem with the common idea of “evangelism” is the idea that there are people who are inherently wrong, and must be “corrected.” My girlfriend and one of my best friends are Jewish, and I cannot even begin to think of somehow telling them that they are “wrong.” Their religion is extremely important to them; it is their identity, and I don’t believe anyone else has any business telling them they’re “wrong” because that person’s religion “says” they are. How can we be so sure that we’re “right” anyways? Most Christians only think so because that’s what they think the Bible says. We believe things on faith, not fact, and I think only fact is important enough to justify changing someone else’s beliefs. I know I would hate it if a Muslim or Hindu or Jew came knocking at my door to try to get me to convert to their religion. Why wouldn’t anyone else feel the same? As I mentioned before, modern “evangelism” only builds up resentment of a religion in the eyes of non-believers. And not just of the faith itself; many people lose friends or potential friends by trying to “convert” them. They figure it is a necessary sacrifice of their mission. It’s not! If your ultimate goal is to have people understand and respect you and your beliefs, having people reject you is a sure sign that you’re doing it wrong.

While I don’t think that what is presently considered “evangelism” is right, I do believe that there is a such thing as “true” evangelism. I believe that there is a right way to spread the faith—not to people who don’t want it, because otherwise they’ll “go to hell,” but to people who do want it, because you want them to have the same fulfillment in their lives that you have. True evangelism isn’t knocking on doors or waving signs or distributing filers or having private discussions with people. True evangelism is doing the work of Jesus. After all, actions speak much, much louder than words. True evangelism is volunteering at your local homeless shelter. True evangelism is giving to the poor. True evangelism is caring for the sick and the needy; selfless devotion to others. And when someone asks you why you do what you do, then, and only then, do you tell them: “I do it because I believe that is what Jesus calls me to do.” That is how you impress people. That is how you show others the light of your faith. People will see you and admire you. They will want to know where you draw your inspiration to do good works. And if they want to accept your faith, they will, and they will also help the sick and the needy. That, I believe, was Jesus’ real ultimate goal. That is the will of God: people helping people. And that is true evangelism.

-Timothy