David Laubach - Focus On Evangelism

Kangaroo, Rambo, “microwaveable” and “modernist” evangelism were topics at an evangelism interest session presented by Dr. Ronald Johnson, professor and dean at McAfee School of Theology (Mercer University). Kangaroo evangelism refers to Acts 1:8 and those who would hop over their Jerusalem and Judea to do evangelism in Samaria and the world. Rambo evangelism is confrontational, and “microwaveable”evangelism is instant. The church growth movement, rationalism, closing the deal, and canned presentations are all products of our modernist worldview, unlike evangelism in most of the history of the Christian church. Johnson calls us to return to God’s mission to transform people, culture and the cosmos.

Overwhelming negative views about traditional evangelism along with a culture increasingly hostile to Christianity require renewal of the link between evangelism and theology, and a return to a dialogical process. Baptists need to connect evangelism to God’s mission and God’s redemptive activity. Evangelism as dialogue requires engagement in the difficult questions of our time.

Johnson reminded the audience that most textbooks about theology and evangelism have been written by men and reflect a “barrier of sexism.” He proposed the addition of a feminine voice that offers an ethic of vulnerability, a concern for community, a non-judgmental perspective, a non-dominant communication style and an emphasis on justice.

The way forward will require a reunion of evangelism, mission and ministry (never compartmentalized in the New Testament) for a multicultural world, a return of responsibility for family-to-family evangelism, a willingness to be changed and undergo transformation even as the Spirit works to change others, and a patient repetition of the Gospel with creativity, freshness and attention to context.