I feel like I could have written this entry. Campus Crusade members at my university have tried to convince me that street-preaching is the most effective way to share the gospel. Maybe it is for them, but I just remember how intimidated I felt by people who did that, before I became a Christian. I felt like my privacy was being invaded when they asked me personal questions about how I felt about God. I didn't know how to make sense of those feelings myself, much less put them into words to share with a complete stranger.

I still talk about my faith with my friends but it's done in such a way that is comfortable and open, where they know they can ask me questions without fear of judgment or anything like that. I can't be friends with someone and not let them know somehow about my faith. I think it's best to take opportunities when they come, instead of trying to force every conversation into a sermon.

I remember arguing for just this point in an earlier revelife blog.

I love this post a great deal. As a former IVer and someone w/ a more mystical bent, I agree completely. Jesus did not preach the gospel nearly as much as others might think. He just healed and fed them and let his actions speak for him. I think some give way too much credence to empty words.

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You wrote: These words still trouble me today. I believe all good things come in and through Christ, so how could my kind and selfless actions not point to Christ?

My question is this; is it your premise that a person can come to know their need for Christ and His redeeming act on the cross without ever hearing about it? Is it possible for a person to come to an understanding of the atonement just by us helping them or doing something wonderful for them?

I have known a great many loving and caring people from other faiths who serve their neighbor in fantastic ways and not once have I seen someone they helped come to Christ by those actions.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Ron Hutchcraft has put it very nicely: It's a matter of "Show and Tell." No one will listen to what we have to say if it's obvious it makes no difference in our lives. Conversely, no one will ever think, "Sheila's such a wonderful person that I bet Jesus died on the cross for my sins!"

That said, I think we Christians in general have fallen off the wrong side of the horse, and ought to take a break from "telling" for a while until we can get our act together in the "showing" department again. It's darned embarrassing when I'm trying to talk about my faith with someone and the only point of reference they have is Fred Phelps and the Religious Right.

The idea behind the quote is good, but, according to scripture, the gospel is propositions and can only be articulated as such.  You cannot explain to something that they are a sinner in need of a savior who died, was buried, and rose again (1 Cor. 15:3-5) merely by acting in a "good" way.  The irony, too, is that we have no way of knowing what it means to act Christian apart from the WORDS of scripture.  So it does all go back to words.  You cannot have a wordless gospel.  Act "Christian" around people and they will still die in their sins.

If St. Francis only wanted Christians to back up their words with actions then I would have no complaint.  After all, James said that faith without works is dead.  And in 1 Peter 3 we read that women with unbelieving husbands are able to win over their husbands by their conduct.  Christ also said that if we love Him we will obey His commandments.  John said that he who does not love his brother is not in Christ.

But St. Francis said "if necessary, use words," implying that one can preach the gospel without words, which is impossible.  Read Paul's words in Eph. 6: "and pray for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may OPEN MY MOUTH and make known the mystery of the gospel, of which I am an ambassador in chains."

Imagine the president sending an ambassador to a foreign country and saying, "Represent our needs well.  If necessary, use words."

@razzendahcuben@xanga - But St. Francis said "if necessary, use words," implying that one can preach the gospel without words, which is impossible.

Perhaps St. Francis was referring to the deaf people of his day?

I got into an hour or so long conversation with someone recently about Jesus and the Bible. It was somewhat intellectually challanging for me but what led us to common ground from my perspective was because I listened and spoke with love. I'm not boasting but if I would've shown anger or lack of interest or looked down on him then the effort on my part would've gotten nowhere. Actually all it took was a few moments of expressing love. When we took a break I knew I had made a break through through a session of communication. By the way, the truth is sharp enough. It doesn't need help with any explanations to try to prove it as truth.

@sarahzthoughts@xanga - I used to do just that - try to turn everything into a decision moment.  In doing so I ignored the people and treated them as objects to be converted.  I also made the Lover of Our Souls about as odious as one person could do short of straight out condemning them in His name.

You and Winds_of_Change have it right.  Treat others as He has treated you and you will find more of Him everywhere.  "If you love Love then Love loves you, too" (Bruce Cockburn).

@MC_Shann@xanga - I don't know why you included me in this response. I said in my comment that I talk to my friends about my faith. You make it sound like going up to strangers is the only effective way to share. People have different spiritual gifts, that may not be the right form of evangelism for everyone. What's important is that Christians still have the desire to witness and don't continually try to avoid it, but that witness can come in a number of forms...and by that, I don't mean just by doing nice things for people.

@mikenpeg@xanga - yeah when I think of the quote by St. Francis, I see it as pointing out the hypocrisy of Christians who "talk the talk" but don't "walk the walk." Words and actions should go hand in hand. When we do those nice things for others we should make it clear that we show compassion not because we're "nice people" but because of Jesus in us.