My friend Anna Lynn, is in the process of studying to become a Deacon  in the Episcopal Church, here in Pierce County. Part of the training involves writing and delivering sermons on selected topics.  Her occupation is with Valet Parking, a transportation company in Tacoma. Her work with the company includes driving limos. For many years she has been our family’s driver when we need transportation.  On our trips she has shared with me some of her sermon efforts for my evaluation as a lawyer. Recently, during her training meeting she delivered a sermon on evangelism which she shared with me. I thought it was outstanding in format and in content regarding what evangelism means to practicing Christians today.

When I was young, it was common to have members of the Jehovah Witness religion standing on city corners, holding a Bible and preaching to whoever would listen. It was also common to have them come to residential neighborhoods and go door to door to invite people to attend their church. The Church of the Latter Day Saints have been very successful in their active evangelism around the world gaining new members. Active Christian evangelism is well known to the public. However, major religions have taken a less active role, with the exception of missionary work in other countries around the world. So, what is the right way for a Christian to view their obligation to evangelize the world? Anna’s sermon does a good a job as I have read or heard about this. She has allowed me to share it and here it is, just as she delivered it.

October 13^th, 2022                  In the name of God who creates, redeems, and sustains us…Amen.

Evangelism.

Yes, I said it…..Evangelism.

Depending on what type of evangelism.. comes to mind.. when I say the word Evangelism….I will bet you are either somewhat comfortable….. or most likely, very uncomfortable. I find there is not a lot of middle ground when speaking about evangelism, folks usually have strong reactions one way or the other.

As Episcopalians we often avoid eye contact when we are asked to come up with new ways of leaving the safety of the walls of our churches, to go out into the world and evangelize…… Someone usually raises their hand and says, “We could ask everyone, to just invite one person that they know, to come to church with them?” And yes, I do recognize that is evangelism.

Those of us who preach, may feel comfortable behind the pulpit or the Zoom screen….as we Evangelize through our interpretation of scripture. But I will admit, that I was pretty uncomfortable preaching for the first time, in my Field Education Church…..not knowing your audience can defiantly adjust the comfort level and bravery of your evangelism. And ask me to go start knocking on doors to evangelize….. and you will see me become very uncomfortable.

So, what is the definition of this spiritual practice….this ministry called Evangelism? Google tells us it is: the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness. It is also zealous advocacy of a cause.

The Episcopal Church understands evangelism to be “the presentation of Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, in such ways that people may be led to believe in Him as Savior and follow him as Lord, within the fellowship of the church.”

And, on the episcopalchurch.org website it reads: Every baptized Episcopalian has vowed to proclaim with our words and our lives the loving, liberating, and life-giving good news of Jesus Christ. Through the spiritual practice of evangelism, we seek, name and celebrate Jesus’ loving presence in the stories of all people.

For those of you who are unsure of how to evangelize and what methods there might be….. there is even an Evangelism Toolkit posted on the episcopalchurch.org website, that I thought was worth mentioning, so that you ease into this spiritual practice, we are call to.

Within our church leadership when I think about Evangelism, I think of Presiding Bishop Curry and his high energy – passionate sermons that clearly draw your attention to the Holy Spirit moving through him, and you know he is bringing people to the Lord.

There is a quote about Evangelism from Michael Curry, that has stayed with me…….He said,

“Evangelism Matters, it matters, because evangelism is not about building a bigger church, its about building a better world. And that’s why it matters.” ………….I find that to be such a powerful statement.

But the deepest, most passionate Evangelism that I have ever witnessed was shown to me by my friend, Pastor LaShund.

At my home church St. Matthew / San Mateo in Auburn, we are blessed to share our Sanctuary with a non-denominational Christian Church called Resurrection Auburn. Pastor LaShund leads that Congregation, and they describe themselves as: A full Gospel, diverse community of Believers actively pursuing the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, demonstrating the Love of God and Worshipping in Spirit and Truth.

Boom!! Mic drop!!……Right in the churches “who we are statement”….they state that they are actively pursuing the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And I am here to tell you…that is exactly what they do.

They walk a route through the community in the morning, inviting anyone to come and walk and pray with them. This is also live streamed, so you can follow along at home and ask for prayers if you need them, not only does this create community, but it also makes them very visible within the community.

They evangelize to the homeless, to the addicted…not only do they evangelize, but they also locate rehab facilities and pay for folks to get into treatment, they knock on the neighbors doors and invite them to come to church, they know the neighbors and often I soon see the neighbors sitting within Resurrection churches congregation. They show up for the oppressed at City Hall to advocate for them, they show up for the Muckleshoot Tribe of Indians….they go to the reservation and hold Evangelism weekends. And when I see Pastor LaShund in passing in the halls of the church…I say, “how are you today Pastor?” And he says, “I am busy Anna, we are out there Saving Souls!, Saving Souls!” Is that not what we are all called to do? Yes, we are.

Speaking of powerful Evangelists answering their call …..

In our New Testament reading this evening, the Apostle Paul, is deep within his second Missionary Journey, and he has just reached Athens …..alone.

Paul is alone because while he and Silas were having success in Thessalonica persuading believers to join them…..Jealous non-believing Jews formed a violent mob and forced Paul and Silas to flee Thessalonica during the dark of night.

This same mob also followed Paul, Silas, and Timothy to their next stop in Beroea. And again, even though the message was being eagerly received……and both men and women in Beroea had become believers in Jesus, the violent mob forced Silas and Timothy to stay behind, while they sent Paul ahead by boat to Athens, because they feared for his life.

It is hard to imagine the intestinal fortitude of these early Evangelists….traveling by land and by sea to spread the Gospel of Jesus. Often being challenged, detained, beaten, questioned, and run out of town. But through their faith, they always kept moving forward, towards the next town, the next group of people who they could evangelize to.

I would encourage any of you who experience a set back in your own evangelism, to think of Paul and the magnitude of the trials along his journey, as you rest, reset, and prepare to move forward again in your own ministry.

The Book of Acts tells us, that as Paul awaits the arrival Silas and Timothy in Athens, he is deeply distressed to see that the city is full of Idols….So, he wastes no time in beginning debates in the synagogue with the Jews and the worshipers, and every day he talks in the city square with everyone he meets.

Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debate Paul…. Some saying, “What does this Babbler want to say?” Others saying “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities”…because they did not recognize this Jesus Christ that Paul was speaking of. So, they brought Paul to the Areopagus. Which was the name of both the hillside and the court that met on it.

The court was very select, perhaps only 30 members. It delt with cases of homicide and had the oversight of public morals in Athens. There, in the most learned city in the world and before the most exclusive and educated of courts, Paul was given the opportunity to state his faith…… this might have intimidated anyone else; but Paul was prepared to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Athens elite.

And he did so, some scoffed when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, but others wanted to hear more and some became believers…..including a man named Dionysius and a woman named Damaris.

I decided to look deeper into the name of the woman Damaris who became a believer, after listening to Paul, because I was curious to find out how she would have such agency during this time, to be present during a meeting of such a high court. I discovered an article produced by the Theology of Work Project, that stated:

In the culture of Athens, women lived sequestered lives. But one group of women was exempt from that. These were the intellectual courtesans, high-class, kept women, who were attached to rich men in the city.

These women were able to hold their own intellectually and they participated in philosophical debates. The Bible doesn’t tell us specifically that Damaris was a courtesan, but the fact that she was allowed to be present at Paul’s meeting with the leading men of the city, strongly indicates that possibility.

Both her freedom to be in public and her ability to follow Paul’s conversation with the leading me which enabled her to understand and to embrace the gospel Paul taught. She became one of the new converts to Christianity in the city of Athens.

New Testament scholar Richard Backham tells us, that any time we come across the name of someone in the book of Acts or in the apostle’s letters, it’s there because that person had become widely known among the Christian churches as a teacher and leader. Because we know Damaris’s name, we also know that she was well-known for her ministry in the churches.

As an intellectual herself, she had the ability to reach the most highly educated in Athens and spread the Gospel of Jesus.

Known as the first woman in Athens to become a believer, Damaris was venerated as a saint in the Greek – Orthodox Church and she is commemorated on Oct. 3^rd.

Christians who have this God given ability to Evangelize, to bringing people to the lord, to save souls, are special.

They have been blessed with the ability to see the presence and love of Jesus in all people and they know how to reflect that vision back, so it can be recognized and understood by those seeking or in need. This is a foundational and ancient ministry within the church, that is just as vibrant and alive today.

We know from the Apostle Paul, Damaris and what I have shared today about Pastor LaShund, that Evangelism is an active ministry that can have many twists and turns….and sometimes it can be dangerous, when it is not accepted or well received…..so it takes courage and a deep faith to keep move forward.

When you recognize Evangelists within the church, your life or ministry, I would encourage you to lift them up in support, ask questions, observe, and learn from them,…. because you never know when it will be your day, your opportunity, to share the good news of Jesus….to bring someone to the Lord and to save a soul.

Amen.