conversion

Today InterVarsity in the Northwest is hosting an evangelistic event at Oregon State University and Washington State University. This same event will be happening at Washington State University on Friday.

I often struggle with words like "evangelism". I asked my students on Monday what words come to mind when they hear the word. "Pushy", "old men with green bibles", "televangelists" and "awkward" came to mind. My pastor loves to tell me that when he was in college an eager student rushed to tell him the Four Spiritual Laws, without first asking him if he was a Christian. Many years later he still tells this story and it obviously affects him.

But, evangelism is not inherently bad. A student whom I greatly respect, who happens to be Baha'i came to IV's Winter Conference this weekend. She heard a lot about sharing faith and the word evangelism thrown about. At first I was really concerned about whether she was offended by all the evangelistic language and I wished that the speaker would cool it a little bit. However, I began to realize that Christianity IS an inherently evangelistic faith. We believe Jesus told us to "make disciples of all nations". We believe that Jesus is the permanent passover, that he is the permanent embodiment the lamb's blood that cause the angel of death to pass over the Jewish homes during the passover. We believe that if his death is accepted, we get passed over and even better, we believe that he rose again and that he will create new life in us.

There is not much about the Christian faith that works if it held closely to the heart, but never shared. We are encouraged to share out of the humility that we are not God and cannot offer anything to the world that God has not first given to us.

Yes, evangelism is often awkward. Yes, evangelism without humility and listening, is de-humanizing and rude. Yes, when one is "sharing the gospel" we may be stepping into a world of messy history with the church and we better be ready to repent of some broken history.

But...I am a product of evangelism. I am a product of people who invited me to Bible study, shared their lives with me, never blinked when I dropped f-bombs, rejoiced when I converted and were patient with me as I figured out what that meant. Converting to Christianity is the most important decision I have ever made. It changed the entire trajectory of my life and has changed me from the inside out. I am thankful that I was evangelized to.

This morning 5 people at OSU have responded and decided to accept Jesus' sacrifice and lifestyle. They have agreed to meet other Christians and start the process of figuring out what this decision means. Unlike Saturday morning, I have no ambivalence about this. I am excited and my heart is swelling out towards OSU and the new life that is emerging there.

I would appreciate prayers on Friday. WSU students will be joined by Whitman and University of Idaho students. Staff will be on site at these Proxe stations, but students will be talking to students. Please pray that the Spirit will be bring students that have been seeking truth this year. Please pray students would be bold and full of real love. Please pray that all students who come to these stations would feel listened to and cared about, regardless of their responses. Please pray that God's will would be done, at WSU as in heaven.