EDITORIAL:
Oh, that Texas Baptists had the zeal of a man on a diet
___Two friends sat in a fast-food restaurant booth. They unfolded the wrappers on their meals and slid straws into the lids of their drinks. They discussed the difficulty of eating correctly in a place like this. And they each boasted a little about how much weight they had lost in the past year.
___Suddenly, a man in the next booth interrupted. "You must be on a low-carb, high-protein diet," he said to one of the meal partners. With zeal, he described how he had lost more than 50 pounds. "I don't eat bread anymore," pointing to the bun of his sandwich, tossed aside. "This book changed my life," he enthused, waving a tattered paperback that describes how to cut calories and eat in a fast-food restaurant without dumping your diet.
___The man intruded into the friends' lunch. But he came across not as offensive, but as enthusiastic, grateful, even helpful. A diet had changed his life, and he wanted others to know all about it.
___What if that man were you, or me, or any other Baptist in Texas? And what if, instead of a diet, we eagerly told strangers about the one thing--the gospel--that had changed our lives? If we harnessed his enthusiasm and good-natured helpfulness, we might change Texas forever.
___That dieting man came to mind just a few days later, during the 2002 Baptist General Convention of Texas Evangelism Conference. He could have illustrated a beautiful sermon preached by Mark Dunn, pastor of Crestview Baptist Church in Dallas. Dunn described how Christians need to be attentive. We need to watch for God's leadership in our lives as we seek occasions to share our faith. We also must keep on the lookout for opportunities to engage the interests and meet the needs of others by telling them how Christ has changed our lives and can change theirs as well.
___The man in the fast-food restaurant had his antenna up. He probably didn't enter the building telling himself, "Before I leave this place, I'm going to tell two people how this low-carb, high-protein diet changed my life." But when he heard his chance, he didn't waste the opportunity to pass along the best news he had to offer.
___If a man on a diet is this inspired to share his good news, how much more inspired should Christians be to tell others about their good news--the gospel of Jesus Christ, which already has made an eternal difference in their lives?
___Three bonds prevent ordinary Christians from sharing our faith with lost people around us:
___ Fear. Many of us are plain afraid to say a word of witness. Oh, we aren't scared we'll be persecuted or injured. But we're afraid of rebuke and rejection. We're nervous about being put off, about someone making fun of us, about the possibility of seeming odd, different, strange. Really, what's the worst that can happen? Is that a risk worth taking to change a life?
___ Political correctness. Even if we don't buy into the traditional forms of PC, we feel their influence. Doesn't each person have the right to make up his or her own mind about matters of faith? Shouldn't we show tolerance for people of other faiths? Yes and yes. But shouldn't everyone have the opportunity to know Christ? In a society that respects individual rights, we should recognize the responsibility to allow others to receive the message of Christ that transforms all life.
___ Uncertainty. Sometimes, we feel timid and unsure about sharing our faith. Can I do it right? What if I stumble on the words or forget a Scripture reference? This isn't rocket science. It's not even advanced theology. It's simply telling the story--our story--of the difference Christ makes.
___Remember the guy in the restaurant. His attentiveness and faith in his diet provided the antidote to fear, political correctness and uncertainty.
___He listened, and he heard an opportunity to tell his story. He didn't fear the reaction of the other diners, because he was telling them something he already knew mattered to them. As Christians, we don't have to buttonhole every person who comes along. We can make a tremendous difference by sharing our faith with the people we already know need to hear a word of hope--the co-worker whose child is in trouble, the neighbor whose marriage is in peril, the student struggling at school, the friend who lost a parent. We can't "fix" all their problems, but we can be certain we have a word of comfort and hope they need.
___The dieting man wasn't politically incorrect. The diners weren't offended that he implied they were fat. His good nature and care showed through his conversation, and they gladly heard his advice and received his encouragement.
___He also didn't have a perfected presentation, yet it was no less effective. He had no need to cower or fret because he couldn't remember the number of fat grams in a sack of french fries. He simply told what happened to him. He told his story, just like the Jesus story is a part of every Christian's life.
___At the Evangelism Conference, Rick Davis, the BGCT's evangelism director, urged Texas Baptists to "pray for this harvest," to ask God to help us share the life-changing message of Christ with 10 million Texans who have no church home and who live their lives without Jesus. That is excellent advice. If a man on a diet can overcome fear, political incorrectness and uncertainty through his disdain for carbohydrates and zeal for protein, how much more effective can we be as praying Christians, who disdain Satan and zealously love Jesus and lost people?
___Davis points to Scripture and promises that when we pray, God will prepare the way for his message. Perhaps just as importantly, God will prepare us--giving us the courage and compassion we need to tell the story that can change lives. Forever.
___ —Marv Knox
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com
The Baptist Standard
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.
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