There is general agreement that the proclamation of the Gospel is essential to God’s purposes on earth. The question that is being asked is; what is the best way to do this in a New Zealand context? Here are some thoughts.
The first is that we need to rediscover the ministry of the evangelist in our churches and life. There are some wonderful committed evangelists here who are slogging away, often for little reward. They are often financially deprived and marginalised. ‘Tis true that often they are difficult people and they can tend to make people feel guilty for their failure to evangelise. But their gift is critical to the growth of the faith, and one key reason the New Zealand Church is struggling is the quenching of this gift. Very few churches employ someone set apart for evangelism. The failure to employ evangelists in the ministry teams of local churches demonstrates the real priority of evangelism in our churches is lacking. What is needed is for churches, denominations, and regions to partner with evangelists to see their people all equipped to share the Gospel.
A second thing is that evangelists and those who seek to equip others for evangelism need to develop models that are appropriate for the complexities of New Zealand society today. Sharing the Gospel in this country is difficult, especially to Europeans. It is difficult at work, where to do so can lead to conflict and even the threat of job loss (as in the case of a friend). When we meet a New Zealander we have no idea where they are at; whether a seeker, a hard atheist, or a nominal Christian. This can only be found out over time in relationship as we get to know them, hear what makes them tick, and then we will know how to move ahead in relationship. That makes sense, because all studies show that the most effective evangelism is borne of relationship. What I think is needed is a revision of the way we learn to share the Gospel. It can’t be done in a formulaic one-size fits all way. We have to know the Gospel well, engage deeply with those we work, live and play with, and respond intuitively, led by the Spirit.
A third thing we have to realise is that because so many New Zealanders are prone to being anti-the Gospel, we need to bring the Gospel to them in the context of whole lives of love, service, and grace. They need to see the Gospel as much as hear it. The gospel has always spread along with acts of mercy, feeding the poor, prayer, hospitality, and an attitude of gentleness and respect. As we encounter others, we need to be deeply sensitive to their needs and respond. Perhaps if these three things gain further momentum we will see the gospel progress in New Zealand. Go deeper.
