It’s pretty obvious that we currently live in a culture saturated by staunch policies regarding religious pluralism and tolerance, where supposedly no one wants to be to evangelized to or told what to believe. As such, the general consensus is that the topic of religion is totally off-limits to public conversation and should only be dealt with in a private manner.
But, is that assumption entirely true?
Sure, I think it’s fair to say a majority of modern people disdain the idea of evangelism, but, I also think it’s also fair to say a percentage of those modern people, however ironically, think that Christians should evangelize nevertheless. Wait, why would that be? Ultimately, it’s because some these non-Christians are quite discerning and understand that a non-evangelizing Christian is simply a hypocritical Christian after all, which indeed, is a great point! Thus, it seems like there’s this odd tension of disapproving the idea of evangelism while also disapproving the Christians who don’t evangelize.
So, is this a lose-lose situation for Christians, or what?
Well, not exactly, because conversely, according to these non-Christians, a Christian who evangelizes proves his/her authenticity, and authenticity is actually what they want to see most. Therefore, in a way, they’re encouraging Christians to evangelize and expressing how illogical and hypocritical it is for them to not evangelize! I think Jesus would agree with them on this point, too.
But don’t just take my word for it, either. In fact, the whole reason for this post was to spotlight a popular atheist who expresses these sentiments exactly.
Penn Jillette, who is a rather avowed and vocal atheist (and who is also one-half of the famous comic-illusionist act Penn and Teller), makes a profound statement about the necessity of Christian evangelism, and I don’t think he’s the only atheist or non-Christian to think or express this sentiment, either.
Check out what what he says, it’s great:
…I’ve always said, you know, that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell, or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think that, well, it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward… How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? I mean, if I believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe it, and that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that…†
Pretty profound and challenging, right? Jillette is right on the money. As a Christian who believes the gospel to be truly true, to not evangelize would be the essence of hate, but to evangelize would be the greatest expression of love. If Christians really want to show the world that we actually believe in the gospel and that we actually love them, then we must evangelize–despite the potential awkwardness and in spite of the personal sacrifices that it might require. That’s how we put on the display the hope that is in us.
Let this atheist’s quote sink in… let Jesus’ Great Commission command sink in… let the truth of Jesus’ love and salvation for all people sink in… and be a living vessel who demonstrates and declares the power of the gospel.
Christian, how could you possibly disagree?
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Sources:
† http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa9JE_ZVL88
