This week's sermon passage is really challenging when it comes to evangelism. I am still trying to get my mind around what evangelism will look like in a postmodern church context. Brian McLaren's character Neo, from A New Kind of Christian encourages us to count conversations rather than conversions. Yet the urgency I see in the book of Acts with the apostles witnessing seems to be more intense than I see in much of postmodern/emerging church thought.

Here is a quote from the NIVAC commentary on Acts by Ajith Fernando:

This whole passage pulsates with the urgency of the evangelistic task. The apostles are arrested for evangelizing (Acts 5:18). But after their miraculous release the angel tells them to go to the center of Jewish religion, the temple, and proclaim "the full message"; they are not to give in to the temptation to compromise it (Acts 5:20). The divine encouragement to persist in witness in spite of threats is a recurrent theme in Acts (Acts 4:31; Acts 18:9, 10; Acts 23:11). This not only shows how important witness is, but also that people need constant encouragement, for it is easy to lose passion for evangelism, especially in the face of opposition.

When the apostles are rearrested and asked to explain their actions, they use the opportunity to proclaim the message, not try to secure a release (Acts 5:29-39). This method of witness has been used throughout history. Christianity is a religion with a message, a message so important that it simply must be shared to all who live on earth. God's salvation in Christ is the answer of the Creator of the world to its basic problems. If it is that urgent, then every human being should be told this good news. Thus, when people bring us to trial for preaching, we must explain God's message. Both Stephen and Paul did this when they were brought to trial (Acts 7:2-53; Acts 24:25; Acts 26:2-29).

Is the postmodern, emerging church urgent enough in its aproach to evangelism? Are we passionate enough about the Good News of Jesus Christ?

I know that we must be sensitive to our audience. I am turned off by much of evangelicalism's attempts at evangelism. I am deeply troubled by the reductionistic approach to the gospel which often misses the point and fails to change lives. But one thing that is true of much of evangelicalism is the sense of urgency.

Fernando goes on to say this:

Evangelism also influences our attitude toward success on earth. From Acts it is clear that suffering is an essential feature of effective evangelism. In this passage the suffering of shame (flogging is a humiliating experience) because of faithful witness is an honor worth rejoicing about (Acts 5:41). What the world considers as failure we may consider as success if it furthers the cause of evangelism and, as here, demonstrates our loyalty to Christ. We must always look at life with evangelistic eyes and be incessantly involved in evangelism. Even if we are brought to trial, we must use it as an opportunity to witness for Christ. If we are dishonored because of evangelism, we can view that dishonor as a great honor.

I agree that suffering is clearly to be expected by Christians and often our culture of pain avoidance influences what we followers of Christ deem as success. Our churches often define success by bodies, bucks, and bricks. Suffering is not part of the equation.

Yet I struggle with the reductionistic idea that "we must always look at life with evangelistic eyes." Here is the crux of my struggle. To look at life this way will cause one to be urgent. But is evangelism the end all be all of life? Don't get me wrong; my evangelical upbringing is still strong and I feel that evangelism is of great importance. But I also think that God is very concerned with my spiritual growth. Perhaps this is the answer to my dilemma. Perhaps greater spiritual maturity brings extra urgency to witness. What I mean is that witness becomes a natural outgrowth of spiritual maturity. And the lack of spiritual maturity in so many Christians today leads the modern church to create programs to entice conversions.

Let's go and make disciples not programs!