Stephen McAlpine’s response to my article provides a helpful counterbalance to the point I was making. My article argued that in the midst of the real change happening in our society today, we must not lose sight of what Jesus tells us about the times. This is the age of the Messiah, the time of harvest—and therefore we have harvest work to do.
Stephen welcomes this ‘big picture’ reminder, but argues that this doesn’t mean we should ignore the smaller picture. We still need to think about how the trials and challenges of the 21st century shape our evangelism. He suggests that it is all well and good for preachers to tell their congregation to go out and evangelise, but it is the average Christian who has to get out there on Monday and actually navigate this rapidly changing world. In other words—we need to take seriously the differences of today and think carefully about how we can equip the saints for harvest work.
Stephen is right: We do need to think about the smaller picture of the times we live in today. And I am right (if I do say so myself): the radical changes of today must not make us lose sight of the bigger picture.
We do need to think about the smaller picture of the times we live in. But I believe that our intense focus on our times today is causing us to stop evangelising, or at least to do it less. It is creating timid Christians
But before we all take a nice Hegelian bath and call it a day—I want to add a warning. I didn’t write my first article simply to remind us of some fairly obvious truths. I wrote it because I believe that our intense focus on our times today is causing us to stop evangelising, or at least to do it less. It is creating timid Christians who see evangelism as something beyond them in today’s climate. Yes, we must talk about the context in which we live—but that discussion can either encourage or stifle evangelism. I fear it is doing the latter.
Where are all the bold evangelists?
A preoccupation with the difficulties of our time can dampen our confidence in the gospel and cripple our evangelistic efforts. In the worthwhile pursuit of finding new ways to reach our culture we can move our confidence away from the God of the harvest and on to finding the right tactics for the harvest. And the moment we do that—we give up on harvest work. It is too hard. It is too complex. And until we find some new way of doing things—it just won’t work. So why try?
This is different to how the early church faced the hostility of their day. Following the release of Peter & John, the church gathered again to fix their eyes on the “big picture”—the true realities of this world. Looking to the sovereign Lord of Psalm 2, they prayed, “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness” (Acts 4:29). And God answered their prayer—they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word boldly.
We focus on the times today to better engage with our world today. Fair enough. But such a focus might not have the effect we intend. Far from sending us out better equipped, it may simply make us so timid that we withdraw. In other words—it is not a focus on the “smaller picture” that will equip the saints for Monday morning. It is a focus on the “big picture”. The timeless truths that salvation has been won, that the harvest is plentiful, and that we have harvest work to do. This is what will create bold evangelists in the office, the warehouse and at the school gate.
Bold enough to have a go
Focussing on this “big picture” gives us the boldness on a Monday morning to have a go at evangelism. The belief that there may be someone at my work that God is calling motivates me to find them. In his response, Stephen argues that the old techniques and approaches to evangelism are failing in this new era. That we are using 20th century tactics in a 21st century war, and it isn’t working. Now I agree that we should always be trying new ways to engage with our community. But I don’t believe that our real problem is a lack of effective tactics. Our real problem is that we lack the boldness to stick our heads above the parapet. And boldness won’t come from finding the right tactic—it will come from opening our eyes to the harvest.
At the end of the day—I don’t even care that much if we are using old tactics. My growth group is hosting a dialogue dinner in two weeks’ time, and Chappo was running them before I was born. One of our student ministers preached at a Study Camp last year using that supposedly obsolete tool known as Two Ways to Live—and several students were saved! Because at the end of the day—God can still use it. An army of Christians rising from the trench armed with 20th century tactics will still do some serious damage. The question is whether we are bold enough to go over the top.
Bold enough to try something new
Focussing on the “big picture” also gives us the confidence on a Monday morning to try something new. Rather than being paralysed by the belief that we are ill-equipped for our time, we are willing to give anything and everything a go because we know that the harvest is plentiful. Such boldness allows you, when you fail, to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and try something else. Stephen writes that many people in our churches are looking for a breather, “a place to reconfigure and reimagine the gospel framework for this strident context.” But such reconfiguring will only happen on the front lines of evangelism when we are confident enough to fail and try again. Such reimagining will be found through the trial and error of the bold evangelist who knows that there is a crop to reap.
Stephen writes that many people in our churches are looking for a breather, ‘a place to reconfigure and reimagine the gospel framework for this strident context.’ But such reconfiguring will only happen on the front lines of evangelism when we are confident enough to fail and try again.
Bishop Peter Lin, who under God saw hundreds converted over two decades in the parish of Fairfield, has regularly reminded me, “I failed a lot!” That’s not an attempt at false humility—that’s an evangelistic strategy. He was doing ministry 20 years ago in a multicultural context that most of us are still wrapping our heads around today. And he did it by getting out there and trying anything and everything, until something worked. At first, I imagined that this was the trait of the “entrepreneur”—the coveted title for every church planter. But I soon came to see that this was simply the fruit of that deep conviction—that the Messiah has come and that the harvest is plentiful. It is focussing on the big picture that will encourage you to keep trying new things, because you believe that there is a harvest to reap!
Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose
In 2 Kings 6 the armies of Aram had surrounded Jerusalem. When Gehazi warned his master Elisha, Elisha replied, “Don’t be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” But Gehazi could only see the mass of troops encircling them. And so, Elisha prays, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17). And as Gehazi looked out he saw the mountains filled with angelic horses and chariots of fire.
In the same way, our Lord Jesus says to his disciples, “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes and see that the fields are white for harvest” (John 4:35). That’s what I want to be doing, and that’s why I wrote my article.
I don’t want to put my head in the sand and deny the changes taking place today. Nor do I want to ignore the real challenges that the average Christian will face each Monday morning. The armies of Aram are coming and there is no denying it. And people like Stephen have done us a great service in helping us think carefully about how to navigate these new and strange times. But don’t let that spook you. Open your eyes and see that the Messiah has come and that salvation has been won. Look at the fields and see that they are ripe for harvest. Walk by faith and not by sight. Pray for boldness and speak the word boldly. These are wonderful times.