EDITORIAL | Friendship Evangelism

by Brian Sayles, Blog and Facebook Page Administrator

Ray Comfort open-air preaching in Huntington Beach, CA (via Christian Post)

Ten years ago, I took "The Way of the Master" course at Spring Baptist Church. "The Way of the Master" is a series of television episodes where actor Kirk Cameron and evangelist Ray Comfort teach Christians how to share their faith "simply, effectively, biblically - the way Jesus did!" I have read many of Ray's books and watched videos of him teaching on evangelism, open-air preaching, and one-to-one evangelism.

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One of Ray's gifts from God is that he can go up to any person and start talking to them about Jesus. He can help people see that they are a sinner in need of a savior, and the conversation usually ends with the person thanking Ray for talking to them. His ministry Living Waters, and "The Way of the Master" teach people how they can be like Ray and share their faith with strangers. Even if you are like me, severely introverted and do not like to talk to any people, they have unique gospel tracts that you can give to people so they can read about salvation.

The Million Dollar Bill gospel tract!

One thing that Ray Comfort and other people associated with him warn about is "Friendship Evangelism".


"Friendship Evangelism Is Neither Friendship Nor Evangelism" says evangelist Tony Miano (Cross Encounters Ministries). "Dear reader: if you feed, clothe, and house people for the glory of God (Matthew 5:16) but you do not share the gospel with them, all you have ultimately accomplished is making those same needy people warmed and filled on their way to Hell. You have merely made their bodies more comfortable. You've done nothing for their souls," he says.

In another article, Tony says:

• Feeding the poor is not evangelism.
  
• Clothing and sheltering the homeless is not evangelism.
  
• Building homes for the needy and those devastated by natural disasters is not evangelism.
  

Supplementing your vacation to Europe with the occasional smile while offering up a "Jesus loves you" greeting to indigenous people who do not understand what you're saying is not evangelism. Taking the youth group to a mall or local tourist location for a scavenger hunt and having the kids wear different brightly colored t-shirts sporting the church's web address is not evangelism. Spending your evenings at the local cafe listening to bad poetry while taking hits on an ornate hookah and engaging unbelievers in culturally-relevant conversation is not evangelism. Now, can each of the above-mentioned activities serve as a springboard for a Biblical presentation of the law and the gospel to the unsaved? Yes (even hookah night at the local caffeine distribution center). But none of the activities--in and of themselves--fall within a Biblical definition of evangelism.

Carl Kerby (Reasons for Hope) debunks the statement "As a Christian I Don't Need to Talk About Jesus (I just need to live a good life)".
All four years I was in high school (2004-2008) I wore Christian T-shirts almost every day. I read Christian books nearly every day. I carried my Bible in my backpack. I assume most people knew I was a Christian. Nobody then or since has read my Christian and came up to me and said, "Oh, you're a Christian. Please tell me about Jesus". The only times I talk to people about Jesus is if I bring up the subject. "Friendship/Lifestyle Evangelism" sounds goods on the surface, but it doesn't work - and more importantly, is unbiblical. Further resources: Articles on Tony Miano's blog Sermon: "Friendship Evangelism: A Tragedy in One Act" by Tony Miano Article: "The Error of Friendship Evangelism" by Ray Comfort