Go out!

As I read the mission of evangelism in the Bible, it is all about 'go out'. Not 'come here'. Today, we are reluctant to 'go out' and much prefer having the lost 'come here'.

But others do 'go out'.

A couple of examples.

In Sydney there is a grand Anglican edifice: St Andrew's Cathedral zillions of people walk by and around it every day. Now, who's outside it talking to people about relgion? Not Anglicans, they've left it to Muslims, Mormons and Monarchialists (Jehovah's Witnesses), all of whom do a decent trade.

I understand the Cathedral owns Sydney Square which lies between it and the Town Hall. They could have a permanent stall there to meet people and chat.

Local churches could do simliarly at local occasional markets: sell their books, crafts, etc, but mainly talk to those interested.

Ministers have plenty of training...they could run courses at evening colleges or at community meeting rooms, with inviting titles, perhaps borrowed from New-Agers: "Finding Inner Peace" for example, or "What the Bible Really Teaches", or "The Bible: Centuries of Errors, Misunderstanding and Mistakes" (talking about heresies to talk about Christ). Even a course on Revelation: "The most mysterious book ever written".

Then there are courses like "Philosphy and Modern Novels". Of course, we'd read some novels together, and philosophy would slide into theology from time to time, but plenty of riches here.

That's what I mean by 'going out' and not 'come here-ism'.

It also means starting where the listener starts: Paul set the paradigm for this in Acts 17: go you and do likewise.