"LIFE STYLE" & "MARKET PLACE"  EVANGELISM
 

I have purposed in the series on Evangelism to address those who feel they are called to be an Evangelist in the context of the five fold ministry as described in Eph.4:11 - He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. This is a special gifting from God for the purpose of reaching the lost through the preaching of the Gospel. Philip, one of the early disciples was gifted in such a way. (Acts 21:8)
The most famous evangelist of the twentieth century is without question, Billy Graham. He has been a great example of a person who has been gifted by God to be an evangelistic.

Evangelists tend to focus on reaching multiple peoples at one time, thus the crusades and larger meetings. This without question is God's purpose for these ministries. They need to reach as many people as possible in the shortest period of time. This serves a very real purpose in the body of Christ.

Because there are gifts of Evangelists it's quite possible to error in thinking that God has committed all responsibility for evangelism upon this gifting. This is no the case! Every Born Again Believe has an evangelistic responsibility. It may not look at all like the public ministry, of the Evangelist, but it has a very real and important role to play in family, workplace and local church life.

To help bring this into perspective! Every parent is an evangelist to their growing children and should purpose, under God, to lead them to Christ at the earliest possible age. The business owner is an evangelist to their employees, as the laborer is to their coworkers!  The Apostle Paul considered the Corinthian Believers to be "living examples" of the Gospel. (2Cor.3;2) As individuals in the Kingdom of God this is our role. We're living Epistles! Our life is a living message which people read on a daily basis. The accuracy of our lifestyle reflects to the world the accuracy of the Gospel message be believe.

Market Place Evangelism has become quite a common expression in certain Christian circles and is really simply another way of saying "personal evangelism". The value of this kind of evangelism is seen in 1P.3. The context has to do with Christian wives who are living with unsaved husbands "In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands, even those who refuse to accept the Good News. Your godly lives will speak to them better than any words. They will be won over 2 by watching your pure, godly behavior. We must never underestimate the power and influence of "Lifestyle Evangelism".

"Lifestyle Evangelism" is without the most demanding ministry there is. The major reason for this is, there is no relaxing from it. The Crusade evangelist is able to rest and take time to prepare for the next set of meetings while the retail clerk is in contact with coworkers and customers all the time. It's there in the workplace where your true Christianity is revealed. It's very demanding and requires a consistent prayer life and continual refreshing in the area of attitudes. Some people are easy to take for a short time but day and day out certain character traits that "bug you" can grind away at your love.

It's important to become conscious of your "Lifestyle Evangelism". It's not preached, it's lived and it's lived consistently conscious of the fact that other are watching. They watch how you deal with personal adversity in the workplace, how you deal with authority figures, how you respond to instructions and insults. In the hearts of the unsaved the question is continually being asked, "does this person really care?" "Are trust worthy?" "Are they real?"

In "Lifestyle or Market Place Evangelism" LOVE is the BIG ISSUE. Do we really love people! Do we really have their best interest at heart. Do we love them enough to tolerate them? Do we love them enough to tell them the truth about their lost sinful state? WOW! Now this is where the rubber really starts meeting the road. We don't preach at them but when then come to us asking us why we're Christians and why we behave the way we do we need to love then enough to tell them the truth. At this point it's easy for self -interest to take over and we purpose to protect ourselves rather than love them enough to risk losing friendships or being persecuted for our beliefs.

As we become more conscious of our "Lifestyle Evangelism" we will become more aware of opportunities to share our faith with those around us. We will develop an attitude that says "I'm never too busy and I'm always ready". Going to work each day will take on a whole new meaning and even the most mundane and boring jobs can become exciting. The reason for this? We start understanding that our real work is "living for Jesus and sharing our faith at every opportunity and the job we have is merely a God given vehicle through which that can be expressed.

1P.3:15,16 -  Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 16 But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak evil against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

"Lifestyle Evangelism" has various facets of expression. One time it may be a prayer for someone who as just suffered the loss of a loved one. Another time it may be the giving of an appropriate tract or simple invitation to join you for Sunday church service or home Bible study. The key in Marketplace Evangelism is consistent genuine Christian lifestyle.

In closing this section I just want to emphasize the importance of sincerity and honesty with people. If you blow, it's not the end of the world as long as you're, loving and courageous enough to "own up" to you mistake to those you work with. It's amazing how understanding sinners can be when it comes to imperfection. They're often looking for sincerity more than perfection.

One of the dangers in "Friendship Evangelism" or any, of what I prefer to call "Lifestyle Evangelism" is the temptation to avoid confrontation with the person or persons you have become acquainted with. It's easy to seek to protect the friendship above actually telling the person that they need to repent of their sin and receive Christ in a personal way. We must always keep in mine that no one can be genuinely "Born Again" without the creative Word of God effecting them. That Word must come into evangelistic effort through some means, whether vocally, through song or in writing. It is the Gospel that is the power of God which brings about salvation, not friendship, as good as that may be.