Tuesday, June 14, 2005

What "Evangelism" Really Means

I just love this quote from Dylan's Lectionary Blog this week:

The great urgency I feel (and believe me, I feel it!) as an evangelist (by which I mean a person called to enflesh Good News in the world such that people experience Good News in the world -- it's a shame that the word 'evangelist' has come in the popular usage to refer to someone who yells at everyone within earshot about Bad News) is to build communities of mercy, love, and justice broad enough to take in the fullest extent possible of God's passion for Creation.

I want to be like Sarah Dylan Breuer when I grow up!

7 comments:

Christopher said...

I call the "bad newsers" the Pharasaic branch of Christianity.
Peace,
Chris

bls said...

Well, no worries. You already are like that....

;-)

Joe said...

I have to say that understanding the bad news was an important part of my own journey as it helped me recognize the Good News when I finally heard it...but overall, I would agree that the emphasis is on the wrong part in many circles these days.

There is so much difference when you observe or experience a Church that is guided by a sense of what it is that they are for rather than by what they are against.

Grace and Peace,
Joe

LutheranChik said...

Christopher: Reminds me of the song in Godspell -- "I send you prophets and I send you preachers/sages and ages and rages of teachers/nothing can mar your mood..."

LutheranChik said...

Bls: Well, but SDB is a trained professional...I'm having to learn my theology on the mean streets (and by cribbing from her notes;-)).

LutheranChik said...

"There is so much difference when you observe or experience a Church that is guided by a sense of what it is that they are for rather than by what they are against.

Amen to that.

bls said...

(Shhh, but I like the "mean streets" thing better....)