‘Four Candles’ Evangelism
This is a classic sketch from the ‘Two Ronnies’ in which a customer goes into a hardware shop and asks for different items. His request is always ambiguous e.g. he says to the assistant ‘fork handles’ and the assistant goes to get him ‘four candles.’ Sometimes when doing evangelism the evangelist is like the customer in that his message is not clear, literally sending out the wrong message (e.g. ‘are you washed in the blood of the lamb’ or ‘are you saved brother’ which may mean nothing to the hearer.) Likewise if the assistant were the evangelist, rather than assuming what the customer wants he should be trying to really listen to him, engaging him in conversation in order to fully understand what his real needs were. Evangelists often assume that one response or evangelistic script fits all and will not spend the time listening to the felt needs and pains of those they seek to reach. Jesus the Master evangelist on the other hand dealt with the woman at the well in a very different way than he did the Pharisee Nicodemus. Each person was unique; each had a very different set of problems and background and therefore had to be dealt in a unique way.Enjoy!
Aiming,though often failing 'to become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some'. Join with me in these reflections,discussions, videos and even humour about how we might become truly authentic in mission:Contextual yet Biblical:Passionate, but also Compassionate:In Word, as well as in Deed.The Spirit of Jesus within is calling each of his followers to reach out and fulfil the Missio Dei in a world of pain and need.
Like it.
ReplyDeleteRebus
Very true.
ReplyDeleteWilliam