The other day I was searching for a video on the internet, when I came across a website devoted to atheists. I started reading through some interactions that were between a Christian person and the atheists who belonged to the site.
I think the reason I was so attracted to the conversation was because when I first became a Christian in '99, I would join internet chatrooms thinking I could somehow lead people to Christ. What typically happened, from my experience, was that typically I would frustrate the very people I was trying to lead to Christ. I had good intentions, but was very ineffective in reaching the lost.
This is what appeared to be happening on this atheist website I was referring to. What I found interesting is how the atheists reacted to the (well meaning) Christian. They found humour in just about everything this Christian was saying. And for good reason too! This Christian talked to the atheists as if he was talking to his Christian friends - using "Christian-ese" if you will.
What I kept thinking was that it seemed so much like Christians vs. Atheists, and that by having this approach would spell out a war without love. I imagined interacting with these atheists differently. I imagined what these atheists would think if a Christian went out of his or her way to love these atheists. Giving of themselves without demanding anything in return. How would that be perceived? Would the Christian still be laughed at? I would like to think no, but, without practicing what I'm talking about I won't know.
I want to start loving my neighbours - and by neighbours, I mean everyone, and by love, I mean the 1st Corinthians 13 love that is often recited at weddings. I think that is when I'll start seeing Jesus working in people's lives, including my own.
What are your thoughts on this? What forms of evangelism have you seen work or not work?
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