Keep It Simple

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.  

1 Peter 3:15 

I recently listened to a 3-part sermon series by Andy Stanley called Prepared.  LOVED IT.  It really reminded me how simple evangelism really should be.  To give Andy credit, most of the thoughts in this post come from him, not me.

One of the most frustrating things about being a Christian is the questions people ask about what you believe. If you had fifteen minutes, you could answer. But what are you supposed to say in just a few seconds? How do you defend your faith without losing your mind?

So often the reason I don’t have spiritual conversations with non-believers is because I am afraid I am not going to be able to face their arguments or defend what I believe.  So even if I feel like I am supposed to open my mouth, I don’t.  It’s not because I don’t love them them enough or because I am not broken over the fact that they are facing an eternity separated from God.  (Well, I think I could get better at that too, but that was not really the point of this series.)

Here is my big takeaway….

I do not have to be able to fight for a literal 6 day creation story.

I do not have to interpret the parables.

I do not have to explain how I think the end times are going to play out.

I do not have to try to prove that Jonah was in a big fish or that Jesus fed thousands of people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.

I do not even have to quote scripture.

I am simply responsible for 1 Peter 3:15.  To make it personal: “Beth needs to be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks her to give the reason for the hope that she has.”  That is MY hope.  This is MY reason for believing something that can only be fully believed by faith.  Suddenly that sounds a lot less intimidating to me.  

When someone wants to know why you chose to follow Jesus, his or her question will probably focus on lifestyle choices, the church, Old Testament stories, or miracles. But the question you should answer is, “Why Jesus?” Give the answer Jesus’ followers have been giving since the first century: the reason you’re a Jesus follower is the resurrection. If there were no resurrection, there would be no faith.

Here is what Andy says:

“I believe Jesus died for my sin and rose from the dead, but not because the Bible says so. I believe because Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, James, and Paul said so. They were eyewitnesses and friends of eyewitnesses.”

For this to make total sense, I highly recommend listening to the series.  It will definitely be an excellent tool in your evangelism toolbox.  Here is where you can find the messages.

Longing for Heaven

Longing for Heaven

I freakishly LOVE anticipation.  Whenever there is a big event or a vacation or a huge life-changing occurrence, I thoroughly enjoy the days leading up to it.  I remember as a kid being so excited the night before going to an amusement park, that I literally laid awake most of the night thinking about the fun I was going to have.  First day of school every fall?  Same thing.  From the moment we book a cruise or family trip, the excitement and anticipation begin building.  While I love surprising other people at the last minute with a trip or fun night out, I’m not sure I want to be surprised because that would mean missing out on the “dreaming” about the thing.  Basically I am longing for something that is to come…..something I know I am going to enjoy MORE than what I am currently experiencing.

Sometimes I long for heaven.  No, I don’t think about sending myself there prematurely and I am fine with however many more days or years God gives me here on earth.  But I genuinely get so excited when I think about what is to come.  The funny part to me is that these times of longing often don’t even happen on my worst days.  It can be just an average day or even a really blessed day, but I will catch myself having that excited feeling that I remember as a kid.  What is coming is infinitely better than ANYTHING I am experiencing here.  

The best comparison I can come up with (and it definitely pales) is marriage.  When you get engaged, you instantly enter this stage of anticipation.  Some days are packed full of planning and dreaming and getting ready for the wedding.  Some days your thoughts are constantly on the anticipation of getting to spend the rest of your life with the person you love.  And then some days you get caught up in the realities of every day life and just an occasional “whisper” of a thought about the marriage creeps in once in a while.  And the closer the wedding gets…..the more your anticipation grows.

That is what my longing for heaven is like. Some nights I almost can’t sleep because I am so excited to be in heaven with Jesus.  Some days the waves of life are too consuming and I just have an occasional whisper-thought.  

Sometimes when I see people who are absolutely terrified of death (and I don’t even mean a painful dying process….but actual death) or people who have extreme and prolonged grief after losing a loved one who is a believer, I have to stop and think.  Do they really, truly get it?  Heaven is going to be incredible!  

Every dream or longing I can possibly have does not even come close that what it is actually going to be like!  And if I am so excited just from the little hints that scripture gives us and what my little mind can imagine…..then just wait until the real thing!!

Remember, I said I "freakishly" love anticipation.  I know.  I am not normal.  :)