July 12, 2006

Postevangelism

A person can't be at Beloved for long without hearing that our call as Christians is to share the Good News of Jesus to the world.  It was the last instruction our Savior gave to his apostles (Matthew 28:16-20) and we hear it every time we baptize or renew our baptismal vows in worship. 

At Beloved, we are careful about what we mean when we say evangelism.  We don't mean that Christians are to be overbearing Bible beating know-it-alls, telling others what they need to know to be saved.  What we do mean is that, empowered by the Holy Spirit, Christians always look for and pray for opportunities when our words and actions can be used by God to touch the lives of another human being on their spiritual journey.  Our job is to be a part of something much bigger than knowing all the "right answers."  Instead, we live our lives in Christian community, expecting and trusting that God is ushering in his Kingdom and that he will place responsive people across our path.  And once we meet, the Holy Spirit will guide our words and actions in the way that is best for them to discover or deepen their relationship with the Lord Jesus.  The key question always is this: do we tell God every day that we are "on duty" and do we ask for wisdom to see when we are being called to serve?

In my reading I recently came across a quote from Karen Ward, a colleague of Clifford's and mine, who is the church planter for Church of the Apostles in Seattle, Washington.  Believing that the word "evangelism" is forever colored by the negative cultural images associated with it, she encourages her church community to live as postevangelists.

I no longer believe in evangelism.  To be postevangelism is to live our lives in Christ without a strategy but with the compassion and the servant posture of Jesus Christ.  We do not do evangelism or have a mission.  The Holy Spirit is the evangelist, and the mission belongs to God.  What we do is simply live our lives publicly as a community in the way of Jesus Christ, and when people inquire as to why we live this way, we share with them an account of the hope within us.  We are to love one another, and that creates its own attraction.

As part of a church community named Beloved, how could we do or be anything else?

J. Derek Harbin, priest

Around Beloved...During Sunday worship, the Beloved Community prayed for Marie Charbonneau who is having to leave her home here in Charlotte and return to her native Canada until the American Embassy in Montreal schedules the last remaining requirement for her Green Card-an interview.  For months, no government official could tell her or her family when this simple interview could take place.  On Monday she learned that it will be held on August 15^th!  We offer praise to God for this wonderful news and ask your continued prayers for Marie and her navigation through our country's immigration process...1740 postcards were mailed this week to households in the 28277 zip code area inviting them to participate in the remaining Sundays of summer evening worship.  To view this card, click here...Summer Evening Worship continues this Sunday at 6pm instead of 9:30am.  This is "come as you are" summer worship, wearing the clothing of your afternoon adventures.  For the first four Sundays of our summer evening worship experiment, Beloved has experienced a 10.3% total worship attendance increase over the same four Sundays last year.  Hospitality will be before worship at 5:30pm, with light refreshments and lemonade.  Our 9:30am worship will resume in August...The Prayer Team is experimenting with a new meeting location and time beginning this week:  Sunday afternoons at 4:45pm in Borders Café at the Stonecrest Shopping Center.  This group would love to have you there...Beloved is so proud of Josh Elyea, Thomas Friend, Miles Harbin, Lexi Leinenkugel, Tori Leinenkugel, Joseph Nichols, Caley Scheppegrell, Mackenzie Wynn, Morgan Wynn and Austin Yearwood (with Deacon Deb Blackwood and Beloved Intern Derek Elkins) who made a difference with their "book buddies" at this year's Episcopal Outreach Camp.  Beloved had the largest youth contingent of the participating Charlotte area churches in this year's camp that focused on literacy with young, at-risk children...Check out the new Media Page on Beloved's website, thanks to the hard work of Dan Hood.  There you will find each week's sermon in MP3 format (and, hopefully, soon to be available as a podcast).  To visit, click here...Mark your calendars now; this year's Simon Evening of Giving will be held at South Park Mall on November 19^th.  More information will follow this fall.

Serving at God's Altar this Sunday...Angel Army Team 3 (Captain: Mark Leinenkugel; Administrator: Kris Leinenkugel; Pastor: Jim Skrobot; Convener: Scott Sanniota); Acolytes: Casey Anderson, Rebecca Berkeley, Kate Copeland, Jake Scheppegrell, J.R. West; Reader: Tori Leinenkugel; Presenters: Jim & Lynn Skrobot; Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Al Krantz & Kris Leinenkugel; Offertory Basket Passers: Ceci Atwood, Gabi Leinenkugel, Katie Sanniota, Jack Sanniota; PowerPoint: Cyteria Knight.

In our Prayers...for those who will receive Beloved's postcard mailing that God will use us to assist them on their spiritual journey...for Derek and Clifford King Harbin who will leave after worship on Sunday evening to teach doctoral students at Seabury Seminary (Chicago area) for several days next week...for Greg, Sherrill Lowder's brother, who has colon cancer...for Jacqui, niece of Deb and Dan Blackwood who has been diagnosed with cancer in both breasts and will have surgery to remove them this week...for Harriett, Kathy Raynor‘s mother who has cancer...for Richard, Ginger Leppert‘s father...for Jessie Powell and Janie Lownes...for those serving in Iraq, especially Scott, Dan Hood's brother...for Nancy and Tony Hodgson's granddaughter, Emily...for Dorothy, Mary Reid's sister who is fighting lung cancer...for Ruth, Shana Blake‘s cousin...for Ed and Jean, Dick Reif's parents who are in declining health in Oklahoma... for Bucky, Sherrill Lowder's neighbor, who has lung cancer...for Cyteria Knight as she seeks employment...for Kara Snowman Wulff's husband, Mike, who is employed by Springs Industries and is seeking other employment...for Jeremy Lamb who undergoes more surgery in New York City...for Forrest Boylston who is traveling in England...for Machelle Yearwood who is traveling with her daughter, Nicole Yearwood as she plays soccer in England...for Marie Charbonneau as she completes her immigration interview in Canada to return permanently to the United States...for those who travel during this time of summer respite from school.

Upcoming Calendar...click here