Evangelism: Every Man for Himself?

by David Rollert

Have you ever watched 7-year-olds at a recreational soccer game? You get a bunch of kids out on the field and what generally happens is they all try to go after the ball, regardless of what position on the field they were supposed to be playing - defense, midfield, or forward - it does not matter: They all just charge toward the ball. However, as the kids get older, they learn more about the game, gain more self-control, and get better at staying in their assigned positions. In a well-functioning soccer team each player knows their position. They know where the other players are positioned and they work together. When they work together properly they can achieve far more than any individual player could on their own.

A similar concept is communicated in Scripture. In 2 Corinthians 12:12-31 Paul speaks of the church as a body. A body functions best when all the different parts operate in a coordinated fashion. Each part has its role to play, and those roles are all different. But, they work together to achieve more than any individual part could on its own.

Now, let’s apply this concept to evangelism. Evangelism involves many roles. You need people who are making initial contact with non-believers. You need other people who make those non-believers feel welcome when they visit service. You need people who are skilled at writing cards of encouragement. You need people who are skilled at conducting sit-down Bible studies with non-believers. Beyond all of that, the congregation needs to function in a cohesive way so that those who are converted have the best possible chance to grow. And the list goes on!

But, what happens if those people don’t communicate with each other? What if each person is just “doing their own thing” in evangelism? Just like those little children playing soccer, the ball may get kicked, and goals may be scored... but success is limited because they are not working as a team. Likewise, people may be converted here and there, but the church will not have the impact it could have if the members

were working together.

Let’s continue the soccer analogy. Imagine if the local congregation were functioning at the level of a championship soccer team. Every member knows their position, and they are good at their job. They know the other positions, who fills them, and how to “pass the ball” to the right person at the right time. They also know other positions well enough that they can switch roles and back each other up when needed. If the local congregation were to function at that level, think of the impact it would have on the community!

We don’t need a highly regimented and micromanaged system like the Boston movement – that is NOT the goal. Instead, the idea is that we all have important roles to play and we can make a larger difference if we communicate and work together in a coordinated fashion.