Authentic Evangelism
I just got back from a Kairos weekend. Kairos is a prison ministry that is often able to reach hardened inmates. One of the men that I spent the weekend with was a self confessed “gang banger”. (Let’s call him Bill) The term “bang” comes from being willing to shoot it out with rival gangs. As we spent the weekend, Bill had several questions about Christianity. From his questions you could tell he had spent some time considering what Christianity is about. His deepest questions dealt with his own experience of being confronted by changed lives. What Bill was speaking about was not “a jail-house Christianity”—to which he never considered being a part of—but authentic Christianity evidenced by transformed lives. Bill spoke of seeing hardened gang members attend a Kairos weekend and then walk away from the gang to never return—and never to return to jail. It confounded his mind.
As we spoke about this, I could tell that Bill could not comprehend how a person could in one weekend accomplish such a transition. He also spoke of several members of the church inside the unit who had been attempting to reach him for years. One man in particular provided a steady witness. Bill had been watching the Christians for some time by now, and he observed one man who lived a Christian witness. Day in and day out he walked the walk. I later asked that man how he was able to reach men inside the unit. He said “I live the Christian walk.”
During the weekend, one of Bill’s friends walked by and said something in Spanish, about me. I asked, “What did he say?” Bill responded, “He is watching you.” We both laughed, but then Bill said, “He wants to know if you are the square deal.” I asked, “What does that mean?” Bill explained that ‘a square deal’ means to be on the level, not kidding. He then used it in context. He said if I want everyone to know I am serious I say, “This is the square deal”. In effect, I am not kidding. In a deep way we all want to know the person we are talking to is not kidding, either us or themselves.
During the weekend we asked the inmates to define the characteristics of a Christian. They struggled with the question, until I asked them to remember a Christian they admired. That is, a Christian who “walks the walk”. We then discussed that such people are a witness. The attributes of a mature Christian are found in Galatians 5:22. They are listed as fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. A person with such attributes is an authentic evangelist. Their life is a witness that is attractive. The transformation of their life speaks effectively. As Bill said “they are the square deal”. For us living out side of the walls of the prison, we must remember we are being watched as well. As we are being transformed into the likeness of Christ we must remember—our transformation is a witness of our risen Lord.
Rev. Patrick Evans
