2024 01 14 Sermon What if Evangelism Means Just Making Connections?
What if Evangelism Means Just Making Connections?
(based on the book Evangelism Without Additives by Jim Henderson)
Sermon Series 2 of 4
2nd Sunday after Epiphany
John 1:43-51; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Rev. Karl-John N. Stone
When I lived in Lincoln, Nebraska one of the famous local guys was Darin Erstad. Back in the 90s he was a star player for the University of Nebraska, both in football and baseball. When he finished his collegiate baseball career he held school records for most hits in one game, most hits in one season, and most career hits. He went on to have a very successful career in Major League Baseball, mostly as a centerfielder for the Anaheim Angels, and then he came back to Nebraska to coach the University baseball team.
While he was on the Angels, Darin Erstad had one of the best seasons as a hitter ever, finishing the year 2000 season with 240 hits. This is the 13th most hits by a player in a single season in Major League history. He was asked by a reporter if he ever thought he might break the major league record (which at the time was 257 hits), and he replied, “No, because I don’t focus on that type of stuff. I just focus on taking good swings. I don’t focus on results as much as the process of getting there… You can’t will hits to come. You just put the ball in play and see what happens.” (p. 32)
Think about that. Darin Erstad, who led his college team in hits, and led the whole major leagues in hits for one season, did not worry about getting hits. He did not worry about whether the ball would land on the field for a hit, or in someone’s glove for an out. All he concerned himself with was making a good connection with the ball. If he could do that, then a force beyond himself, outside of his control (in this case the laws of physics) would provide positive outcomes. Now of course the nature of baseball is that even the best players fail most of the time. Darin Erstad got those 240 hits in 676 at bats, which means he failed to get a hit 436 times—he failed almost twice as many times as he succeeded, and this gave him one of the best seasons ever! By being a failure 2/3 of the time.
And this example of Darin Erstad is a parable of the way Jesus modeled evangelism for us, his followers. We see it in today’s gospel, about Jesus calling Philip and Nathanael to be his disciples. And the way that Jesus models this is simply by being himself, making good connections with people, and then letting them know that God is with them. Jesus meets Philip and gives him a simple invitation: “Follow me.” Philip didn’t have to prove he was good enough, or had enough faith, or held all of the right beliefs, or anything else. He simply received an invitation to make a connection with another person. And after experiencing this model himself, Philip went out and did it on his own. He made a connection with his friend Nathanael, and just by being himself, Philip was able to have a conversation about something they found interesting and meaningful: “we’ve found him about whom Moses and the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.”
Then something very important happened. Nathanael expressed his skepticism and asked a question: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” At that time Nazareth was just a little village of no particular importance, on the outskirts of the bigger and more prosperous town, Sepphoris. Nothing good ever came from Nazareth! Sepphoris had all the good stuff! Philip didn’t argue with him; didn’t try to “correct” him. He allowed Nathanael to have his questions, because questions are normal. So he simply invited Nathanael to “Come and see.” Perhaps Philip realized that evangelism—sharing the good news of Jesus, and God’s love and presence in our lives—is kind of like getting a hit in baseball. You cannot “will” a certain result into existence, no matter how badly you want to. The result is totally out of your control. But the one thing you can control is being intentional about making good connections. After that you can only wait and see where it lands, because there is a force beyond yourself, outside of your control, that is at work. In the case of evangelism, it’s not the laws of physics, but the Holy Spirit who is at work.
Now, this may seem (from a human point of view) weak or foolish or powerless—but that is the way God chooses to work in the world, and through us; we see it most profoundly in the cross. St. Paul, writing about the cross of Christ in 1 Corinthians, puts it this way: “Few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead God chose things the world considers foolish, powerless, despised, and counted as nothing at all, and God used them to bring to nothing what the world considered important” (namely, those grand displays of power and might). God works in ways that are simple, hidden, ordinary, and often counter-intuitive.
In the case of Nathanael, the Holy Spirit worked through his skepticism and questions, and through the good connection Philip made with him—and Nathanael actually ended up with a very deep faith. We know from experience that it doesn’t always work out that way. Lots of people may be offered an invitation, but don’t respond. Nathanael happened to be at a place in his life where he was ready to respond, but not everyone is. Again, it’s like hitting a baseball. They very best hitters fail 2/3 of the time—and most hitters fail even more than that; and so do most evangelists! So, like Darin Erstad, “don’t focus so much on the result as on the process of getting there.” Begin by making good connections, and then see what happens.
How do we make good connections? Last Sunday I talked about a way to get started, and that was: instead of saying “what’s up? how’s it going?” to everyone as an informal greeting, try asking at least one person “How are you?” and then take the time to actually listen, just to give the gift of your attention, which in itself is a gift of love in Christ Jesus. It’s important to realize that not everyone you ask “How are you?” will be ready or willing to respond. That’s okay; the main thing is the process of making good a connection. It’s not about getting the result you want on the timeframe you want. It’s about allowing space for God to be at work. And if you do take some time to give the gift of your attention, then at the least you’ve planted a seed; maybe that person will turn to you sometime in the future when they really do want to tell someone about “how they are doing”.
This is another key to the way of evangelism that Jesus modeled: he never forced an opening for a spiritual conversation (p. 42). He never put on a “religious” costume or expected others to do the same. He just related to people as a real person. He was a real person talking to real people. He interacted with their real lives in ways that were curious and kind and meaningful. Just listening and talking about things that are important and meaningful to people—this is what it takes to “be real”, and anyone can do it. “Being real” and making connections opens doors—if not today, then maybe in the future.
So this week, try to find at least one person to have a low-key but real conversation with. Maybe it’s someone you don’t talk to that often but know a little bit (if you’re comfortable with that). Maybe it’s someone you know well. And just try to talk about something that is interesting or meaningful to them (not necessarily to you, but to them). It doesn’t have to be anything religious. And as they talk, listen for something that you can celebrate with them in a small way, as you are just being yourself. In these small moments of blessing, God is present and making connections both with you and with the person you are talking with. See where it lands. Amen.