Dcn Brigid Waszczak

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. —Matthew 28: 19-20

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Here it is. Straight out of scripture. Our job is to evangelize: bring more followers to the faith, teach, and baptize. We may be sent, but there is no mention of strong-arm tactics, coercion, arm-twisting, intimidation, threats, or pressure.

A friend recounted recently that when he stopped to get gas at a station near I-10 and Speedway at 6:00am, well-dressed Jehovah’s Witnesses were seated there, waiting to speak with him about salvation and conversion. (JW’s believe in a literal interpretation of Rev 14:1-4: exactly 144,000 faithful Christians will go to heaven to rule in spirit with Christ.)

Do you remember Jesus ever warning people they would spend eternal life in hell if they did not follow him? Me, neither. In fact, I do not recall Jesus threatening anyone if they did not follow him. I recall his being sad over their choice to walk away. (The rich young man. Nicodemus.)

Evangelism takes many forms. I prefer a subtler, gentler tactic.

Jesus advised, “… as I have loved you, you must also love one another.” (John 13:34) Following this directive, everyday interactions done with love model faith far more effectively and make it more attractive. Why beat people over the head when peacefully luring them with love works better? Small acts done with love, kindness, and compassion evangelize more effectively than shouted theological statements ever do.

In her book Holy Envy, Barbara Brown Taylor writes about evangelism being a trait of both Buddhism and Christianity (p59).

Both are evangelistic... but the Buddhists seem to understand what Gandhi meant by the “evangelism of the rose.” Distressed by the missionary tactics of Christians in his country, he reminded them that a rose does not have to preach. It simply spreads its fragrance, allowing people to respond as they will.

Taylor states more eloquently what I envision as subtle evangelism. We can easily emulate the rose, fragrantly spreading faith just by being ourselves.

May it be so.

—Dcn Brigid