Men Discuss Faith Sharing


Workshop tackles challenges and opportunities of spreading the gospel


BY RICH LALIBERTE Christians want—and are called—to share their faith, but Presbyterians often feel uncomfortable evangelizing, said FPCA lead pastor Rev. Dr. Jack Haberer in kicking off a March 25 men’s retreat on Faith Sharing with Family and Friends.


Reluctance to spread the gospel may lie in part with what’s often seen as a distasteful salesmanship model of spreading the good news. A sales approach can have overtones of manipulating or browbeating people in ways that may feel more controlling than loving.


A more natural and effective approach is a friendship model that arises from a genuine sense of love, compassion, and sharing. In this model, 60 percent of moving people closer to God entails building relationships as an organic outgrowth of conversation and shared experiences. Another 30 percent consists of sharing your faith story as mutual affection prompts another person to learn more about you.


In the friendship model, only 10 percent of engagement might emphasize what we typically associate with evangelizing—namely, conveying what a Christian is. Toward the end of the workshop,


Jack outlined touch points of this 10 percent by defining Christian faith as discovering God’s plan of being in relationship, acknowledging the problem of our separation from God, discovering God’s remedy in the cross of Jesus, and responding to God’s invitation by receiving Christ.


How a friendship model plays out depends on where a family member or friend might lie on a 16-point continuum of steps to Christ that begins with no awareness of God and progresses to ongoing growth. Steps along the way include gaining awareness of and interest in God and Jesus, grasping truths and implications of Christian faith, surrendering to Jesus, and moving on to experience life change, learn more, gain confidence, and share with others.


For many Christians, evangelizing amounts to a shared walk, as all of us are at different points along the continuum. With that in mind, much of the retreat consisted of small-group conversations as men shared their faith stories with each other at their tables or during one- to-one breakouts—an exercise in practical and meaningful evangelism.


Evangelizing doesn’t necessarily entail strategy. Often it begins by simply paying attention to people whom God places within your sphere of influence. First steps: Make a list of people you can hold up daily


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in prayer. Find opportunities to serve those you’re in relationship with. Pay attention—and take initiative to help a person move even one step closer to Christ.


MEN’S MINISTRY AT FPCA


“Openness and honesty of the group.” “Discussion with the other attendees.” “Conversation at table.” These comments from some of the 22 men who attended the March men’s retreat capture high points for men’s small groups that meet regularly at FPCA.


If you’re interested in sharing your faith, life, joys, and challenges with other men, a Men’s Discipleship group meets each Wednesday at 6:45 a.m. in Room 115, while a Saturday Men’s Group meets every other week at 7:30 a.m. in the Witherspoon Room near the church office.


For more information, email Mike Loomis at loomisfamily1@gmail.com.


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