The Blessing of a Godly Minority...Continued from page 4

Friends, we must not respond to the militant enemies of Christianity with hatred or animosity. We must be firm but respectful in our stand for biblical truth. Our only chance of attracting some of our opponents to the faith is if Jesus’ spirit is transparent in us.

Our mandate number four is to...

Evangelize winsomely.

One of the reasons that Christianity is growing faster than Islam is that we are willing to compete in the open marketplace of ideas rather than trying to force people to follow our particular religion.

There is no argument half as strong as a changed life. A Christian’s testimony will always trump another person’s argument. Adding more police may help protect little children from the gunfire of drug dealers in Memphis. But the final solution is to render illegal drugs unnecessary. How? By offering people Christ, who alone can fill that aching void inside them that drives them to drugs.

The most powerful evangelistic statement you can make sounds something like this: “Since I began to follow Jesus Christ, He has been doing some wonderful things in my life. I still have a long way to go; but, thanks be to God, I’m not what I used to be. I know that God loves you as much as He loves me. What He is doing in my life, He will gladly do for you. If you want to know more, just ask and I’ll gladly share.”

Friends, that is winsome evangelism. If we step out in faith and share in that spirit, God will anoint our words with power; and through those words He can change lives and save souls.

If we would be that faithful minority within America, it will require faith and courage. But can you think of a nobler struggle than this one for the survival and the future of our beloved nation?

On the opening day of the war against terrorism, Sept. 11, 2001, a Roman Catholic priest named George Rutler saw an enormous amount of faith and courage on display. Father Rutler ran to the Trade Center when the Towers were hit. New York’s firemen were rushing toward the burning buildings. As they passed Father Rutler, they would pause for a moment and ask for prayers or a blessing or for the sacrament of confession. Soon a number of them were lined up like troops for battle. Quickly Father Rutler offered a prayer and general absolution for the whole group. The firemen knew exactly what they were running into, knew the odds, and yet they hoisted the hoses on their backs and charged. ⁴

If we Christians, though a minority, can step forward with that kind of faith and courage, we could be the raw material that God will use to save our beloved nation.

Happy Birthday, U.S.A., and God bless America.

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Bill Bouknight is Senior Pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. He is a Contributing Editor of Preaching.

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Notes.
1. Quoted in World magazine, May 7, 2005, p. 18.
2. Barna, George, Evangelism That Works (Regal: Ventura, CA, 1995), p. 22.
3. Moore, James W., When All Else Fails…Read the Instructions (Dimensions for Living: Nashville, 1993), p. 142.
4. Noonan, Peggy, A Heart, a Cross, and a Flag (Free Press: New York, 2003), p. 67.