Practices of Loving Kindness

By Paul R. Dekar

As Christians, we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ by living faithfully in response to his gracious invitation to follow him. In the words of Paul, we become all things to all people that we might by all means save some (1 Cor 9:22).
All means leads to a broad evangelistic lifestyle. True evangelical faith cannot lie dormant. It feeds the hungry. It provides something to drink to those who are thirsty. It welcomes the stranger. It clothes the naked. It brings healing to those who are sick. It visits those in prison. It comforts the sorrowful. It serves those who harm it. It shelters the destitute. It binds up those who are wounded. In short, it becomes life-giving sustenance to everyone.
We, the whole people of God, share the whole gospel for the whole person in the whole of society throughout the whole world. This definition is not unique to me and has gained wide acceptance over the last thirty years. Five components of an evangelistic lifestyle follow.

Whole People of God
Every local manifestation of the church and all individual members of the church are responsible for God’s mission. Evangelism is not an option, something we choose to do or not to do. Evangelism belongs to everyone. To evangelize alone is theologically misguided and a recipe for burnout.

Whole Gospel
We are gospel-bearers. Evangelism flows naturally from our baptism and incorporation into Christ’s church. Through worship, programs, and other activities we evangelize intentionally. More generally, evangelism is walking in the light of God. In the words of a well-known chorus, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.”

Whole Person
It is wrong to talk of saving “souls” as though we are disembodied. We share a gospel for the whole person that includes body, mind, and spirit.

Whole of Society
A biblical perspective on evangelism holds centripetal activity (the nations flowing to Jerusalem) in tension with centrifugal activity (going out to the nations). Aware of the contexts in which such practices arose, I appreciate the model of early ascetics who fled to the wilderness or of groups like the Amish who respond to the communitarian impulse suggested by passages such as Acts 2:37-42. While these may not be suitable models for most of us, it is clear that God calls us to bring the gospel to bear on all aspects of the social world in which we live.

Whole World
A biblical perspective on missions is hostile to narrowness of vision. Flung into God’s world with a global consciousness, we are to think globally but act locally.

As Christ-bearers, we must resist three tendencies. The first is to be possessive. It is unacceptable to claim that the gospel of Jesus Christ is ours as though it is not something for others or is compatible only with our culture. The second is to live exclusively inward-directed or outward-directed lives. We must be as concerned with inner holiness and sanctification as we are with life in the world. The third is to accent one aspect of evangelism to the exclusion of others. We must be as concerned with personal witness as we are with justice.

Followers of Jesus Christ adopt a wide variety of practices. The interior practices such as prayer or Sabbath observance do in fact lead outward. In words of the eighteenth-century antislavery advocate John Woolman, “It is good for thee to dwell deep, that thou mayest feel and understand the spirits of people.”

Jesus and his friends, Mary and Martha, offer a model of evangelism that links prayer and action. They practiced the interior disciplines of personal holiness and journeyed as well into worldly service.

A third-century story recorded in The Sayings of the Desert Fathers illustrates how the inward-outward journey manifests itself. Abba Agathon, a third-century monk, was going to town to sell articles. On the roadside, he met a cripple with paralyzed legs who asked the monk where he was going. Abba Agathon replied, “To town, to sell some things.” The cripple replied, “Do me the favor of carrying me there.” So Agathon carried him to town. When they arrived, the cripple said, “Put me down where you sell your wares.” He did so. After Agathon sold something, the man asked, “For how much did you sell it?” Agathon told him. The man said, “Buy me some food.” Agathon did. When he had sold all his wares and was preparing to leave, the cripple asked, “Will you do me the favor of carrying me back to the place where you found me?” Agathon picked him up and carried him back to that place. Then the cripple said, “Agathon, you are filled with divine blessings, in heaven and on earth.” Raising his eyes, Agathon saw only an angel of the Lord.

This story in three movements leads to the heart of an evangelistic lifestyle. First, each of us, like Agathon, when we surrender to a call to follow Jesus, must simply let the Holy Spirit be our guide. Second, and again like Agathon, as we resolve to follow Jesus, we probably have no great plans. Generally we are not thinking about specific ministries. More likely, we are focused on holiness and salvation. Almost certainly, we are not thinking about the hungry, the helpless, the hopeless, and the hugless. These are, nonetheless, the ones Jesus beckons us to serve. We simply make ourselves available to those in need if we are Christ-bearers. Finally, and again like Agathon, when we follow all the directions that come from God, angels in heaven and on earth take note and fill our hearts to overflowing with God’s love. This love is a divine gift. This love guides our ministry.

—From Holy Boldness: Practices of an Evangelistic Lifestyle by Paul R. Dekar