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Broadcasting the Good News
Currently underway at our 9:00 am adult Sunday School hour is the course I’m teaching entitled “Becoming a Contagious Christian.” The class’s purpose is to encourage and assist all of us to be “broadcasters” of the Gospel—in simple and straightforward ways, according to the gifts and personalities God has given each one of us.
As a foundation for the class, I’ve been making the point that evangelism—sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ—is part of our dna as Episcopalians. We’re not famous for this, of course, but if you look at our Anglican tradition, you see running through it an emphasis on the Church’s Gospel mission communicated through all of her members.
For instance, it was no less than the Archbishop of Canterbury who defined evangelism for the modern era. (You can’t get any more Anglican than that!) In 1945, Archbishop William Temple (pictured above) encouraged the Church to engage post-war England with the Gospel by describing evangelism this way: “Evangelism is the presentation of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit in such ways that persons may be led to believe in him as Savior and follow him as Lord within the fellowship of his Church.” Archbishop Temple’s definition was so good and so comprehensive, that the Billy Graham Association later adopted it as it’s own definition of evangelism, as did the Episcopal Church’s General Convention of 1973.
But our evangelistic heritage goes farther back than that. You see it when you look at the office of Morning Prayer, the basis of our Church’s daily devotional life. In that liturgy, there are three prayers for the Church’s mission, one of which is to be said each day. Here is the third of the three: “Lord Jesus Christ, who didst stretch out thine arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of thy saving embrace: So clothe us in thy Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know thee to the knowledge and love of thee; for the honor of thy Name. Amen.” (bcp 58)
You see, ours is a tradition that has prayed daily for others to receive the Gospel. Furthermore, we have collects throughout the Church Year that stress the importance of mission—and not through the hierarchy, but through the lives of “ordinary” members. Take, for instance, the collect we pray on the Second Sunday after the Epiphany: “Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that thy people, illumined by thy Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (bcp 163)
Lastly, the responsibility to share Christ with others is part of the promises made at baptism. The candidate is asked, “Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?” The answer that follows is: “I will, with God’s help.” Both “word” and “example” are important. I’m mindful of St. Francis of Assisi’s exhortation to “preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary use words!” It is indeed important to remember that people often don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Yet, part of facing up to Francis’ famous words is that there really are times when it is necessary to use words! Sometimes we need to “connect the dots” for people by telling others of our faith and hope in Christ. Long ago, St. Peter put it this way: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. (1 Peter 3:15 niv) This is what we promise to do in baptism; we promise to “proclaim,” to share Christ with others.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, we indeed have Good News to broadcast, the kind of news that is “contagiously” good when we share it with others. In so many ways, our Episcopal/Anglican tradition encourages us to share it with the world. Why not try attending the Contagious Christianity class to see how God might use you, in ways big or small, in this great enterprise.
Yours always in Christ,
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