Soap, Hell and Fire

I don't soap box very much on this blog. Even though, if you know me, you know I have...ahem...opinions. But I guess this has been on my mind lately. So sometimes writing it down helps. Our new preacher, young though he is, gave a great talk last Wednesday night about leading others to Christ. Evangelism. It's a word that many people shrink from because of its implications. Namely getting out of the Lazy Boy and being among the masses. I can understand--evangelism has so many forms and formulas these days--which do you choose? Our preacher discussed those good-intentioned Gospel meeting preachers of old who would try to "scare" people into the water. Jesus was described as a get-out-of-hell-free card. He went on to plead with people to present Jesus as a Savior from sin, an amazing Redeemer, and a loving Shepherd. It's almost revolutionary to think on these terms. I mean, if you don't first "help" the lost know they are, at this moment, hanging from a thread over the fiery lakes of Hell, then how do you present their need? Many have grappled with this question. What is the best way to be Jesus to others? What can you say to logically introduce the salvation conversation? How do you get your foot in the door, so to speak? These are very important questions, and they are usually asked by people given the gift of a passion for the lost. But (yes, there is the but), I hardly ever hear talk of the Holy Spirit in these discussions. I am beginning to feel like the Church of Christ is a little reluctant to mention His involvement. Actually, I haven't heard mention of the Spirit in a long time at our church. And that is a whole other soap box I won't mention...for now. ;) Taking the story of Acts chapter 2 as a powerful example of Evangelism, I notice two key points. One, there was no mention of hell, just a testimony of Jesus' character and validity as the Messiah. Two, they did it through the help of the Holy Spirit. It wasn't them--in fact, they waited what must have seemed like a long time before they spoke to the people (the lost) because they had been told to not go ahead without the Helper. When was the last time I heard someone give the testimony of waiting to hear from the Spirit for the go ahead from the pulpit? It's been long enough. I bet the apostles had a very captivated audience, though. The timing of the Spirit is perfect. Still, wouldn't you listen to someone with fire burning out of the top of their head? I mean, I would at least watch to see if anything else caught fire. Like, just maybe, the hearts of the listeners.