Two years later Mark hesitantly revisited Sam, who greeted Mark warmly and asked how he was doing at college. Mark told of a small group of guys who got together each morning to talk about the day, and usually ending with a prayer. Sam was impressed. This little exchange illustrated a different way to share the joy and justice of the gospel: no conversion, no “sinners prayer,” no “Roman Road to Salvation” (using several purple passages from the book of Romans as a plan for salvation).
Mark has built upon this experience at seminary and in graduate school at the University of Iowa. His doctoral dissertation was on Paul Tillich. Anybody who sees Paul Tillich as his mentor in talking about evangelism needs to be taken seriously. Mark stands alone in this regard.
“The twentieth century theologian Paul Tillich describes ‘sinfulness’ as ‘estrangement.'” Estrangement assumes a prior relationship. Assuming that a person has had a prior relationship with God is the first step in evangelism. “One way of expressing that prior relationship is to say to each and all. ‘You are a beloved child of God.'”
Building on this assumption, Mark discusses evangelism as conversation and the listening and telling that it entails. The book has six chapters or sessions and concludes with a discussion guide at the end.
Mark’s friend, Sam, plays a pivotal role later in Mark’s life. Eight years later he met Sam in a toy store. Sam invited Mark to come to Highland Presbyterian Church, and later recommended Mark be accepted as an “Inquirer” into ordination.
When we see evangelism as conversation, strange things can happen. We might even wonder who evangelizes whom?
Buy the book. It is a good read. In fact, buy several books and get some friends together and spend a few evenings talking about evangelism.
Gus Nelson is director of Project 21.
