“[…they] do not believe in evangelistic strategies, other than the pursuit to be like Jesus in his interactions with others. They do not target people or have an agenda but rather seek to love all those whom God brings to them. They do not hope for a belief change for their conversation partners as much as a life change. Because of their high level of engagement with other cultures, the sacred/secular split is overcome as they practice the kingdom in their midst, in community.”
I wonder who “they” are? I wonder if “they” look like your/my church, your community group whatever.
I wonder if “just living it out” is just an excuse for not proclaiming their faith, or if in fact their faith is so ‘present’ in their lives that it is open and lived as a natural part of their lives”
Challenging hey, how different is your lifestyle? Enough to make people think, wonder, ask questions, consider their own lives?
No Guarantees 
It is def something I am thinking about a fair bit at the moment. Being in a new place, meeting LOTS of new people, building totally new friendships is challenging…but also a great opportunity to HOPEFULLY build from a solid, christ-following base. The question I have to ask but, does the way I live naturally ‘shine’ so that the new people I am meeting can see that there IS indeed something different about me?
Matt 5:13-16 – You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world…am I living in such a way?
I guess I am also influenced and challenged by the ‘feel’ of my church. They are very evangelism focussed…I just want to make sure that my evangelism comes OUT of my Christ-following and not seperate to it or distinct from it.
It is a challenge for me as to what the lifestyle of a Christ-follower looks like. Just how should we live? This question, I believe effects our spending, our viewing, our use of energy and natural resources, bothin the purchase and discarding of them, it effects our relationships, our reactions our giving our hospitality, our celebrations and so on!
It gets me thinking for sure!
I really noticed it last night. I have started to play volleyball for the Margs team in the Busso league. It was great. What stuck me but was just how aussie these blokes are. The main question I have on my mind is ‘how do I follow Jesus here but connect with them on their level’.
How much really can I get into their culture/way of life and NOT compromise following Jesus? How much should I? How much do I need to just trust God that by just living like Jesus, that will eventually convict them? I ‘know’ that it is the job of the Holy Spirit to open their eyes…but how much do I ‘believe’ it in practise?
It’s tough!
I like the quote – and see it as very appealing … target, agenda, nah, not for me, just do the walking – living it out IS proclaimming the faith.
not forgetting of course that it goes both ways – I am frequently being “saved” (rescued, put on the right track, healed, loved, forgiven, guided…) by others, especially when they aren’t trying to “save” me at all. And I’m referring to people who claim lots of different, or no beliefs at all.