Trains and evangelism

 

A few years ago, a friend of ours, Liz, was 50. As part of her celebrations Liz set herself the challenge of walking around the Imber Range Perimeter path on Salisbury Plain. It is 30 miles long. But Liz decided to do it in sections and invited friends to join her to walk a section and then go a for a meal afterwards. On one particular day my wife Anne and I agreed to meet Liz. At last minute Anne couldn’t get out of work so Liz and I set off from Tilshead to Bratton. I have very fond memories of that day. (It proved to be the last occasion I was able to do such a walk due to my subsequent illness.)

Liz and I tramped along chatting about this and that. Stopping every now and again to admire the view or take a photo.

Towards the end of the walk, I stopped and said “Ooh. I can hear a train. It’s a Class 66”. (I need to explain that a Class 66 is a type of engine that pulls freight. And they have a distinctive sound.) Liz smiled and said, “I didn’t realise you liked trains too.”. Since then to Anne’s bemusement, Liz and I occasionally talk trains and model railways. (Though in my defence Liz is more of a train geek than I am*.)

The reason I mention this is that Liz, Anne and I had known each other for quite some time but until that walk, and my (correctly) identifying a Class 66, Liz and I did not know we had this railway thing in common.

I can’t help but wonder how often followers of Jesus don’t talk about their faith to others? To be evangelists?

Evangelism has unfortunately become a dirty word to many people. People know it exists, but they associate it with old fashioned tent revival meetings, street preachers and fundamentalists.

This is unfortunate because at its heart evangelism is the work of those who are the messengers of good news. The word “Evangelist” itself has the same roots as “angel”. And surely if ever there was a time for people needing good news it is now?

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, we read these words:

¹⁴ How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them? ^{15 And} how can anyone tell them without being sent by the Lord? The Scriptures say it is a beautiful sight to see even the feet of someone coming to preach the good news. Romans 10: 14 – 15 CEV

So go on. Be ready to mention your faith. It can’t be half as embarrassing as admitting you’re a train geek!

* The fact that I have a model Class 66 on my bookshelf and Liz recently gave a me a book about Class 66 engines as an early birthday present does not mean I'm a geek.