Evangelism

Apologetics is the rational defense of our faith. It's similarity to "apology" is not accidental. Apology is a rational explanation of our actions; saying sorry is secondary. The "ology" is the study of, just like "biology" and "physiology". So apology originally means the study of the rational defense of our faith. "Evangelism" comes from the Greek for "Good News".

Like a good murder mystery, evangelism can be approached in a fun way based on motive, method and opportunity. Our motive is captured in our testimony and our testimony is also the best method of evangelism. Rarely does someone come to the Lord based on an intellectual debate. Personal relationship is key and the so called lifestyle evangelism. Some corporate cultures facilitate friendships but the reality is that most working relationships are professional not personal. So evangelism in the workplace is that much more complex because of that dynamic.

Methods are many. The Four Spiritual Laws, The Bridge and The Roman Road are all good summaries. While the focus is on our testimony and strong relationships, a succinct summary of the Gospel message is needed as well.

Finally, opportunities can be created. We need to find ways to work in our faith into our workday conversations. Discussions of weekend activities, current events or just our lives can be a good way to lead into a conversation on faith.

Our group exercise was to pair off and do one of the following with your partner:

1) Role play a water cooler conversation and work in a discussion about Christianity.
2) Give your testimony.
3) Give an exposition of the Gospel