The Golden Rule of Evangelism

   Pretend for a moment that you are wrong. Your views about God, truth, and spiritual reality are sincere — but misguided. You’re staking your life and your eternity on incorrect ideas and teachings.

   You need to be redirected onto the right spiritual path, but how? What kind of person — and what kind of approach — would you hope to encounter to help you make the appropriate course corrections?

   First, if it were me, I’d hope for someone who is humble. I wouldn’t want anyone coming at me with an air of superiority as he looks down his nose at what he considers to be my pitiful spiritual condition. This leads to the second trait I’d wish for: respect. Not that the person would agree with me, but that he would at least honor the fact that I’ve got some opinions — and reasons for holding them — and really listen as I discuss and explain them.

   Third, I would want to talk to somebody driven by compassion. I want him to show care because he really does care! When I sense genuine love motivating another person, I’m much more ready to hear what he wants to tell me, even if the information is challenging or seems unpleasant.

   Next, it would be important for the person to have the courage to actually tell me what I need to hear. If his information is as vital as he claims it is, then I don’t want him sugar-coating it or beating around the bush. I would want him to lovingly let me have it! And I would want it to be presented with the next element: clarity. This is too important for spiritual guesses or fuzzy theological generalities. I would want him to articulate what I need to know and to do concerning my relationship with God. Even if I’m not sure I actually agree with him, I would want to be clear about what he’s really saying. It’s critical that I understand what I’m being asked to consider.

   Finally, my hope would be that all of this would be communicated with gentleness. It’s not easy or fun to have my deeply held beliefs challenged or corrected — even if they might be wrong. I don’t want to be pressured or rushed, but gently guided toward truth.

   Humility, respect, compassion, courage, clarity, and gentleness — all characteristics that Jesus exhibited, and all things I would want from somebody else. Wouldn’t you want these, as well?

   Jesus said, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you ...” (Mt. 7:12). The Golden Rule of Evangelism tells us that when it comes to reaching others, these are the qualities we need to live, to teach, and, to tirelessly instill into the people we lead.

Mark Mittelberg is the executive director of evangelism for the Willow Creek Association