Tour Guide Evangelism vs Defense Attorney
By Matt Dawson
I’ve talked with some people who struggle to share Jesus with others, because they just don’t know what to say. This often comes from the false understanding of what evangelism is and what Jesus is really asking us to do. I love illustrations, so when I get the chance to talk with someone who is struggling to know how to share their story – I give them these two illustrations.
Defense Attorney Evangelism
Most believers, at some point in their life, see evangelism as the job of a Defense Attorney. The primary goal is to WIN CASES (SOULS) for the cause of Christ. They are ready and able to debate the hard topics, can answer or spin difficult questions into a compelling argument for faith, and seem steadfast about their ability to convince someone that they are RIGHT. These people seem to be the picture of the GIFT of evangelism. They are well trained, and ready to take on hell with a squirt gun!
However, in my own experience, this view of evangelism does not inspire most believers. 99% of Christians I talk to are fearful to engage in sharing their faith, because they do not see themselves as the Defense Attorney. They don’t know all the answers and don’t want to debate with people. They don’t feel trained enough and therefore choose to let someone else who is more “gifted” do the work. They fear the hard questions, because they themselves are not sure they have the full answers. In the end, they just don’t want to be a Defense Attorney for Jesus.
Tour Guide Evangelism
I believe a more healthy view of sharing our faith story is the picture of a Tour Guide. A gifted Tour Guide knows a great deal about something very specific (city, artifact, national monument). They can share insights that go beyond the surface and can share the backstory of moments in time that lead to a specific event. They often share the highlights of their subject, but they also share the struggles that they endured in their life up to that point. The Tour Guide wants to share the amazing story around their specific topic or subject, and they want to share it with everyone who is interested!
This is what we are called to do with OUR LIVES. No one knows your transformation story like you do. No one is better equipped, trained, or gifted to share with others the deepest, most profound moments of your faith journey. No one else can share the STRUGGLES that you’ve faced in your life and how Jesus has helped you through them. No one else is more qualified to share the mountain tops and valleys of their faith than you!
Take people through your faith journey (like a Tour Guide) and share with them how Jesus has changed YOUR LIFE!
1 Peter 3:15 “…if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”
Jesus doesn’t need a Defense Attorney. He needs YOU to be a TOUR GUIDE of YOUR LIFE! Don’t hesitate to share the valleys of your faith as often as you share the mountain tops. Don’t try to answer every difficult questions of faith, just the ones you’ve personally encountered and how Jesus has helped you through them.
No matter how long you’ve been a follower of Jesus, you can be the Tour Guide of YOUR LIFE and the LIFE of the One who is changing you from the inside out!