Episode 35 - Evangelism For Sojourners

Our official name is, "National Evangelism With Sojourners".  Notice the core of our name, "evangelism".  It is who we are, what we do, and our purpose for traveling.  Unfortunately, sometimes we forget.  

In this episode I want to remind us about the important role we have as sojourners to carry the hope of Christ with us.  I'll also offer a few simple ways we can evangelize without ever preaching a sermon or leading a devotional.  It's something all of us can and must do.

Transcript

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Hello, hello, so I'm your host, Dave Light, and welcome to Travel with the Post, the podcast. I'm to keep sojourned, entertained, and inspired. In today's episode, we're going to talk about evangelism for sojourners. We're called sojourners. Our tagline is travel with a purpose, and at the heart of that purpose is sharing hope in Christ with people we meet along the way. The word sojourner appears often in scriptures. It's described as someone who lives temporarily in a place that is not their permanent home. As sojourners, we understand this idea very well. We pull into a location, we settle in for a short time, we meet neighbors, and then before long we pick up, hack up, and move on. But while we're there, something important happens. We cross paths with people. I believe these encounters are not an accident. I know from many examples in scriptures that the Holy Spirit brings the seeker and the teacher together. If we look at our daily encounters as divine appointments, our entire outlook about our purpose changes. Jesus commands us as his faithful disciples to go. We often think about going to a faraway land or some formal evangelistic activity, but for sojourners, go means something much closer to home. It may mean going to the next campground, the next small town, the next rest stop, the next scenic overlook. Every place we travel becomes a place where God can use us. Think about it for a moment. When we travel, we meet people from all over the country and sometimes all over the world. People who live very different lives, people carrying different burdens, people searching for meaning. And sometimes all it takes is one conversation to plant a seed of hope. One of the most important truths about evangelism is that it begins long before we say anything about faith. People watch the way we live, they notice how we treat others, they observe how we handle frustration, inconvenience, and conflict, and life on the road provides plenty of opportunities for those moments, like backing into a campsite, sharing space in a crowded campground, waiting in line at a dump station, dealing with travel delays. Well, in these ordinary moments, people see something about who we are. Colossians chapter four verses five and six says walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt. When we live with patience, kindness, and humility, our lives begin to reflect the character of Christ. And often that opens the door to deeper conversations. Well I want to share now some practical ways we can share our faith. Sharing our faith while traveling does not require a stage or a pulpit. Often it be it happens through just simple natural moments. So let's look at these ways that sojourners can share the hope of Christ along the road. Well, first we can practice campground kindness. One of the easiest ways to demonstrate the love of Christ is through simple acts of kindness, helping a neighbor back into a tight campsite, offering a tool to someone dealing with a mechanical problem. Just use our imagination. We'll see a need, a commonality, or a simple gesture that often leads to conversations. And those conversations can become opportunities to share faith. Another one is we can be a person of encouragement. Many people we meet while traveling carry heavy burdens. They may be dealing with illness, family struggles, financial stress, or loneliness. A kind word can make a tremendous difference. Encouragement is a powerful ministry, and sometimes encouragement leads naturally to spiritual conversations. A third one is to be ready to share our story. I really like the event from Mark V when Jesus healed the demon possessed man. After Jesus had driven out the demons, the man wanted to travel with Jesus. Jesus told him instead to go home and tell others what our Lord had done for him. That's what he did. He traveled throughout the region telling others the simple story of what Jesus had done for him. Each of us has a compelling conversion story. One of the most powerful tools of evangelism is simply to share our story. How did we come to faith? How has Christ changed our life? And what has God carried us through? People may debate theology, but they rarely dismiss a genuine story of personal transformation. Our testimony may be exactly what someone needs to hear. We can offer to pray for people. This is important. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but it can be one of the most meaningful ways to share faith. When someone shares a struggle, simply say would you mind if I prayed for you about that? Many people are deeply touched by the offer. Even those who are not religious often appreciate prayer. It reminds them they are not alone. And the last one I wanted to mention is simply leave behind seeds of hope. Some sojourners like to carry small items that share encouragement. It might be a scripture card, a small devotional, a simple note that says May the Lord bless your journey. A Bible would be a good thing to leave. The World Bible School has wonderful Bibles at a very reasonable cost, and they include Bible study plans to help teach the gospel. Sometimes the seeds we plant today grow long after we've moved on. One of the most remarkable things about traveling is how often unexpected conversations happen. We may meet someone while going for a walk around the campground, or waiting at a scenic overlook, or standing in line at the camp shop, or eating at a restaurant. Those moments may feel ordinary, but sometimes they are exactly the moments God has prepared. Jesus often met people in unexpected places. He met a woman at a well, maybe on a roadside, in someone's home. Ministry happens wherever people are gathered, and the same is true for us today. Well here's a final encouragement. As followers of Christ, we carry something incredibly valuable wherever we go. We carry hope, not just hope for a better day or for the next destination. We carry true and lasting hope found only in Jesus, and the world around us is filled with people who desperately need that hope. So wherever the road leads us, remember this. We are not just a traveler, we are a sojourner with a purpose, and the purpose is to share the saving gospel of Christ with a lost and starving world. Remember, untold millions are dying untold. I may not be able to save everyone, but I can bring the message to someone. Thanks for listening to this podcast. I invite you to subscribe and share it with others. I'm your host Dave Leighton, and remember we glorify God as together we travel with a purpose. Happy sojourning.