This past Saturday I was finally able to see Casting Crowns live in concert. I have been a fan of theirs for years, but it just hadn't worked out for me to go see them yet. It was looking like I wasn't going to be able see them again this time around even though they were going to be only fifteen minutes from my house. Then, I got a phone call from my friend John asking if I wanted to go to the concert for free! I didn't even have to think twice. The only catch was I had to help handout information for a local Christian radio station as people walked through the doors. I may not be good at a lot of things in life, but even I can give out business cards.
After I told John I would go and help promote the radio station, I had a second thought. While I knew of the station, I had really only listened to it a handful of times. It wasn't that I didn't like this station, it's just that I prefer another Christian station when I actually get to pick what I am listening too. Most of the time our van and home are filled with music my two little girls will enjoy more. Don't get me wrong, I think VBS music is great and all, but that usually isn't my first choice.
Right before they were going to open the doors to start seating people, I was told where to stand and given business cards to handout. As I stood there looking at the line forming outside of the church, I got a little worried. What if someone actually asked me a question about the station? I only knew the name of one of the DJs and I could probably guess at their website address. I glanced at the business card to cram any last-minute information into my head as possible. I ended up handing out well over a hundred cards and only had to answer one minor question.
As we were finishing up, they had me go help John because he still had people coming through his door. As I was walking up to help John, I could hear him aggressively go after anyone who would take a card. As he gave out his cards, he would also say that this was the best Christian radio station in the world. He said that almost every time and we all knew he meant it. For John, he knew several of the people who worked there and had even helped them at other events. This was clearly John's favorite radio station and he was proud to promote it.
During the first of the concert, I couldn't help but think how different my approach was from John's. While I wanted to give everyone a card, I really didn't have the same passion as John. I began to wonder if that is why so many Christians are pretty lousy at evangelism? I'll admit that I didn't really go to help promote the radio station; I went to hear Casting Crowns. And I bet John would have gone just to promote the station even if he didn't get to hear the concert.
How many people only view Jesus as their free ticket to heaven like my free ticket to the concert? Since they really don't know Jesus, they can't answer questions about Him or really even enthusiastically share Him with their friends and family. When Jesus is JUST our ticket to heaven, we are missing the point. There will be no passion or excitement when we are placed expected to help with evangelism. However, the more we know Jesus, the more we will want to tell others about Him because we know they must have what we have. I got to see my concert for free and I helped promote a radio station without causing any harm. But if I just try and fake my way through evangelism, people's souls are at stake. Jesus is NOT just our free ticket to heaven.
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