I always explain that evangelism is taking the good news to others: sort of like telling them what you know about Jesus and the good news He has left us with. I explain this way to anybody who asks, and since there are no other Quakers here, I sometimes do explain to other christians that some Quakers in the past and even today are not evangelicals, but we are.
Now, when I present faith and practice, first I have to explain the whole history of Quakers, since here nobody knows who we are. So I start from Fox and then Penn's work, and always mention the freedom of expression and adoration which he set up in pennsylvania, then tell of his treaties with the Natives (I work with natives here), and the rest of the story. I enjoy telling this, and people surely enjoy listening: I once received an invitation to go preach to the top FARC leader who happened to be here (in secret) seeing a doctor after someone close to him heard the whole story. But he had to leave in a hurry, because it was discovered he was here. I've been praying for him since, and recently he released a bunch of kidnapped tourists and has asked for peace in Colombia. They thought all christians were like the puritans who were killing Quakers before Penn founded the state.
Now, if I meet with someone who is not a christian, then I first discuss christ and being saved, then when many say they don't trust the local churches, mostly pentecostals with ignoramuses for pastors, we explain the whole Quaker story, and beliefs, and faith and practice.
Love,
Vanessa Di Domenico
Maracaibo, venezuela
members of Klamath Falls Monthly Meeting, Oregon
This page is moderated by Johan Maurer as part of the "Evangelism and the Friends Testimonies" project, supported during the academic year 2003-04 by the Ferguson Quaker Fellowship program of Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre. Johan has a minute of service from Reedwood Friends Church.
