1. How would you explain evangelism to a nonbeliever?
Back in Lithuania after a Monday worship we were visiting with an old acquaintance who was a believer but not a Christian. He had just regained his fraternal land and was planning to build a Lithuanian indigenous religion temple. He was wondering if we could be partners in the project. While listening to him the story of Transfiguration came to my mind. I told him the story paying a special attention to the fact that after the great experience of the divine, Jesus took the disciples down the mountain, where in the valley the people were suffering. The first thing Jesus did was he healed a sick child. The awareness of the divine does make us worshipful, but we are invited to act on in by doing good deeds for those in need. Ah.”- said my non-Christian friend. – “You are much more practical.” “Yes,” – I said, “because our Teacher was both spiritual and practical.”
I don’t believe we need to explain what evangelism is. We need to tell Jesus story and demonstrate it by a mental or actual example.
2. How would you explain what evangelism is to someone who is already a Christian but not a theologian?
As living in the spirit of Christ in thought and deed. As sharing our gifts for the betterment of the world in the spirit of Christ.
3. What comes first: faith in Christ or good works?
If good works of justice, charity and righteousness are not based in the Spirit they become an ego trip that often is very dangerous. Spirit goes first.
4. In the history of your Friends meeting did the earliest Friends consider this question (#3)? What was their answer?
I have no information if early Friends at Ada Chapel (Wilmington Friends Preparatory Meeting) considered this question, but there is a lot of evidence that they tried to implement the Good News through their life style. Here are several examples (as prepared for the 2003 Thanksgiving quiz):
Ada Chapel was started by Lizzie R. Harvey on 11/5/1888. Lizzie, a Wilmington school teacher, sought to serve the spiritual and physical needs of the children in East Wilmington.
Ruth Farquar, who served as chairman of the Ada Chapel Committee about 25 years, interested Ada Jenkins in giving the money for the erection of the building that is still used.
In 1908 Ruth Farquar and Ada Jenkins asked a young girl, Mary Estelle Briggs, to play the organ for services. Miss Briggs devoted much of her life for the next 75 years at the Chapel.
Miss Briggs also interested Ruth Probasco Skimming in the work and she served at the Chapel in charge of the Chapel Committee for over 40 years.
Larry Barker has been associated with Ada Chapel since 1965, when he came to Wilmington. Since his retirement in 1985 as pastor of Wilmington Meeting, Larry has served both as pastor, Sunday School Teacher and the Committee Chairman.
Harry Leasure, a blind minister, served as pastor of Ada for 17 years.
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.
