Start By Living and They Will See: Evangelism in the Modern World

This weekend, Pope Frances sparked a fierce backlash when he seemed to imply during a homily that Christians should not attempt to convert nonbelievers to Christianity.

“In Poland, a university student asked me: “But in university I have many atheist companions. What do I say to convert them?” – “Nothing, dear, nothing! The last thing you need to do is say something. Start by living and they will see.” – Pope Francis

Contrary to what some commentators would have us believe, the Pope is not putting an end to Christian evangelism. Instead, his message is one of tone and an understanding of basic human nature.

Practicing Apologetics is Not Evangelism

Once upon a time, I was very interested in Christian apologetics. In high school, I used to spend hours debating and arguing with a good friend who was an atheist. Because it was Catholic school, I had a lot of back up. She was alone. She was very smart, but so were we. But we were all kids and ultimately stubborn and arrogant. Over time, it became apparent that no one was going to convince anyone through argument. Theologians and philosophers have tried to reason out the existence or non-existence of God for millennia, with little success. So we dropped it.

I wish I could tell you that this story ends with a conversion. Instead, it ends rather sadly. We all grew up and went our separate ways. Some of us are still very close, but some are not. As far as I’m aware, the atheist is still an atheist. But so are many of my Catholic friends. It turns out that a faith based on apologetics didn’t hold up particularly well when confronted with the realities of the outside world. We were living in a sheltered bubble of religious belief, secure in our convictions because we didn’t know anything else. We didn’t know how our Christian life would conflict with our lived experience.

The Christian Life is Radical

When Pope Francis told this Polish student to “start by living” he was not saying the student should abandon evangelism. He was saying that it was the student’s responsibility to provide a concrete example of the Christian life for his classmates. The reality is that many people don’t believe that Christianity works in the modern world. Even many Christians seem to think that the only way to practice their faith successfully is to separate themselves from the rest of society. They listen to different music, watch different films, and only surround themselves with fellow Christians. They know every talking point and can hold up in any debate. But no one is witnessing their lives.

Pope Francis asks us to take a different, bolder route, one that puts us squarely in the middle of the modern world, not separate from it. He is asking us to examine our lives. How can we be better Christians every day? How can our love be palpable? How can our life be an example that draws others in, rather than pushes them away?

The Future of Evangelism

I have successfully converted one person that I know of. When it happened, I didn’t even know what I was doing. I knew I was being a friend. I knew I was offering invitations. But I wasn’t doing a whole lot of talking. The process was gradual. It involved a change of heart, a slow connection to God. The reality is that most people don’t like being preached to, but they do like being loved. Conversion happens when a person begins to feel the love of God shared with them through another.

Suddenly they are alive, and suddenly they see.