Evangelism tips help church
see Holy Spirit’s value

By Jean Cain
Member of First UMC, Port Isabel
As a layperson, I am not sure we were ready for the dynamic encounter that swept into our church Sept. 13. The Rev. Sue White, Southwest Texas Conference evangelism consultant, spent part of three days with us as she sang, taught and laughed her way into our hearts with love. We called her Sue.
The main purpose of her visit was to excite us about sharing our faith. But first, she excited us about the Holy Spirit. She openly discussed the infinite power of this “third person” in the Trinity. In my experi­ence the emphasis has always been placed on God, the Father, and Jesus, the Son. The Holy Spirit was more or less thrown into the mix as an afterthought. Sue brought the Holy Spirit to life in a new and vibrant way, which caused us to want to learn more (this resulted in White conducting a study based on “Mending the Cracks in the Soul.”).
For the first time, God’s purpose for the Holy Spirit in our lives became real, and I came to know that the degree of power we obtain from Him depends upon our faith and our asking. I listened to a “regular per­son” speak of unknown tongues in a way that did not infer it was freakish or indicate that it was something God did then—in Biblical times—and had no relevance today. I have been so conditioned regarding this sub­ject that even here, I almost feel compelled to qualify that statement, as,
“I don’t think that is for me but...”
Having said that, I must tell you that, in my mind, it is a sad commentary on modem religion to dis­count any gift God has for us through the Holy Spirit.
The evangelism or faith sharing was an eye-opener as well. Seven styles of faith sharing were explained to us. They are: confrontational, intellectual, testimonial, interpersonal, invitational, serving and relevant. Sue used Scriptures to show the various styles that fit Peter, Stephen, Matthew and others. Rarely does anyone fit into just one style. I learned that I’m Confrontational, approaching topics directly, and Serving, finding fulfillment in helping others.
One of the most helpful clues White provided was the FRAN plan, which asks you to identify a friend, relative, associate or neighbor with whom you would like to share your faith. Start by praying for that person, carry out a number of acts of kindness, and then invite them to church. A wonderful quote that White gave us is, “If you are talking to God about a person, you will soon talk to that person about God.”
The time we were with White passed quickly. The time was well spent. We wanted her to stay longer, but of course that could not happen. In any case, we are indebted to the Southwest Texas Conference for placing Sue, whose love of God shines through her very being, into this position of evangelism.