Read any good books lately?

Evangelism is like reading a good novel. Good novels absorb us in their plots, characters, and action. Major and minor themes unravel as we turn each page. Scenes build on top of each other. We resist the temptation to skip to the end because we don’t want to miss the thrill of the adventure.

Our lives read like a novel. Each day, a portion of the plot slowly unfolds. Major characters mark us in special ways while minor figures disappear. Multiple story lines compete for our attention. One of these story lines is a God-theme.

Everyone has a God-theme – a God story — woven into his or her life. For some, this faith story is hidden, almost obscured by life’s details. For others, its the over-whelming plot of a life. Insiders know how to skillfully read the God-themes of their neighbors, relatives, or coworkers.

A shared lunch gave me a chance to discover Rob’s God-theme. “Rob, I think our lives are like a book. I believe we have a God-theme in our life’s novel. How would you describe the God-theme in your life story?”

“Wow! No one’s ever asked me that before,” was his response.

Rob proceeded to open up his life and describe how his father’s death sparked a spiritual crisis. Rob’s grief led him back to the church and to faith. Rob decided to set aside his goals of success and turned to a life of service. “I’ve never told anyone about this, “ was how he concluded his story. A simple question turned the pages of the novel of Rob’s life revealing his God story.

The Bible brims with life stories. Starting with Genesis, the stories of Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and Joseph unfold before our eyes. We’re thrilled by their faith, saddened by their poor decisions, and rejoice when they’re vindicated. These narratives explore the work of God in a person’s life; they reveal unique God stories not cookie-cutter plots.

Too often, our evangelism training urges us to jump to the end of the novel to discover how it ends. In our haste for someone “to make a decision,” we push the story in a way that violates the Author’s pace. We end up watering when we should be planting, harvesting too quickly when we should be patiently sowing (1 Corinthians 3:7-8).

What happens if we picture evangelism like reading a novel?

• We would take the time to build a relationship where storytelling can take place.
• We would ask more questions in order to catch the nuances of life.
• We would listen more than talk.
• We would join in the journey rather than fixated on the closing.
• We would find common themes between our stories to build bridges.
• We would help a friend discover their God-theme.

Test-drive this question with someone you’re an insider to this next week: “I think are lives are like a novel. In this novel is a God-theme. How would you describe the God-theme in your life’s story?” Have fun reading the book of your friend’s life.