The E or F Word

Our small group study at Armstrong just finished the "Unbinding the Heart" - 40 days of Prayer and Faith Sharing by Martha Grace Reese.  As she self professes - it is a Book about the E Word - Evangelism  - That Which Must Not Be Named in our mainline churches!  I must admit her exercises placed me outside my comfort zone. 

But the book transforms the negativity too often associated with the E Word into a journey of "supporting sustainable faith sharing in your life".  She challenges each of us - What is motivating you? What difference does being a Christian make in your life?  Answers to these questions ---  hard introspective questions ---  can make a difference in everyone you touch (and you are the only person whose life touches all of the people you know, work with, and meet every day). 

Co-incidentally on Friday, I participated in a small group meeting (SVP Cincinnati) assisting our faith based investee - Whole Again.  The purpose of the meeting was to strategize on Board development.  Whole Again, like all our investees,(and the entire universe of non-profits), are always worried about the F Word - Fundraising - That Which Must Not Be Named in our Board meetings!  Yet, changing the negativity too often associated with the F Word into a journey of "supporting sustainable sharing of the good the non-profit delivers" is a secular version of Evangelism.

Interestingly - the questions are the same:

(1) What is motivating you?

(2) What difference does being a Giver (or volunteer) make in your life?  ....   and in the other person's life?

At SVP Cincinnati, I have borrowed the term (invented by P.H. for one of my speeches) - Return on Life (ROL)

  Therefore -   The benefit of E or F =  ROL


P.S.   I have blogged in the past about the "Artful Asker".  Maybe his quote applies to the spiritual world as well as the secular world:  "Artful Asker [discipleship] is the most exciting and rewarding of all [eternal relationships]"