Book Reflection - Prayer Evangelism

This book might seem like a vastly different theme from the rest of the books I have read and reflected upon this summer for my independent study. I recognize this, but also want to note the importance of integration in our lives as followers of Jesus. I believe that our lives should always be about integration - between spiritual and social actions. I have read and written vastly about ethnography, social justice and incarnational living, which are social actions, but there are deep spiritual implications in doing these also. This book is about integration between these lives also.

The author, Ed Silvoso, uses Luke 10:5,8,9 as a description of this concept of prayer evangelism. He notices to four points that Jesus used in his sending off of the disciples to the town to proclaim His message. Silvoso's four points are: (1) Speak peace upon them, (2) Fellowship with them, (3) Take care of their needs, and (4) Proclaim the good news (37). He expands on these on pages 47-48, stating,

1. Blessing opens the door to unbiased fellowship.
2. Fellowship establishes a level of trust, allowing our neighbors to share with us their felt needs.
3. Prayer addresses their felt needs.
4. When we intercede for our neighbors, the kingdom of God comes near them in a tangible way: "Say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you'" (Luke 10:9)

Silvoso is quick to point out that the method Christians often use is a reversal of the order of this method. Most often, the proclamation is the first thing done. He shared a story of going door-to-door as part of a church ministry. He stated that in the (maybe) five minutes they would have at the door, the first four minutes were used to describe how Christians are different from Jehovah's Witnesses. He states that there is a different way that Jesus provided. As I was reading this today, I was struck with praying peace over people in the coffee shop I was in. I prayed over the lesbian couple, the girl swearing at her computer, the barista's, and a few other people coming and going from the shop. God could have used my simple prayers to show Himself to them. Sometimes it just takes a simple prayer like this or a statement of peace to remind people of the loving God they really want to know and belong to.

Silvoso offers 17 paradigm shifts that he recognizes the body of Christ followers need to recognize and promote in our lives and in our churches. The first one stood out to me in this period of my life. The first paradigm shift was "One Church in the City." Simply, this refers to the need for unity and healing in the broken system of Christian churches in the city. Too many churches are in competition with each other and are choosing to focus on the differences with each other instead of the common purpose of serving a loving God in reaching the lost of our cities. This personally stuck with me because of my position as being in seminary at Fuller Theological Seminary and working at a church in LA that has connections to The Masters College/Seminary. In some places in the Christian spectrum, these academic institutions are polar opposites. The have differing views on women in leadership, spiritual gifts, works of the Holy Spirit, and many other things. I would not say these things are insignificant, but they are not on the same level as Jesus and His Father's purpose. I call for us to be willing and purposeful in bridging the gaps between differing views in the church. We must be willing to recognize our differences and set them aside for the greater good of God's kingdom being spread.

Silvoso offers concluding paragraphs to two of his chapters regarding paradigm shifts. I have added them in the following section as important dreams that we, as followers of Jesus, must have. Silvoso describes how these things have been realities is some cities across the world. His prayer, mine as well, is that this would happen in cities I am in and involved in ministry in. I also hope and pray that this would happen in cities you all live in.

Picture one Church in the city, united and fully persuaded that the city can and must be reached for Christ now, mobilizing its members to conduct prayer evangelism without divisions because of identificational repentance. Imagine church services taking place all over town and public prayer being offered everywhere for everybody because pastors no longer restrict themselves to caring for the fold but are leading their parishioners to focus on the flock at large, the city. As a result, the spiritual climate over the city is being transformed into one of godliness (171).

--And--

Everybody in the Church intercedes for the lost, battling against the devil who had blinded them. They do so without fear of death because they have despised their lives unto death. Led by evangelists who equip them to witness wherever they are, by pastors who shepherd the entire city and make no distinction between saints and sinners as far as commitment and care, and by teachers who expound on the Word of the Lord for the purpose of building up the Body of Christ, the Church constitutes a living parable of a community that loves God and its neighbors with utmost intensity, and the Lord adds daily to those who are being saved! (196).

I hope this finds you well. God bless.