After getting back from the FTE Conference, I emailed someone about the experience, and basically copied what I wrote in my post, talking about the need for social change, my own personal need to get more into politics and for us as Christians to become “public theologians” and take our theology out of the church walls, out into the public realm to make a difference. This person replied to some of the rest of my email, but as to all these thoughts, their only response was this one line: Evangelism: the greatest social change agent
Okay, so I know I’ve heard that before. Not the first time I’ve heard that – but…totally, totally sounds and seems like a cop-out. Is it really the greatest social change agent? Really? I mean, I’m all for sharing God’s Story with others, but I believe that we are called to action – called to make a difference. Does that go beyond evangelism? Yes, I think so. Sure, we could convert a whole lot of poverty-stricken people, but they’re still living in poverty. They’re still dying from hunger. Sure, we could convert a bunch of people from different ethnic groups who hate each other – but does that mean that just because they’re Christian, they’ll all-of-a-sudden be like, “Oh…wait. You are Christian now. I love you.” No…
Is evangelism the greatest social change agent? No.
But what is then?