Sin is our best evangelist

For a decade, our little church has welcomed thousands of visitors to our Christmas Carol service under an old mining arch in the Welsh Valleys.

A cultural and historical icon, the perfect outdoor venue with wonderful acoustics, although absolutely freezing in December. This year we tried something warmer, “Summer Under the Arch”. 

Hundreds came to the event. Our local MP gave the Bible reading, and we sang hymns and Christian songs. There was a short gospel presentation and a time of prayer. People went home with Christian literature and information about our church. 

No converts means failure?

Despite the thousands of visitors that we have welcomed over the years, I cannot point to a single convert from this event. Does this make it a failure? Certainly not. 

“Summer under the Arch” gave our little church the opportunity to post thousands of Scripture-filled cards into homes across our valley, inviting residents to come to the event. We put hundreds of posters up in local shop windows, shared the event across all social media channels and promoted it through our various partners: local schools, businesses and charities. Every interaction with our community proclaimed that there is a living church in your area that loves you. 

Those who came to the event were blessed, but our focus is on those who did not come. The event was but an excuse to promote the church, so that when the reality of sin hits home, people know where they can come to for help. This is where you get the real fruit from evangelistic events like these. When Grandmother is taken ill, or if a family member loses their job, or is lost in vice, if a marriage is on the verge of breaking, or people are just overwhelmed by the pressures of life, they now know that there are Christians in their area whom they can come to and be loved by.

When the Church comes out of the shadows and retakes the centre ground of community life, sin becomes your best evangelist. The brokenness of our fallen world draws people in seeking the comfort that only Jesus can give. It is our job to let them know where to come.