Telling our inner story

When I was asked to take on a new portfolio a few months ago I was a bit bemused. Evangelism and Spirituality seemed, at first, like two very different creatures.

Although I do not define Evangelism in terms of large tent rallies and brilliant speakers that image still sat in my mind and was at variance with the idea of a quieter and more deliberate path to God.

The way I really define Evangelism is that it is telling our story. Not in clever words or in long theological phrases but in saying, "God matters to me because...." There is nothing to be embarassed about, but we are, all too often. We find it hard to speak things externally which we often treat as internal. When we are upset or angry we often hold the feeling inside or express it appropriately, to do otherwise is childish and not well controlled. So we tend to treat our strong emotions of love or tenderness towards God as things to be hidden or spoken of carefully in metered terms. Only children, after all, blurt out affection.

Developing a strong sense of ourselves as Spiritual beings, deeply in touch and in love with God, is vital if we are to be good story-tellers. People are drawn to a passionate and compassionate story - but often not to a watery expression of something, which intuitively, they know should be breath-taking if it is anywhere near true.

We have to cultivate a deep relationship with God if we are to tell the story of God and we have to speak, not only in the still small voice, but with the courage of the crashing wave or the clanging symbol, for all of these praise the Lord and we are not called to bashfulness.