You can't be unaware of the augmented reality game Pokemon Go that's become a viral sensation, unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks.
The aim of the smartphone game is to catch Pokemon and train them up to enter battle with fellow gamers. A lot of Pokemon can be found at churches, hence the evangelical opportunity. In response to the increase in non-churchgoers coming to church, albeit not to worship God, many churches have made efforts to satisfy the needs of Pokemon Go players for Jesus as they attempt to satisfy their hunger for the virtual creatures.
Churches which have used the popularity of the game to reinforce the Christian message of inclusivity and welcome those from all walks of life can be an inspiration to us all.
Here are three ways that we can be more appealing to others when we discuss our faith with them.
Cut the jargon
I don't know about you but I am quick to switch off when someone starts speaking jargon. The language that we use when talking about our faith is important. For those outside the faith, Christianity can be hard to comprehend and complex language only makes it more so - 'Christianese' tends to be something we learn only after we come to the faith! We don't need to simplify the message but it can help to simplify the terminology that we use to share it. Christianity is accessible and we can all avoid making it less so by choosing carefully the words we use.
Be gentle
We've all seen leaflets which state in bold how hell awaits those who don't accept Jesus as their saviour or heard street evangelists shout at sinners to repent. I don't know about you but the enormity of Jesus' sacrifice and the greatness of God's grace, mercy and love are what drew me to commit to my faith. Christianity isn't about believing through fear but through faith. Consider how you can be gentle in how you spread the message. This doesn't mean you need to omit truths or gloss over the scary bits but recognise that God's love for us is the most powerful thing. There's no hope in hell but there's an abundance of hope in Christ and that's what makes him so appealing.
God's love is all-encompassing, but fear is isolating. As opposed to singling people out for not knowing Christ or believing in him, we have the opportunity to show them that they are among those he died for.
Adapt your approach
If a leader at your church suddenly started encouraging Pokemon Go playtime in the middle of a sermon, you'd be understandably alarmed. But conversely, a Christian bringing up Jesus to someone they've met at a Pokemon Go party could have its place. God's people are a diverse bunch with different interests and attitudes so it's inevitable that not everyone will come to Christ via the same route that you did. It may just be that random, casual conversation over a bowl of chips.
We can all think about how we adapt the way we converse with others about our beliefs. While a Bible or shared testimony will be suitable for some, an invitation to a church service or offer or prayer will work better for others. Again, this isn't to say that we should dilute the principles of our faith or what it means to be a Christian and surrender your life to God, instead it's all about empathising with the different backgrounds and experiences of others.
