The Virus of Faith

While reading through the latest debate on Theos (www.theosthinktank.co.uk), the author of the article Who Will Atheist Buses Benefit (in England), mentioned a peculiar phrase, "the virus of faith", referring to one-on-one conversations about the supernatural, soul and spirit, and most importantly, God. His argument was that atheist buses - trans-city buses that have the slogan "There probably is no God, so stop worrying and enjoy life" posted on their side - would ultimately benefit all major religious groups that serve a deity, since such a slogan would ultimately bring about conversation about God in the public square. It was while reading this article that I came to a devastating realization about witnessing.

Ever since I was born, I'd been going to church. True, I never really believed any of what I learned there until I was much older, nor did I gain a true understanding of what I believed until college. But I remember now a fundamental lesson that had been drilled into me throughout my life in church that until now I had subconciously believed. The teaching is this: that if those who follow Christ live there lives in the way they were meant to and in complete obedience to Him, that those who do not follow Christ will look at the way those Christ-followers live their lives and think to themselves, "Gee, there's something different about their life than mine, and I want whatever they have." They will then ask those who follow Christ about their faith and - ta-da - the Christian now has an oppurtunity to share his faith with that person.

Now I don't mean to belittle centuries of church teaching, but I'm pretty sure that Jesus don't teach, "Go forth and live your lives before all nations.... and they will ask you about Me." I've never listened to another believer's testimony and hear them say that they came to Christ bc they saw their friend living for Christ and wanted what they had, and so they asked about it. I'm not saying that people don't come to Christ in this fasion; I'm sure plenty have. My point is this: I've come to realize that I can no longer be comfortable with just living my life for Christ while waiting for someone to ask me about the life that I havef in Him. I need to take that bold first move and start a conversation about Christ with someone else. And I think it may be more effective if it's one-on-one. I've brought about conversations about the things of God before in my shop (and so have a few others), but it suddenly becomes a public forum and all kinds of other questions and comments are thrown in and soon the conversation turns to something completely different then what the original question was asking for. And so, like a virus inside of a human body (a good one though), I cannot spread this infection to other cells by waiting for them to come to me; i need to go to them. For the gospel is infectious, as I myself have seen, and changes people.

One other thing worth noting in this article: I have learned that most skeptics are so spiteful to the gospel message bc they feel like it's being forced down their throats by the messenger. I have to make a concious effort, when I do attempt one-on-one conversations, to make it clear that I am not trying to convert others out of duty to my religion, but am trying to save people bc I love them desperately and want them to have the same wonderful life that I have found in Christ. Lord, compel me to live in such a way...