Imagine you are company trying to protect your technological infrastructure–who are the best candidates to act as your cyber security guards? College graduates with computer science degrees? System administrators who used to work in law enforcement?

Actually, sometimes the best IT security hires are former criminals–hackers who used to make a living (or a game) out of breaking through electronic defenses, compromising digital information, or creating online havoc. They know best how to fortify networks and systems against...well...against the likes of themselves. It may be ironic, but it is not illogical, for a business to make an ally out of a former high-tech enemy.

Now, imagine you are a minister trying to figure out how to reach out to unbelievers. Who are the best candidates to suggest approaches? A recent opinion piece in USA Today answers this query with its title: "How to sell Christianity? Ask an atheist."¹

Using our "hire a hacker" logic, that is a good idea is it not? Based on the writer’s conversation with Jim Henderson ("a recovering evangelist" who was the basis for the article) atheists end up teaching us:

Call it promotion by non-promotion, evangelism by attraction, goodwill mongering, or letting one's life speak for itself, but this is what will best represent the faith among the many Americans who do not share the evangelical faith. Henderson and his fellow travelers are right in urging would-be evangelists simply to get to know people, become their friends and let the spiritual chips fall where they may.

It may be a more verbose version of an old cliché, "Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words," but the author was clearly impressed: "These new-century Jesus representatives seem to be arriving at just the right formula for making their faith real and known in these changing times: no formula."

Well, USA Today has spoken...I’ll send back the tracts we just purchased as a church...we’ll just quietly meet in secret each week on Sunday...and we’ll depend on everyone letting their lives speak for themselves...for God.

Phew...what a relief, eh? This "witness for Jesus" stuff is scary...we do not want to offend anyone...or be ridiculed...glad we can just "let the spiritual chips fall where they may."

But I cannot help but think of Paul. Remember when he was at the Areopagus, speaking with the Epicureans and Stoics (Acts 17:16-34)? This is actually a popular section for those who believe in "engaging" culture–Paul actually quotes a couple secular authors (for example, Aratus from his poem "Phainomena"). So, this should be a good example for our approach...except instead of the "men of Athens" we would modernize it to the "people of Antrim."

How did Paul act? Was he just "goodwill mongering" in Athens?

Of course not. :-)

Instead he stood up and spoke loud enough for a great number to hear him...and after a bit of a preamble unabashedly proclaimed:

Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:29-31, ESV).

The reaction? "Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, ‘We will hear you again about this’" (Acts 17:32).

Paul wasn’t "a recovering evangelist"–he went to the grave an unapologetic one! And lest anyone think Paul’s actions prove nothing, how about his explicit words? "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’" (Romans 10:14-15)

No, Paul followed the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and so should we. And...when people hear our words...some will mock us...but, as Paul found, some will join us and believe (Acts 17:34). Why? Because we will listen to the Bible instead of atheists, and the Holy Spirit will bless our efforts by converting those who want the truth.

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