Evangelism
The old saying that, “Christianity is more caught than taught” could very well be the banner statement for Celtic evangelism, as the Celtic model is based on helping people belong so that they can believe. John Finney, writing in his book, Recovering the Past: Celtic and Roman Mission, contrasts the Roman way of doing evangelism and mission and the Celtic way. Finney shows us this simple chart to highlight what he means:
| Roman Model | Celtic Model |
|---|---|
| Presentation Decision Fellowship |
Fellowship Ministry and Conversations Belief, Invitation to Commitment |
Finney contends that the Celtic way is more effective with postmodern Western populations than the American evangelical Roman way. He states that:
“The Roman Model for reaching people says: 1) Present the Christian message; 2) Invite them to decide to believe in Christ and become Christians; and 3) If they decide positively, welcome them into the Church and its fellowship. The Roman model seems very logical to us because most American evangelicals are scripted by it! Presentation, Decision, Assimilation. Extremely logical.
The Celtic model for reaching people says: 1) you first establish community with people, or bring them into the fellowship, you engage in conversation, ministry, prayer, and worship. 3) In time, as they discover that they now believe, you invite them to baptism and discipleship.”
Finney reports that most people experience faith through relationships; that they encounter the Gospel through a community of faith; and that becoming a Christian involves a process that takes time.
The Celts lived a life of faith that showed those around them that Christ made a difference in their lives. The compassion and love of Christ was evident in their day-to-day living. Life was hard! Pain and suffering were all too often their reality, yet their lives were a witness and testimony to their God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). This ‘living’ testimony caused countless people to befriend them and then, in God’s perfect timing, become a follower of Jesus Christ.
The outreach and evangelism of 316 will have a strong Celtic flavor. We will always be ready to share our faith, but first and foremost we will seek to evangelize through Ceilidhs, Scottish and Irish culture events, and concerts.
