What's the Threat Level?

Podcast available here

Over the last five years, we've heard a lot about threat levels. With the creation of a new cabinet post called the Department of Homeland Security, came a new idea about threat levels. Using bright colors, we can see how the government perceives the level of terror threat against our nation.

Many have also developed parodies of the threat level. Since I have kids, here's one of my favorites:

I'm thinking about posting it over there on the sidebar...

So we recognize the threat level indicator and what it all means, here is the official listing from the Department of Homeland Security:

• Red = Severe - basically, a terrorist attack is imminent or occurring
• Orange = High - There is a high risk
• Yellow = Elevated - This is where we've been since 9/11
• Blue = Guarded - If we ever win the war on terror, this is likely where we'll be. Kinda like DEFCON in the military, they never go below DEFCON II.
• Green = Low - When we all get to Heaven...

But, I began to think about another threat level. The Evangelism Threat Level. In Sunday School, we read the story about Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). We asked why Philip found evangelism so easy, while the rest of us find it so difficult, and people began to share stories.
One told about a playground incident where a first-grader told another first-grader she was going to hell because she didn't go to church. The girl was so traumatized that she had to be sent home, and the parents filed a grievance against the school.
Another told about the day a group of church women who had been sprinkled were told about immersion. 26 were immersed that day.
Another told about an evangelist who had a table at a university and brought in many people from different backgrounds.
Another told about the street preacher with tracts.
I brought up old friends who were 'bible-thumpers' and thought that beating others over the head with the bible was the way to lead them to Christ.

Why are some of these successful, while the others are not? That's when the idea hit me about Evangelism Threat Level. I don't know how many levels there are, but I'll discuss high and low threat levels.

The playground evangelist and the bible-thumpers are a high threat level. I suppose it would be orange or even red.

Meanwhile, the street preacher, though he's likely considered to be a bit whacked-out, is a lower threat level. Perhaps, if he's shouting "The Day of Judgment is coming! You must repent or spend eternity in HELLLLLLLLLLLL!" the threat level would be a bit higher. But if he's just handing out tracts without actually saying anything to you, it would be a bit lower. So, we'll say this guy is somewhere between blue and orange.

Then, there's the guy with the table at the university. He just sits there, with books and tracts, and only speaks to people who first speak to him. That's a pretty low threat level. We'll call him a definite blue. Not quite green because he's still reaching out to people who are not yet believers.

Finally, you've got the group of women at a bible study. They are there by choice, already believers and studying the Word of God. They hear about immersion versus sprinkling and make the choice to be immersed. That's a very low threat level, we'll call it a definite green.

OK - so we've got

• Kid tells another kid she's going to hell
• Bible-Thumpers
• Street preachers
• Guy at the table
• Ladies at a bible study

Now, how do we handle the different threat levels? I think that depends on your relationship with Christ and your personality style. Me, I'm not very comfortable getting in people's personal space, but I've been told that this writing is actually impacting lives. So, I keep writing. I also do things like sit in restaurants reading my bible with copies of the Gospel of John available to distribute. I let them come to me. It won't plant a seed, but if someone's seeking and sees my bible open, they'll ask.
There are others who are more outgoing. They are gifted with being able to just come right out and say it even in less comfortable settings. They won't sit and wait, they'll interrupt your day and say, "My friend, do you know Jesus?" Sometimes it works. Every time it will plant a seed. If they don't know when to let go, though, they'll just drive people away from Christ. They'll become 'bible-thumpers'.
Then there are those who don't do anything. They are so uncomfortable with the Word of God that they just sit there and hope nobody ever asks them about Christ. If someone does, they blow it off. I used to be this kind of person, but the Spirit convicted me of my lackadaisical attitude toward the Word of Christ.

What's your threat level? Are you willing to push it a bit and share the Word? Are you willing to reach out to others? Be a hero.

Adios,
Clay

(äd-s) [Spanish adiós, probably translated from French à dieu. (I commend you) to God  : a, to (from Latin ad. See ad-) + Dieu, God (from Latin deus. See dyeu- in Indo-European Roots).]