We'll Leave a Light on For You

Do you remember Tom Bodet from the Motel 6 radio spots? I heard him this morning do an ad for radio ads. He was talking about marketing plans that were complicated and that reduced people to "targets." He advised his listerners to talk to people instead. He asked the question, "What do you talk about?" He answered the question, "Talk about them."

I could not help but make a connection between the clear wisdom of the radio spot and personal evangelism. Kinnaman and Lyons' research revealed that many people outside the Christian faith believe that the church has reduced them to "targets" by the way we go about evangelism. This makes spiritual conversations all the more important. We can take some advice from Ole Tom Bodet. When we have spiritual conversations we shoult talk about -

THEM. Ministry must begin with our ears.

YOU. Friends are interested in you and will often give you a chance to make yourself known a little. Your story is important - tell it.

THE GOOD NEWS. We have a good message to share and we don't need to be ashamed of it.

Evangelism, in this season of history, takes place best within personal relationships. Remember to listen and share both your story and God's. Tom Bodet was known for saying, "We'll leave a light on for you." Leave the light of the gospel on for your friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors.