Bonnaroo and Jesus

Every summer I serve at the Jesus Tent located at Bonnaroo.  The Jesus Tent is a ministry of First Baptist Manchester, New Duck River Baptist Association, Tennessee’s WMU and the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board to share the love of Jesus with those at Bonnaroo. The Jesus Tent is the largest evangelistic effort, across denominations, with 17,000 - 19,000 in attendance at the tent. Each Friday I invite pastors and anyone else to an Evangelism Conference that I hold at Bonnaroo. The purpose of the conference is to allow ministers to practice sharing their faith in a loving and positive manner.  Each year I am reminded of a few evangelistic principles ...

1. Not Combative. People are not combative. I have heard many stories of people being combative when you mention the name Jesus. That is simply not true. If you are sharing Jesus in a humble, loving and serving manner then nearly all people are very kind to the conversation. The truth of the matter is that people are hungry for spiritual things and if we are not "jerks" then they want to talk.

2. Too Much Fun.  Sharing the hope of Christ is way too much fun. To know the God Man that has the answers that heal everyday wounds and pains is cathartic ... to tell others about it ... fun. People are seeking and when you share with them real life answers (that point to Jesus) you help them along their way in life. There is much fun to be had in connecting someone to the Jesus that they have been searching for their entire life.

3. Complaints. You know the only people that I hear complain about a particular method of evangelism (tracts for example) are Christians. I have never heard a lost people complain to me about the method of evangelism.  They are lost people. Hungry people do not care what color the plate is ... just as long as there is food on the plate. Sometimes church people get too distracted and concerned about matters that really do not matter.

david evans is the Evangelism Team Leader (Director) for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.  Feel free to contact david via e-mail devans@tnbaptist.org. In the meantime, check out “The Reaching App” by searching in your app store or visiting www.TheReachingApp.com.