Friendship evangelism?

British evangelicalism has often had a strategy of so-called "friendship evangelism". Tell your friends the good news about Jesus is a no-brainer but there are at least two possible problems with this.

(1) No friendships?

Some Christians have few real friendships outside the church for all sorts of reasons. Maybe quirks of personality. Perhaps busyness at church activities and meetings. Obviously there are some cultural and worldview bridges to cross between contemporary British evangelicals and the average local pagan.

But as a strategy this whole approach is questionable, is it not? We do not befriend people solely for the purpose of propping up our club, as if the Village Hall committee were a bit short of helpers and the current team were tasked to target people they might recruit by getting them round for dinner a couple of times and then popping the question. The friendships must be genuine if there is to be honest and ethical friendship evangelism.

(2) No evangelism?

But I imagine most of us get stuck at the friendship stage. We are for ever building up the friendship. It is too soon to mention Jesus. And then the friendship really matters to us, so it is a bit risky to mention Jesus if that might jeopardise the friendship.

Better than a friendship evangelism strategy, how about this:

If we love people and we believe we have the best and most vital news in the world ever to share, it will be hard to shut us up, though, won't it?

This is of course easier to say than to do. Pray for the Rector in this too!