At the time, she was our youngest grandchild, and was slow on cutting loose from a pair of training wheels. Actually, she was down to only one wheel, which meant she was riding on two wheels much of the time. But that one training wheel was like her baby’s blanket of years before; it was hard to get rid of. What she had to do, of course, was "just do it!" And she did. One day, while visiting, she asked me to remove the one training wheel for her, and off she went. Down to the end of the driveway and back and then down to the end of the street and back. Her eyes were brimming with pride and joy; mine had a tear or two in them. What she had to do was just make up her mind to do it.

It occurs to me that this is the state of evangelization in many congregations. They talk about it, when what they need to do is "just do it!"

The two references to evangelists in the New Testament both relate to doing. Timothy was enjoined to "do the work of an evangelist".(2 Tim.4:5). In Ephesians 4, 11-15, evangelists, as well as apostles, prophets, pastors and teachers, are "to equip the saints for the work of ministry."

Evangelization is doing. It is not church growth; neither is it a theological/political position, but a work of God in which we share. It is preaching Christ as the one and only way to God. It is inviting unchurched friends, relatives, acquaintances and neighbors to church; it is welcoming strangers, telling persons not what they ought to believe, but what we believe and why.

My guess is that most of us know how to do what needs doing. Dare I say it? Most of us don’t need to attend another evangelism workshop. What we need to do is "just do it!" Why not call that friend or neighbor right now and invite them to go with you to church this Sunday? You might experience the same pride and joy of my granddaughter when they respond "Thanks for asking me!"