I never considered myself an evangelist.

I would only share my faith when opportunities arose: like when friends in deep trouble needed some answers, or when I was asked about what I believed (which was rare); then and only then would I witness to what Christ had done in me. That’s why I’m still amazed that I made a commitment to evangelize everyday after hearing a New Year’s message in 2004. (Read part 1 here.)

I had always thought that evangelism was somebody else’s job; only those who had the gift of evangelism actually did it.
It certainly was not my job!

The day after I made that commitment to share my faith everyday I found myself in the chair of my hairstylist. She told me how her marriage was in trouble, her kids were screwed up—you know, the typical American family story—and I listened, waiting for my opportunity.

I didn’t know how to share my faith so I took my cue from 1 Corinthians 15:3—“For what I received I passed on to you as first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…”

My goal was to share this with someone everyday: “Jesus died for your sins, was buried for three days and rose again.”

So I did, with my hairstylist cutting a little off the top. She listened, listened, listened… then, to my amazement, repented right there, scissors in hand, as I spoke to her about the significance of what those Gospel words meant. In between snips of my sideburns I asked her to pray to receive Christ. She did. And those in the waiting room heard her praying as I sat there somewhat embarassed.

The first day out of the gate and someone got saved! Hoo-boy! Those “magic” words “Jesus died for your sins, was buried for three days and rose again” really worked! This poor hairstylist was now saved!

Or was she?

Nevertheless, I looked at this result as the firstfruit of what God had in store for me in my new determination to share my faith everyday.

But I found out a very short time later that this wouldn’t be as easy as I thought… I still had much, much more to learn. With just one question from my pastor—one well-meaning, helpful question—I had to reconsider everything I was saying… and doing. (Read part 3 by clicking here.)