Vacation from Evangelism?

My Thoughts/Your Thoughts

What would you do? What should you do?
You have a zeal for the lost. You’re on vacation with your family. All those lost people. Your family must come first. What is an evangelist to do?

In beautiful Sedona, Arizona…

…and at Grand Canyon where we vacationed last week, that was my dilemma.

But it wasn’t really a dilemma.

An evangelist must always put his family first. I am commanded to live with my wife in an understanding way, and to love her as Christ loves the church; I am also not to exasperate my children. If I am so focused on the lost that I forget the found, then the point of Christian love is missed. At times, this means putting my evangelistic zeal on hold for a short while.

I may not have the luxury of a long one-to-one conversation when I’m vacationing with my family, and I don’t want to risk embarassing them by preaching in the desert air to tourists gathered at a beautiful attraction…

Therefore I will take to heart the words of Charles Spurgeon:

“When preaching and private talk are not available, you need to have a tract read… Get good striking tracts, or none at all. But a touching Gospel tract may be the seed of eternal life. Therefore, do not go out without your tracts.”

While the wife and kids take a trip to the restroom, I can covertly hand out a few tracts; when I go to the restroom, I can hand out a few tracts; if my family is resting in the condo, I can make a quick dash down to the pool, or out to the car to hand out a few tracts. I can always Do something! Do something! Do something!

Besides, it’s not up to me. It’s Jesus Who saves!

Read about what NOT to do on a vacation by reading this account of how I totally blew it last year.

Read the companion article, “Third Rail Evangelism”, by clicking here.

Comments (0)

  1. WayneDawg

    Reply

    I was in the same situation a couple weeks ago while at the beach. I simply left tracts everywhere I went……….

    Now I can’t wait for tomorrow (4th of July). I have put together a team of fishermen to tract and share in Canton Georgia. Last year I handed out over 200 tracts and witnessed by myself. This year I have 6 or 7 folks joining me!!!

    I led the Way of the Master class at church this past Spring and some of the class is going to fish with me!!

    God is good!

  3. Steve Rollins

    Reply

    Wouza youza, Steve – that really ministered to me – I recently took a trip to TN with my family, and was rebuffed by my wife for attempting to pass out MDB’s on the plane, and got major-ly mad-dogged by my son for passing out MDB’s and witnessing to this man at LAX, I had my tail between my legs, semi-cowering. But seeing that you go through the same thing makes me feel better – the good news is that the tension from being “stifled” for 10 days by my own family has increased my zeal and boldness when I’m away from my family, so that’s a good thing. It was like I was shot out of a cannon (10 cannons?) on Monday morning after my family vacation. So I guess if I’m way more zealous for 50-51 weeks a year, and quieted down for a week or so, that’s ok.

    I love my family, but like Ray says, “until the nets are full…”

    So thanks so much for your honesty in sharing that ….

    Keep it up, my brotha !

    Steve

  4. Linda Martin

    Reply

    Steve, that also encouraged me. I was on vacation the week of the Fourth with my family in NYC and faced the same dilemma. But I still got to pass out some tracts and even engaged one man on the street with an Obama button in a conversation about abortion. Not the gospel, but still important. (I couldn’t believe God had made me that bold!)

    Thank you for sharing.

    Linda Martin

    PS The interview on KKLA was super. Gave me some good ideas for our church.

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