Relational Evangelism

I just finished a course on Evangelism through Northwest Nazarene University, my alma mater, taught by Robert Luhn. I didn't have very high expectations of this continuing education course but it had a very big impact on me. We talked about a lot of different issues ranging from motivations for evangelism, narrative, table fellowship, power evangelism, and being the message. I think the most surprising part of this course was power evangelism. This is where I interacted with ideas consistent with a dear friend living overseas who had already told me about the ways that God is moving. It seems that people are pulling away from their classical Protestant roots of thinking that God only speaks through scripture. Both forces have begun to open me up to this avenue. My friend whom I mentioned previously has been coaching me a little bit on how to pray in a way that I might be able to hear God's voice. I was focusing on hearing actual sentences and nothing happened but as I've thought more in terms of images, even I've had some curious experiences. Much of those experiences seem to center around one place on the campus where I teach. There are numerous benches (Ironically, I think I've seen students making out there), lots of trees and the place is mostly green. For me it has become a sanctuary. Last week, I went for a run, something I haven't done for a long time but was motivated to do because my back was hurting, possibly from holding Uri (my six-month-old boy) so much. I didn't really plan the route but it just worked out that I came across my "sanctuary". When I came to that place I had such a sense of God's presence. I just sat there as I felt the energy. Before I left, I sang a song I learned as a teenager that goes like this: Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary pure and holy, trite and true. With thanksgiving, I'll be a living sanctuary, for you. As I left that place, I felt as if God was saying, "Where are you going? I'll be right here." Unfortunately, last week I was busy with the class I took but now that I have finished that I hope to return to that place and be able to hear God's voice so that I can know God more and tell others about God. They need God's grace and so do I. Thank you, Dear Friend!