For about three decades Bernard Meltzer (1916-1998) hosted a radio call-in-for-advice show called What’s Your Problem?  He said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming really interested in other people, than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”  I have no idea whether or not he knew Jesus; nevertheless I believe Jesus would have nodded His head in agreement with Meltzer.

   Jesus was the ultimate example of “It’s not all about me,” and He instructs us to have the same attitude.  God wants us to have an attitude like Jesus, “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men (Phil. 2:6-7 NASB).  The glorious irony of Jesus’ it’s-not-all-about-me attitude is -- it became all about Him (2:9-11).

     Meltzer’s statement has evangelistic merit.  Wouldn’t the statement “You can make more Christians in two months by becoming interested in other people, than you can in two years by trying to get other people more interested in you and what you believe” be equally true?

   Too often we reduce evangelism to trying to persuade other people into believing just like we do.  Persuasion can be part of the evangelistic process, and you should “always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15).  But persuasion by itself is neither enough nor is it the place to start.

   We are instructed repeatedly to love our neighbor (Lev. 19:18, Matt. 22:39, James 2:8).  Any attempts to evangelize must first be fueled by love to enable persuasion to become truly effective.  To enable persuasive words or deeds to ever burst into flaming faith, some good kindling of sincere interest and concern for others is critical.  It will be difficult for your neighbor or your fellow workmate or your in-laws to believe that you are truly interested in their eternal destiny if they do not believe you are truly interested in their present reality.  Are they hungry?  Feed them.  Are they lonely?  Visit them.  Are they worried?  Comfort them.  Are they discouraged?  Encourage them.  Do they like to talk?  Listen to them.  Do they like to fish? Fish with them.  To do so is to exchange the cloak of egotism for the towel of servanthood (John 13:3-5, Matt. 25:35-36).     

   I also filter Meltzer’s quote through the eyes and heart of a pastor of a church.  I believe it is equally true to say, “You can make your church grow more in two months by becoming really interested in other people, than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in your church.”  

   Read that again and let it soak in.  

    I love Joyce Bible Church.  I love the people.  I love the facility.  I love preaching on Sunday.  I love writing this article for the newsletter.  I love the numerous programs and activities that take place on the church property and elsewhere throughout the week.  I love the monthly potlucks.  All of these are good and all of these are blessed by God in multiple ways.  But for healthy church growth, none of these will replace becoming genuinely interested in the lives of people who are outside the church.  To do so could result in a similar irony that Jesus experienced.  By becoming more interested in people outside the church, those people will more likely become people inside the church and eternal brothers and sisters in Christ.

    May God truly guide us and empower us as we reach out to others with genuine concern and interest.