Evangelism: A Reflection on Bede

 In everything that the Christian does, they need to be approaching Evangelism with the mindset of speaking the truth to unbelievers. In Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Bede mentions a man named Aidan, saying, “Neither respect nor fear made him keep silence about the sins of the rich, but he would correct them with a stern rebuke” (Bede, III.5, pg. 117). A Christian’s words and actions must align with the truth they are living out of in order to convince others. To speak rather than remain silent is itself an action. Non-Christians often accuse Christians of being hypocritical, and rightly so. It is my experience that often, Christians are trying to sell a message that they themselves don’t buy. When Bede mentions Aidan, he writes, “the best recommendation of his teaching to all was that he taught them no other way of life than that which he himself practiced among his fellows” (Bede, III.5, pg. 116). Words are empty if they are not spoken from a place of honesty both in true belief and in action. In addition to this, actions are incomplete if they are not accompanied by the directness of a Christian’s words.  Because a person’s faith is so fundamental to their personal worldview and the core of their identity, it is not something that can be forced upon someone. The only effective way to cause somebody to convert to Christianity is if they can see the truth in it through your words and actions. It must be the case where the Christian is genuine in their words and deeds, and God works through them to open eyes and hearts to his truth.