Evangeholics Anonymous

(Originally published in ABIDE! Magazine, January 2012. View original article.)

I need a fix… My hands are shaky… I’m getting restless… If I don’t get to evangelize soon, I’m going to scream! Ever feel like this? Congratulations, YOU are addicted to evangelism. When I began doing Biblical Evangelism in 2010, I couldn’t get enough. I had many symptoms and signs of someone addicted to drugs.

From markhoustonrecovery.com

I was consumed with witnessing—spending an exorbitant amount of time doing, thinking or planning outreaches and evangelism encounters. My tolerance for evangelism was never satisfied. I had a difficult time stopping the evangelism or cutting back, constantly wanting more and more. Last winter, I even suffered from evangelism withdrawal being that I live in Cleveland, Ohio. Many evangelistic-minded people will read this and think there is no problem, while others will think I am certifiably insane because I desire to share my faith so much.

The answer lies in finding a comfortable balance that coincides with your lifestyle. For instance, a single person could spend much more time evangelizing the lost than someone with a spouse and kids. If you are suffering from the effects of evangelism addiction, there is hope…

1.      Plan your evangelism outings around your schedule. Don’t neglect other things or people because you are so focused on sharing the Gospel.

2.      Prioritize appropriately. If evangelism is more important than your daily Bible reading and prayer, something is drastically wrong. How can you share God with others when you aren’t spending time with Him yourself?

3.      Find a way to disperse your evangelism in day-to-day activities. For example, bring tracts when you go grocery shopping: Drop some in the alcohol cases. Place more in the books and magazines. Don’t forget to save one for the cashier when you pay for your items.

4.      Fellowship with other evangelists. Hearing about their evangelism activities can curb your “appetite” because you are “feeding” off their stories.

5.      Teach a class. Training others in evangelism offers you the opportunity to share your tales and create fellow laborers for future outreach events.

Oddly enough, this is a true story. I am a recovering “Evangeholic” and using these tips, you too can make a full recovery. My wife noticed my addiction before I did. I kept trying to force her into evangelism situations and was always talking about doing some new outreach. Evangelism was slowly taking over my life. Following the guidelines above really helped me to get on the right track.

Make sure to talk with your pastor about your zeal to “seek and save the lost.” He may be able to help you by offering suggestions for areas to witness or even offer to have you start an evangelism training class in your church. Don’t be upset with someone for “complaining” about your doing too much evangelism. They may see the addiction problems before you do.

In closing, continue to share the Gospel with excitement and anticipation, just make sure you don’t overdose on evangelism. For those that think we’re nuts, maybe you aren’t sharing your faith enough… or at all! Remember that Jesus commands us to “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”