I didn’t mention in yesterday’s blog that Mark’s relatives who were having the abortion weren’t Christians. Kevin Rubottom wrote a blog comment basically asking, “What happens to this couple after Mark’s intervention?”

One good thing would be if they could trust Jesus with their lives. And in that regard, here is today’s great news: Mark led them in a prayer asking Jesus to be Lord of their lives yesterday.

Now, I’d like to make a larger point: This is usually where the story ends. Too often we in the Church engage in hit-and-run evangelism. The worst story I heard along these lines is the guy who left a bad tip for the waitress and a Four Spiritual Laws tract. Or, there was the Christian who threw a tract at a hitchhiker while racing by (can you flip someone off in the Spirit?).

We were called to make disciples, not get people to pray a prayer and put a notch in our Bible. Generally, Baptist churches are among the best at getting their members to evangelize. The rest of the body of Christ has much to learn from them. But sometimes they go overboard. It’s terrible how insensitive some of us can be. In a cross-cultural context, this approach is the epitome of the ugly American (I hope this is offending some of you; it needs to be pointed out).

Having said that, let’s be clear: tracts do have their place. Many of us were convicted by one. We need to evangelize and we need to begin reaching out to people like Mark’s relatives in love.

I will follow Mark’s ongoing ministry to his relatives and update you later. I think we’ll see an example of what the Church should look like.