It’s one of the best evangelistic books I’ve read. Glen Scrivener’s The Air We Breathe. Near the end, he says, when we were young, the youth talk was all about taking a ‘leap of faith’. But now, “it’s not so that young people need to take a leap of faith as they need ground beneath their feet”.
This caught me off guard. I remember the ‘leap of faith’ youth talk. And the change in the standard youth talk since is undeniable. Now ‘who am I?’ and ‘what is my purpose?’ are the driving questions of those growing up in the church, not ‘when you gonna jump?’
I once advertised youth events with words like ‘fun’, ‘wacky’, ‘prize giveaways’ or even – dare I say it – ‘relevant’ (boke). But genuinely, in the last event series I was part of setting up, we placed a new set of words on the poster, words we thought would attract unbelieving young people to our event. Those words were… ‘a clear and basic Bible teaching event’.
When it comes to a genuine mission in Ireland, we must ask–what is the driving question posed to Christians by unbelievers in Ireland today?
But first, a story about butterflies and caterpillars. (bear with me!)
A world-changing evangelist, Billy G the Butterfly, would once visit gatherings of caterpillars. These caterpillars were fat and fed. Their culture already taught them to eat good leaves. Their parents or grandparents were already butterflies and had told them about their metamorphosis journeys.
And boy could Billy preach. He would invite these caterpillars to die to self, and become born again – a new creation! “Embrace the process of metamorphosis, and you will be transformed.” What a preacher. Many lives were changed.
The question all these caterpillars were asking was: is it for me?
In a single evening, Billy would get them sorted.
They knew the nuts and bolts; they just needed a finger pointed at them and someone to say, take the leap of faith. Get born again.
We are so thankful for Billy.
A while later, another world-changing evangelist, Nicky G the Butterfly, came on the scene. His heart was for those who were not quite sure; the whole metamorphosis thing was scary to them. They were thinner caterpillars, not quite so fat–they needed some feeding first.
And Nicky would say. Look at the evidence. Let me introduce you to a few butterflies who used to be caterpillars. And have your questions answered. Now, do you think you’re ready to trust? to enter the cocoon? to dye to self? “Trust the trustworthy process of metamorphosis, and before you know it, you’ll be flying!”
The question these caterpillars were asking was: how does it work?
Over 12 weeks, Nicky would get them sorted.
They had seen it work in others, but needed to understand the process before entering in. Then they would commit, join a butterfly church and find their wings.
We are so thankful for Nicky.
Today, we have another group of caterpillars. They are fourth-generation caterpillars – that is – caterpillars raised by caterpillars four times over. They are unfamiliar with living free like a butterfly. The ambition to fly is a rare commodity. They are an anxious group. Rooks and ravens, seagulls and gardeners all pose a threat throughout their life, so they don’t risk going out to eat good leaves. And, they ask, “what’s wrong with being a caterpillar anyway?” So, they don’t go out to discover. They stay mildly entertained. A hollow happiness is enough. They miss out on the whole purpose of life.
Butterfly evangelists still have the truth. Metamorphosis still exists. It’s available. And the odd time, an evangelist swallows the frog in their throat and says something like, “You think leaves are good … try nectar!” However, the worldview jump is too much for these caterpillars to consider. Sometimes, it even comes across as an attack on caterpillar culture rather than an invitation to more. All the butterflies they know are from a different part of town. And they’ve never even seen a caterpillar actually transform: “Metaphora-what? The whole thing just sounds strange, unsafe and… gloopy!”
The butterfly evangelists get discouraged. They keep trying the ‘take a leap of faith’ and ‘this is how it works’ approach and a few caterpillars come forward. But nowhere near enough.
Slowly, these new butterfly evangelists believe a lie. One planted by the feasting rooks and ravens. That caterpillars are uninterested and that reaching them is out of the question.
But it is a lie.
Do you want to know the truth about these skinny fourth-generation caterpillars?
They are starving.
Deep down, they know there is more to life than a floppy existence. They were made for more than monotonous living.
But these butterfly evangelists need to come to terms something. If you’re a fourth-generation caterpillar: your question is not, is it for me? For you don’t even know what it is. It’s not, how does it work? For you’re are not there yet.
Your question is, is it real?
These butterfly evangelists need to take these caterpillars right back to creation. Ground them with clear and basic teaching. Tell them that their very DNA is coded to become a butterfly. That committing to metamorphosis is the most caterpillar thing they can do. It is what they were made for. Anything else would be to miss out. Then, take them to a green leaf, and though they might feel anxious about trying something new, walk with them as they take their first bite. As their appetite is whetted, they will feed some more. And questions will flow.
“Is it real?” They ask, as they look up at their new friend, the butterfly. “It is.”
“How does it work?” – “Let me show you.” the Butterflies will say, before they have the honour of answering the question:
“Is it for me?” – “It is what you were made for, And I can’t wait to introduce you to nectar!”
Is that enough about Caterpillars? – probably (thanks for sticking with me!)
Today, as I write this paragraph, I see rising in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, bravery in our leadership, conviction in our veins and humility in our hearts. I sense a yearning for God to be at work across Ireland. A contending for souls. A love for the lost is developing. I see the next generation of Nickys and Billys.
And you know, one of my observations is that there are still people asking the question is it for me? and how does it work? Mostly those connected to the church already.
But we have a whole throng of people. Not far from God but far from a Christian. And if they could just meet a believer, they would ask: is it real?
We need a new approach to evangelism, and it looks more basic than you might think.
My dad’s friend says ‘if you always wear the same clothes, you’ll be in fashion two times in your life’. Evangelism has had its influences and changes over the past 50 years. We’ve seen everything from the gospel reduced to pithy slogans, calls to convert but not to follow, great movements, amazing video presentations, passionate campaigns, and pitiful attempts to be relevant (boke!). And for the most part, PCI churches have stayed the same: kept their Sunday schools running, kept their mid-week, kept their Bible teaching and pastoral model of ministering. We’ve seen fads come and go. But what does Ireland need today?
I believe ordinary Bible-believing Christians, of which PCI is jammed full of, are the answer to reaching Ireland’s unbelieving population.
Our unbelieving friends have no time for so-called celebrities, and flashy displays are more suspicious than convincing. They want to meet someone who actually believes. The succinct presentation and visiting speaker will still play their part, but the real work, the real witness, is done by ordinary Christians who are known. I know that’s why I first believed. I became a Christian because ordinary, local people invited me to follow Jesus. For me, it was my sister. She invited me to a camp, and the tears happened there. But it was her, someone I knew, who brought me to Jesus. And I’m glad she did. (Thanks Claire!)
As I observe the trends in Ireland today. It’s like everyone is asking the same question W.B. Yeats asked in 1909: “Why is life a perpetual preparation for something that never happens?” (like a caterpillars who never enter the cocoon, right?!)
They feel stuck - but they are starving. Quenching their thirst with salt water. They know there is something more if they could just meet someone who, without a hidden agenda, could tell them.
In the Ireland of social media algorithm loops, expressive individualism, ‘keep them busy’ family life, perma-crises anxiety and being numbed by mindless entertainment. The only thing that drives truth to the heart is relational connection – which is, of course, the gospel way.
But here’s the reminder: while the unbelieving population in Ireland are not far from God, they are far from a Christian.
And I know Ruth is still bumping into Boaz, the spies are still crossing paths with Rahab, Paul and the jailer are still having dramatic conversations. We are seeing some first-generation conversions. But nowhere near enough. And I fear that we, the church, are not thinking about the unreached masses on our island with any sense of intentionality.
But what can we do? What should be our first step as individuals? Can we be the pointy end of the church? Who try and fail and try again, to enable the people of Ireland to encounter the living God? –I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Psalm 107 opens with a declaration that God is good. And, before it outlines how people come to Christ, it gives a simple command to the people of God in verse 2. “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story.”
Can I invite you to simply tell your story, and invite people into the ordinary things of your Christian life? Could this be the most effective thing we can do to see people come to Jesus?
We already pray–let’s pray with others. We already read scripture–let’s read scripture with others. We already have a Sunday school–let’s invite others in. We already enjoy the presence of God–let’s enjoy it with others. We are already thankful for our redemption–let's tell our story.
Bio
Andy Lamberton is a speaker, writer, and mission worker dedicated to helping families follow Jesus. A member of Fahan Presbyterian in Donegal, director of Legacy and author of Letters for Exiles.