There were only three of us in Bible study group the other morning, and the other two guys were both in sales—one in property and one in software. We were talking about how to encourage other people with the message of the Bible (whether Christian or non-Christian), about why we fail to do so, and so on.
I started to say that I sometimes find it difficult to talk easily about Christian things, especially with non-Christians, because I’m not a natural ‘salesman’ sort of personality—“Not like you two guys”. But one of my friends pulled me up short.
“No, you don’t understand sales”, he said. “It’s not about being a particular personality. I’ve got all these guys who think they’re great salesmen because they’re the fast-talking, ambitious ‘sales’ guy. But they’re actually not. The girl who’s bringing in the most business is much more laid-back, but she’s genuine. She communicates real concern and sincerity. She gets next to people, understands and listens to them, and then works really hard to help them get what they want. She’s bringing in the business, but if you asked her, she wouldn’t say she was a natural salesperson.
“It’s really about whether you love the product, and know it well, and whether you actually care for people and want to see them satisfied. If you really believe in it, then you’ll sell it.”
My other friend the salesman chimed in: “Yes, that’s right. You can have someone who knows the technical details of the product perfectly, but who has no passion for it, and no empathy or ability to relate to people and listen to them. Selling is just as much about listening as anything else.”
My first friend smiled at me and made his point: “So don’t tell us you’re not a salesperson. You sell us the Bible every week. You lead and guide the group. You listen. You relate well to us. And you obviously believe in the ‘product’. And the person who believes in the product and really wants to sell it, will do it in their own way, through their own personality.”
There was one of those nice pauses that happens sometimes in a small group—not the awkward silence, but the silence of completion when someone has just drawn together and summarized exactly what God wanted us to hear that morning.
We looked at each other and felt the challenge. It doesn’t have a whole lot to do with how gifted or clever we are, but how much we love the message of God, and how much we love the people around us who need to hear it.
<i>…but how much we love the message of God, and how much we love the people around us who need to hear it.</i>
Great comment!
The next questions – what do we mean by “love”, and how do we build our love for the gospel and for other people?
Great post, Tony! I wonder if part of the reason we might pair evangelism and the ‘sales’ type of person is because of evangelistic speakers. We see and hear them speak eloquently and persuasively about Jesus and see people respond positively to the gospel as they ‘sell’ it (if you’ll pardon the analogy). We know we’re not like these specialist evangelists – few people are.
I think your two salesmen friends are very perceptive – it seems a key factor that makes you an effective gospel salesman, Tony, is your relationship with them. For these guys, your commitment to them is the best sales pitch ever. And you’re committed to the best ‘product’ ever – loving God and his Word. What a killer combination!
So how then do we regard the term ‘evangelist’ in the NT?
I guess I’ve tended to think of the evangelist as the person who is a bit of an extrovert and easily initiates conversations—whether evangelistic or otherwise. But maybe that’s not right. Maybe it is just the person that, like Paul, is ‘compelled’ by the love of Christ (2 Cor 5:14) to share the Gospel. Maybe the gift is just that intense desire to love the other person enough to overcome our own discomfort.
Having said that, it does seem to me that a person’s level of discomfort varies with their personality. For the introvert, who finds any conversation with people they don’t know well quite a struggle, the level of discomfort they have to overcome is significantly greater than that of those who find it hard to keep quiet when there’s another person within hearing range.
I really appreciate this message. You have to know and love the product in order to sell it. Great analogy, great idea. It makes a lo of sense. Thank you for sharing!
Hi All
Thanks for the comments, and sorry for the silence. I was a bit poorly yesterday.
Very briefly: Craig, those are excellent questions. Do you mind if we postpone discussing them until after my third post on emotions/affections? It will be very relevant.
IC and others: interestingly, our conversation in the small group wasn’t really in the context of evangelism and evangelists particularly, but our willingness to speak God’s word into any situation to anyone, whether Christian or non-Christian. (I know the way I framed the post may have led you to think otherwise.) It’s the same issue in each case: the ministry of the many and the ministry of the few. And in both cases, we get into strife (it seems to me) if we try to be more specific than the NT is, which is to say ‘not very specific’. All Christian disciples have the joy and privilege (and responsibility) of making disciples and teaching them all that Jesus has commanded (matt 28)—but this is not to deny that some have particular gifts or responsibilities.
TP
PS. I won’t be on duty for the next two days, so if there is further discussion I’ll take it up then.
TP,
Don’t get me wrong I totally agree with you about the fact that we must love Jesus and what he has done for us (‘the product’- as you say) and that one’s personality (be it introverted or extraverted) means one is a gifted evangelist. I am on the same page as far as your conclusion is concerned.
I grow uneasy when the gospel and evangelism is dressed up in the language of in ‘sales-speak’ Thoughts of Arminian theology, Theological dissonance & Evangelical pragmatism come to my boofhead mind).
Where did my earlier comment go?
Oh well –
What I said earlier was that your analogy reminded of what a Minister told me many years ago:
I think you would be great at presenting the product, not not very good at making the sale. .
He was referring to my ability to proclaim the gospel and evangelism.
One of the comments one of the people in your group concerns me a wee bit:
The Gospel is not a product, Christian are to love Jesus and love people. (This is different to caring I think). As for seeing them satisfied – in our culture satisfaction is tied up with being happy so it doesn’t sit well with me.