Arron Chambers on Eating with Sinners and Everyday Evangelism
In this interview, Arron Chambers discusses his book Eats with Sinners: Reaching Hungry People Like Jesus Did and the simple, relational approach to evangelism he sees in the ministry of Jesus. Chambers emphasizes integrity, sincere friendship, hospitality, and telling one’s story as practical ways Christians can connect with people outside the church.
- Chambers says evangelism is less about memorized plans and more about intentional relationships.
- He points to Jesus’ practice of eating with people as a model for reaching those outside the faith.
- The conversation highlights integrity, hospitality, testimony, and leaving the Christian comfort zone.
Arron Chambers
By Brad Dupray
Arron Chambers is a pastor, husband, father, writer, triathlete, and he loves to eat . . . with sinners. Arron’s latest book, Eats with Sinners: Reaching Hungry People Like Jesus Did, examines Jesus’ approach to creating conversations with people over a meal and how to apply that approach today. Each chapter of Eats with Sinners deals with a character trait of Jesus that made eating with sinners an effective means of sharing his message. Arron is lead minister of Journey Christian Church in Greeley, Colorado, and a contributing editor to Christian Standard.
Arron maintains the Web site, www.EatsWithSinners.com. Arron’s blog, “My Lord and My Blog,” is featured at www.ChristianStandard.com.
What was the inspiration for the book?
In ministry I’ve encountered a lot of people I believe have a misunderstanding of what evangelism is all about and what it entails. Too many people in the church think evangelism is being able to quote long passages of Scripture, to repeat a plan, to expound on all the eschatological views. They’re afraid they’re going to have to answer the most complicated questions. In this book I wanted to reintroduce the church to Christ’s primary method for reaching and connecting with people, which was eating with them.
What are people hungering for?
They’re hungering for purpose, for hope, for meaning in this life, for relationships with other people. In this book I tap into that and try to convince the reader that evangelism is not what we’ve made it out to be. It’s simple. It’s about building intentional relationships with people through which those people are introduced to Jesus Christ. It’s the most effective means of reaching people I’ve used in my ministry.
Why do you think eating a meal is such a connecting point for people?
Eating with somebody is one of the most intimate things we can do outside of marriage. Christians in the first century understood that eating with somebody was a sign of acceptance. There was a Jewish rule in regard to eating, “like eats with like.” To eat with somebody was to say, “they are my equal.” So the Jewish leaders didn’t understand why Jesus was eating with people who were so socially reprehensible.
Eating with those who are socially reprehensible can put someone in an awkward spot, can’t it?
That’s why the first chapter in the book is “Integrity.” I start with integrity because that’s how Jesus started his ministry. His ministry started with his being led out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. If he had fallen in the wilderness, his ministry would have failed. As we try to build relationships with people who are outside of Christ, it’s important that we walk with integrity. A married man meeting with a single woman in a private social setting is completely inappropriate. What I am condoning is appropriate interaction with non-Christians, through which we build relationships and we walk with integrity. I don’t frequent bars, I don’t get drunk, but I’ve started going to a bar on a regular basis, not to drink, but to establish relationships with people who need Jesus.
How has that experience been?
It’s been great. I have had a chance to reach a lot of people. In the past six months we’ve had about a dozen people from the bar come to our church. A month ago I baptized two people that I met at the bar. It helps that the lady who owns the bar comes to our church now. We have a Bible study that meets there on Saturday mornings.
The only reason I can do that is I walk with integrity. They know I’m not a drunkard, I don’t swear, I don’t do anything that would bring shame to Jesus’ name. We lose our effectiveness if we try to eat with sinners but compromise our integrity. We just become hypocrites when we compromise and we lose all of our effectiveness.
How do you initiate these contacts with people without appearing manipulative?
These relationships have to be sincere. You’re not going to get along with everybody, but there will be people, as you get out of your Christian bubble, that you would normally be drawn to as friends. Pursue that and build as many of those intentional relationships as possible. If your purpose is to manipulate them, then you’re going to do more harm than good because they’re going to view you as a hypocrite. I don’t encourage building a relationship with somebody, seeing them come to Christ, and then deserting them. These should be long-term relationships where they’re nurtured, discipled, and encouraged. These are true relationships, true friendships.
Why is it so hard for Christians to talk about their faith?
It’s a misunderstanding of what it means to share our faith. I think it’s as simple as telling your story. Telling what Christ has done in your life. In too many churches it appears that it’s the preacher’s job to reach lost people; that’s what we pay him to do. That misunderstanding has hindered the work by allowing too many Christians to opt out of a responsibility that is truly ours.
Do Christians need preparation for connecting with nonbelievers about their faith?
You don’t need a degree in theology to reach your friends for Christ. You just need a desire for a relationship and a sincere love for people. I think we’ve inadvertently intimidated an entire generation of Christians by presenting evangelism as a plan that needs to be memorized and recited in just the right order, with just the right corresponding memorized Scriptures, at just the right time, and with the just the right tone in our voice. Evangelism is not about education, it’s about affection.
For example, early in my first ministry a new Christian named John was trying to convince me he couldn’t share his faith. I asked him what he did on Saturday nights. He said he went to car shows. I asked him if he ever had a chance to have a conversation with guys at the car show. I asked him what they talked about. He said they talk about carburetors and engines, about life. I asked him if they ever talk about something else. I asked if he ever had a chance to talk about Jesus. He thought you had to present some plan for it to be evangelism. I said, “John, over the years you have built relationships with those people and through those relationships you have had an opportunity to introduce them to Jesus Christ.” That’s what evangelism is all about.
Is the book more directed toward individual use or for groups? How is it best used?
It’s best used by churches who can get this book in the hands of their members. What they’re going to find is they can equip a group of people who will help them in the process of evangelism. Any preacher who can put this book in the hands of his people is giving them a tool that will enable them to join in the effort to reach their community for Christ.
So you see this as a call to action?
When I wrote this book I really wanted it to be a motivational kick in the tail for Christians to get them to evaluate their method of evangelism and ask themselves hard questions like, “Am I eating with sinners? When was the last time I had the opportunity to lead somebody to Christ?” In my experience, too many Christians are too distant from the world.
Why is that the case?
We get comfortable. We get into routines. We surround ourselves with Christians. We get into a Christian community group, we’re in Christian ministry, immersed in the church, but we forget about our mission to go into all the world and share the gospel and to follow Christ’s example of eating with sinners. This book is really a call for Christians to leave their comfort zones and to be intentional about building relationships with non-Christians. Jesus ate with the kind of people who, in my ministry experience, would not be welcomed in most church services for sure, and would not be tolerated by most Christians.
Who, for example, wouldn’t be welcomed in most church services?
Let me give you some examples. A flamboyant homosexual, a fall-down drunk, an ex-con, a prostitute, a woman with a reputation, the local chairman of the Democratic Party, and teens with tattoos and piercings wearing Goth clothing. It goes on and on.
As Christians, we homogenize our churches way too easily and expect everybody to look a certain way, talk a certain way, act a certain way, as proof that they are true Christians. The problem is, lost people didn’t get the memo. They aren’t privy to our insider talk—our insider dress code. When we expect them to come to the church on our terms, I think we reflect a spirit that is quite different than the spirit Christ reflected with people who are lost.
What if your testimony isn’t dramatic?
A story is not powerful because it’s dramatic; it’s powerful because it’s true. If you’re telling your story to me, it would have power as I reflected how God had done true and meaningful things in your life that are important to you. A testimony is not powerful because it’s filled with all kinds of stories of blatant sin and a radically changed lifestyle; it’s powerful because of what God has done for you whether it’s dramatic or simple. God has done something in everyone’s life. Everyone has a story.
How do you get past the societal stigma of telling people their belief system is wrong?
People have to make their own choices, and all you can tell them is what God has done in your life and what he’s said in his Word. That’s a situation where theological training doesn’t hurt. I would encourage people to study to have a reason for the hope that is within them. Even so, you tell someone your story about what God has done in your life and you do it with integrity and love and kindness and it’s a pretty effective approach. It worked for Jesus.
Brad Dupray is senior vice president, ministry development, with Church Development Fund, Irvine, California.
