I am not a universalist. Far from it. I believe the belief in universalism to be, essentially, a faith in nothing, as the very word faith implies a belief system that provides definitive answers.

In fact, my being a Christian has its genesis in evangelical circles. I have even worked the phones for the Billy Graham crusade (on two separate occasions, no less). But I gradually became disenchanted with the "Amway" aspect of evangelism (and the numerous people who would ask you how many people you "brought to Christ" on a given occasion), and became concerned more with what happened AFTER the fast talking "sales pitch" resulted in a "closed deal". After all, this is eternal salvation we're talking about, and a simple Saturday night conversion doesn't address deeper spiritual needs at all. And what does it truly say about a person when their concern for another begins and ends with the other's decision to recite (or refuse to recite) the "sinner's prayer".

On the other end of the scale, this IS eternal salvation we're talking about, and to say nothing to someone about whom I care deeply would be an equally appalling disservice.

I began to realize as I watched other Christians that I admire exactly what the answer is. The simple answer is, you can say EVERYTHING by saying nothing. Your life, your example, everything you say and do is a FAR more compelling testimony than mere words, which can be manufactured at will by the vast majority of humans. Actions not only speak louder, but more substantially than words. If a picture is worth a thousand words, an action is easily worth TEN thousand.

Best of all, when you witness with action, you're not witnessing from a position of smug arrogance. You're giving evidence to another of a life totally turned over to Jesus Christ, and there is NO compelling testimony that can refute that. As a result, it becomes possible to coexist with the very individuals who need the Gospel the most.