Evangelism & St. Patrick’s Day

When I think of St. Patrick’s Day, I think of evangelism. He is one of the greatest outreach ambassadors the church has ever had.

As the story goes, Patrick was raised in Britain in the fourth century. His uncle was a deacon and his grandfather a priest. At the age of 16 he was kidnapped by raiding marauders and was sold as a slave to an Irish farmer. While serving as a slave, Patrick was redeemed by the grace of Jesus Christ and saved through faith in Him.

At the age of 22 he escaped captivity and returned home. He received a theological education and compelled by a vision he returned to Ireland to share the Gospel.

George G. Hunter provides an outstanding explanation of how God used Patrick to start over 200 churches and baptize over 100,000 people in his book The Celtic Way of Evangelism. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in evangelism, missional history, or Christian social impact on culture. Patrick was used by God to do all three and change a nation.