What role should death play in modern evangelism?

A few weeks ago I was having a conversation about evangelism and, somehow we got onto the role of death.

I assume it was because, for the first time in living me,our, death is - again - a threat in the West due to COVID.

So, can Christians, once again, use the looming shadow of death as an evangelistic tool?

For decades, the idea of death being an imposing, threatening menace in the West has been somewhat removed by increased comfort and modern medicine.

Sure, death still existed. Obviously.

And death still occurred. Even in the young.

Death would still strike in moments of disaster and tragedy just as much in 2019 as it would in times gone by.

And yet… infant mortality is at its lowest. Life expectancy is at its highest.

So, what - if any - role should death play in evangelism?

Of course, if you’re going to speak about judgement, then death will be a part of the discussion.

If you’re going to press the importance of the resurrection, then pointing out that ever human has and will die may be an important launching point.

But, what of the sudden threat of death - one that can legitimately strike next month or year?

Is this message more powerful now, in a COVID world, than it has been since, say, the AIDS epidemic or the World Wars?

I suspect, in some places! The message may hit closer to home.

But, should death be our message?

Should our evangelism be punctuated by death?

I don’t think so.

Surely, even if the shadow of death is more impending than in generations, our primary message should still be about life.

Life to the full.

Eternal life.

Life over death.

Even in a COVID world.

Or a world with AIDS

Or with World Wars.

Or the Plague.

Christianity should always be, at the core, about life and hope. Not death and fear.