The evangelization of Han Solo

When we first meet Han Solo, he’s a greedy, egocentric smuggler. He only agrees to help Luke and Obi Wan for the money, not because he supports the rebellion. On the journey, he expresses open skepticism about everything relating to the Force. Then, after being captured on the Death Star, when they discover Princess Leia is on board, Han isn’t interested in doing anything about it until Luke explains, “She’s rich….If you rescue her, the reward will be more well than you can imagine.”

After rescuing her and escaping the Death Star, there is a poignant scene in which Solo tells Leia, “Look, I ain't in this for your revolution, and I'm not in it for you, Princess. I expect to be well paid. I'm in it for the money!” for which he earns the contemptuous reply, “You needn't worry about your reward. If money is all that you love, then that's what you'll receive!”

Then, in the buildup to the final battle, as Han is packing up his massive reward, Luke tries once more to recruit him to the rebellion, to which he quips, “What good’s a reward if you aren’t around to use it?” Feeling guilty about this (in the first signs of a new heart), he lamely tells his disappointed friend, “Hey Luke,…May the Force be with you.”

Solo then leaves, and the rebels are off to their impossible mission. But of course, at the climactic point of the movie when all seems lost, Solo and the Millennium Falcon whoosh down from out of nowhere to shoot the Tie Fighters, allowing Luke to destroy the Death Star and win a huge (though temporary) victory.

He didn’t come back for the rebellion, he came back for his friends. But his friendship with them eventually led him to become an active participant in the cause they had devoted themselves to. Money led to friendship. Friendship led to loyalty. Loyalty led to devotion. And devotion became conversion to a cause.

As a pattern for evangelism, this is a pretty instructive example.