The Board of Directors of Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry has submitted the following statement to the religious congregations and institutions of the Metropolitan area with a request that they respond to two questions: Can they affirm the statement? What implications can they draw from the statement?

Religions differ in their approach to sharing faith with persons whose religious tradition is different or who confess no religious faith. Both among and within specific religion communities, there are different understandings of how faith sharing (sometimes called evangelization, evangelism, witness or proselytism) should be approached. Regardless of the approach, the application of common principles can enhance the faith sharing experience.

• Faith sharing should respect the right of all people to religious freedom.
• Faith sharing recognizes the appropriate role and responsibility of parents for their children's religious nurture and should seek the knowledge and consent of the parents.
• Faith sharing is a mutual process and does not press beyond the bounds of courtesy.
• Faith sharing requires an openness to dialogue and a willingness to listen as well as to speak.
• Faith sharing should never use physical coercion, moral constraint or psychological pressure that might deprive a person of his or her freedom of choice.
• Faith sharing should never imply or offer temporal or material benefit or appeal to political or economic motives in order to encourage a change in religious affiliation or alignment.
• Faith sharing should never exploit vulnerabilities, such as lack of education, physical infirmity, mental incapacity or emotional distress.
• Faith sharing should not use inaccurate or disparaging references to the beliefs or faith practices of other religious communities.