Evangelism: The spreading of the Christian gospel

by public preaching or personal witness.

The

evangelist

Contents:

• Teachings on Evangelism• Dale’s Viewpoint• Is Evangelism Going Out of Style?• Beginning a Lifestyle of Evangelism

May 31, 2020

Teachings on Evangelism

1 Peter 3:15, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Matthew 9:37-38, “Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Matthew 4:19, “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Colossians 4:5-6, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

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Dale’s Viewpoint

It seems like things stack up when you are trying to write an article

for Oscar. Mainly my computer went on the blink. Have you ever had

a fever or an ache someplace and went to the doctor, and when you

saw him your symptoms went away? Same with computers. Don’t you

know when the pastor came over to fix it, everything was fine.

Most agree that Paul wrote thirteen letters that are in the New

Testament. Some agree on only seven but there is no debate that Paul

was quite the letter writer.

It is assumed that Paul dictated the contents of the letter to a second

party who actually put the words to the papyrus or whatever they were

writing on.

We need to pattern our Christian journey like Paul. I encourage you

to write letters and cards to let people know you are thinking and

praying for them.In Him,

Bro. Dale

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Is Evangelism Going Out of Style?

Gospel tracts, sidewalk evangelism, street preachers with bullhorns—all of

these things seem like evangelistic efforts of yesteryear. But if this seems true,

where does that leave the state of evangelism today? Is faith-sharing a fading

practice, or does it simply look different today? In all their innovative efforts to

engage culture, have Christians left this ancient practice so integral to their faith

behind?

Evangelism in Theory and In Practice

When asked if they have a personal responsibility to share their faith with

others, 73% of born-again Christians said yes. When this conviction is put into

practice, however, the numbers shift downward. Only half (52%) of born-again

Christians say they actually did share the Gospel at least once this past year to

someone with different beliefs, in the hope that they might accept Jesus Christ as

their Savior.

As with most convictions, there usually lies a dividing line between theory and

practice. When it comes to evangelism, that dividing line looks different among

various demographics.

(continued

Evangelicals have among the highest rates of failure in follow-through from

conviction to action when it comes to sharing their faith. Nearly one-third (31%)

believe they should evangelize but have not done so—at least within the past year.

Catholics (34%), on the opposite end of the spectrum, are the least likely to

affirm their personal responsibility to share their faith. Yet, this minority is also the

most consistent in linking their belief and behavior. Roughly one-third of all

Catholics (34%) believe they should evangelize, while one-third of born-again

Catholics actually do.

The Most Evangelistic Generation

They’ve been called “the social justice generation,” and for good reason—

Millennials are actively taking up the cause of the poor, the oppressed, the orphan

and the widow. Yet the most common critique leveled at this surge in social

compassion is that it comes at a great expense.

Millennials are a rare case indeed. While the evangelistic practices of all other

generations have either declined or remained static in the past few years,

Millennials are the only generation among whom evangelism is significantly on

the rise. Their faith-sharing practices have escalated from 56% in 2010 to 65% in

2013.

(continued)

Not only that but born-again Millennials share their faith more than any other

generation today. Nearly two-thirds (65%) have presented the Gospel to another

within the past year, in contrast to the national average of about half (52%) of

born-again Christians.

The Economics of Evangelism

The practice of evangelism also fluctuates depending on another surprising

factor: household income.

Low-income individuals are the most likely out of any income bracket to

actively share their faith. Nearly six out of 10 (57%) adults from low-income

households have evangelized within the past 12 months. What’s more, evangelism

among low-income individuals has gradually increased in the wake of the

Recession. In 2008, for example, only 49% of low-income adults shared their

faith, a rate that has slowly increased (with minor fluctuations) until today.

The least likely to share their faith, perhaps unpredictably, are actually those in

the middle-income bracket. This is particularly paradoxical since born again,

middle-income adults are the most likely out of all income groups to affirm their

personal responsibility to evangelize—76% do so. Yet only 37% of those adults

have shared their faith this past year. Furthermore, born again, middle-income

adults are evangelizing less and less.

(continued)

The bottom line is that millions of Americans remain committed to the idea

and practice of evangelism. However, Christians need to be aware of a growing

apathy toward evangelism among the most unlikely of groups: middle-age and

middle-income Christians. These are the very people who are often reaching a

place of religious maturity, which traditionally includes a commitment to faith-

sharing conversations. Has the Christian community lost a sense of urgency for

those outside the faith?

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Beginning a Lifestyle of Evangelism

Too many believers feel they are failing in the area of personal evangelism.

The New Testament is crystal clear on the importance of personal gospel

proclamation. It is all over the place in the Bible.

Evangelism, or verbally sharing the gospel with people, is an every-member

ministry. That means I need to be doing it as a minister. You need to be doing it as

a member, and so does everyone in between who confesses Christ.

Everything Southern Baptists do is ultimately in support of evangelistic

disciple-making. The criteria upon which our churches should measure their

success is by how many Christians are actively winning souls and training them to

win the multitudes.

Apart from that, all the money we raise, buildings we build, ministries we

organize, sermons we preach, and songs we write don’t move the mission forward.

So to that end, let me ask the question: Who's your one? When was the last time

you asked God to reveal your opportunities to share the gospel? Have you ever

asked God, "Who's my one, Lord?"

(continued)

We often discuss evangelism as a spiritual gift. Though the New Testament

does speak of evangelism in that way, the conversation becomes unhelpful if we

take that to mean only those with some specific gift are called to verbally share the

gospel. Instead, we must realize the New Testament clearly commands all believers

to share the news of salvation in Christ.

I use the term spiritual discipline intentionally. Rather than excusing ourselves

by claiming we do not have the gift of evangelism; we should place it alongside

other aspects of our Christian life—such as prayer and regular Bible reading.

Evangelism should be a discipline that grows us in godliness and develops

obedient lifestyles of worship. Refusing to regularly share the gospel is as

detrimental to your spiritual formation as refusing to pray or refusing to read your

Bible. Here are three practical things to help develop the discipline of personal

evangelism.

First… Pray for the desire instead of waiting on the desire to start

praying.Many who have not developed a discipline of evangelism view it as an

intimidating process, and they do all kinds of things to motivate themselves. Some

guilt themselves. Others attempt to employ some form of emotional hype.

Whatever the case, evangelism that is self-motivated will be legalistic at best or will

have a failure to launch at worst. (continued)

Instead, pray to the Lord of the harvest. Jesus tells us to pray that He will raise

up laborers, and that is exactly what you should do.

Pray that God will give you a desire for evangelism. Begin making it a regular

point of prayer, and don't wait. Plead with God that He will make you sensitive to

lostness. Instead of waiting for your heart to change, begin praying that God will

soften your heart to the world’s great need for the gospel.

Second… Start with your own circles.This sounds obvious, but it is very often overlooked. People have a hard time

sharing with people they already know for two main reasons. First, many are

embarrassed to bring it up or afraid friends will disagree. They do not want

conflict in their relationships, so they pass over gospel conversations with people

who are already friends, family, or acquaintances.

Second, many of these relationships have gone for a long time with no mention

of the gospel, and it would be difficult to insert it into conversation now. If you

have known a coworker for years and are just now trying to tell them about the

most important thing in your life, that gets awkward pretty quick.

Nevertheless, a lifestyle of evangelism should begin with those closest to you.

In fact, people already have a built-in network for sharing the gospel. Your first

action step should be to do an inventory on all of your existing circles of influence.

(continued)

Most of us have families, neighborhoods, and jobs with people—social

circles, to which we already belong. Have you ever made a list of the lost people

in your office? How about your neighborhood?

Make a list of all of your social circles, then make a list of unbelievers in

each of those categories. Now, you have a prayer list and a share list. If you

have trouble knowing where to start in conversations with people you already

know, you can start by asking these four questions:

a. Where did it all come from?

This first question frames a person’s worldview. Everyone has an answer,

and people answers will be very different. For some, a personal force (a god

of some form) made the universe. For others, it was a collection of

impersonal forces (think Science) that caused existence. For others even,

there is no beginning. They have a circular worldview and there is no

beginning and no end, just cycles of life.

Knowing the answer to this question is important, as the gospel speaks

differently to each of these worldviews. Of course, the gospel story starts

with God’s good creation that met its climax in man (actually God didn’t say

“very good” until he created woman!).

(continued)

b. Where did it all go wrong?

Most reasonable people will admit that the world has problems.

However, few have thought through why. If they have, then their answers are

all over the map. Some blame politics, others blame religion. Some will say

that no one is perfect. Others will admit that people are evil. Regardless, this

is an important question to understand anyone’s belief system.

The gospel story speaks to this question with humanity’s fall. When the

fall happened God’s good creation, while still essentially good, was radically

directed toward evil. Humanity’s sin affected all of creation and society.

Wars, famines, natural disasters, poverty, and eventually death are the

results of sin.

c. What, if anything, can fix it?

Most non-Christians find this question hard to answer. Many worldviews

have little to offer in terms of a solution. Many think there is no solution.

Others think it comes through better government, or better economy, or more

learning, but these are the same things they listed as the problem above!

All people have a functional savior that answers this question in their

own life. It may be a better job and finances, or it may the search for

happiness, or it may be legalistically following the rules of a holy book (be

that the Bible or the Qu’ran). (continued)

The gospel story tells us there is only one thing that can remove the stain of

sin, and that one thing is ultimately nothing that we can do. Humanity’s

problem is bigger than any manmade solution.

It took God Himself stepping into his creation in order to redeem it. The

life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ ultimately crushes evil. It fixes the

brokenness, both in society and in our own hearts.

d. What will happen when this is all over?

Finally, a full understanding of someone’s beliefs is not complete without

knowing their understanding of eternity. They may not believe in eternity. They

may think life is over when they shut their eyes for the last time, or they may

believe in reincarnation.

However, everyone has to come to grips with both their individual destiny

and the destiny of all of the universe. Those are big questions, and they will

usually get someone thinking. Certainly, the gospel story has much to say

concerning the end of all things.

While many worldviews have a grim finish line, the Christian story is one

that ends in great victory. The ultimate restoration of all things under the total

lordship of Christ himself is the glorious promise of the gospel. The Christian

has unwavering hope, because we know that the current sin-sickness is not the

end of the story. We await a king and a glorious kingdom that will have no end.

(continued)

Lastly… Make some new friends.

A lifestyle of evangelism cannot stop with your current social circles. The

spiritual discipline of evangelism is going to require you to make some new

friends.

You may have analyzed your circles only to discover there are not many lost

people. This is not uncommon. It just reveals a need to meet some new people so

that we can be obedient.

Perhaps you could commit to spending an hour per week trying to meet new

people. The results are predictable. If you spend enough time trying to find lost

people who are interested in talking about the gospel, then you eventually will.

So, get out, and make some new friends. Relationship evangelism is, in fact,

the kind we love to talk about nowadays.

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