Why should you care about evangelism

Thabiti Anyawbile lists seven reasons why each believer should care about evangelism. Read the whole article here but below are his sub points:

1. To experience the power of God (Matt. 28:18).

2. For the glory of God in Christ (Matt. 28:18).

3. To express obedience and love (Matt. 28:19).

4. For eternal significance (Matt. 28:19).

5. For the joy of all peoples (Matt. 28:19).

6. For abiding presence and fellowship of Jesus (Matt. 28:20).

7. Because God cares (Matt. 28:18-20).

How are you or how will you express your care for the glory of God and the joy of the nations in the Great Commission?

Read Full Post »

Three simple prayer requests for missionaries

Pray on their behalf for

1. Gospel Opportunities and advancement
2. Protection and deliverance
3. Personal holiness and refreshment

More here by Dave Prickett at Cripplegate

 

Read Full Post »

How’s every day evangelism going?

Thabit Anyawbile shares how even though he resolved to share the gospel often this year, he struggled in his first 30 days. And even when he did share the gospel, it took an enormous amount of effort to overcome his fear of man.  I think most of us will be able to relate to his experience so read the whole article which begins this way:

I began this year with a desire to be a better personal evangelist. By God’s grace, I’ve preached the gospel each Sunday I’ve been in the pulpit. But I don’t want my evangelism to be limited to the pulpit; I want to do the work of an evangelist as well. More, not less, proclamation is needed.

So, what’s happening with that desire? Well, I think I’m learning (again!) two vital lessons.

First, desiring something ain’t the same thing as doing something. Not by a long shot. And while I know that sounds like a rather obvious thing to say, in my case it needs saying. Desire has to be translated into specific plans and actions. I’m looking up nearly 30 days after expressing that desire and only once have I personally shared the gospel with someone. Aaaargh!!!

Second, I’m learning again that faithful evangelism requires putting to death the fear of man. Will I ever stop having that halting tightness in my chest? Will those hesitation-inducing thoughts of rejection and offense ever fade away? You know, probably not. I’m likely to always feel some hesitation and some fear of man when it comes to evangelism. But what am I going to do? Not share the greatest news the world has ever received? No. I’m going to remember Romans 1:16, Philemon 6, and Hebrews 10:38-39, and other such texts which encourage, admonish, promise, and guide.

 

Read Full Post »

Have you been ashamed of the gospel?

“Father, forgive us for the many times we have been ashamed of your Gospel.

Strengthen our faith, may we live like we believe; grant us the boldness to freely share the message that we have so freely received.”

That’s how Cornell ends his blog post in which he deals he was ashamed of the gospel recently.  When and where he was ashamed of the gospel might be different from when you and I, but I think we can all relate to his struggle.  I think most of us have had similar experiences.  So the prayer above is certainly appropriate to pray.

Read “Ashamed of the Gospel.”

Read Full Post »

Starting that gospel conversation today

Mike Riccardi suggests some ways that are helpful to people like us who may struggle with how to start or steer a conversation to the gospel.  He writes about how we might think in terms of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation and look for opportunities in everyday conversation to connect events in people’s lives to these biblical themes.  Check out “Starting Gospel Conversations” today and look for such opportunities. It might be easier to do this than you think.

Read Full Post »

The difference between proving and persuading

The following story illustrates how we can convincingly offer proof of something (like the Deity of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, or the authority of Scripture) and still it ultimately takes the ministry of the Holy Spirit to persuade men of it:

John Warwick Montgomery, an evangelical apologist, tells the story of a man named Charlie, whose wife tried to rouse him from bed to go to work. Charlie would not get out of bed and said, “I can’t go to work today because I am dead.”

His wife said, “Charlie, that’s the most ridiculous excuse you’ve ever given to avoid work. You’re perfectly well. Now, get out of that bed and go to work.”

He continued to protest, saying, “I can’t. I’m dead.”

No matter how Charlie’s wife reasoned, she was unable to convince her husband that he was alive and well. So she called the doctor, and the doctor came and checked all his vital signs and said, “Charlie, you’re alive and well. Now you need to get out of bed and go to work.”

Charlie said, “I’m sorry, Doctor. Your instruments are wrong. I’m dead, and I know it.”

The doctor thought about how to convince Charlie that he was alive, and finally he said, “Charlie, when a person dies, the heart stops beating, and when the heart stops beating, it no longer pushes blood through the blood vessels. Dead people don’t bleed.” The doctor took Charlie to the coroner’s office, where he poked a needle into the cadavers to prove to Charlie that dead people do not bleed. Afterward the doctor said, “Now, Charlie, do you believe me that dead people don’t bleed?”

Charlie said, “Yes, you’ve proven it to me.” The doctor said, “Come here, Charlie. Give me your finger,” and the doctor pricked Charlie’s thumb with a pin, and Charlie’s thumb began to bleed. “So, what do you think now, Charlie?”

Charlie looked at his bleeding thumb and said, “Well, I’ll be! Dead men bleed after all.”

That is what John Calvin meant about the difference between proof and persuasion. Proof may be compelling, but because of hardness of heart people will not submit to it.

[Sproul, R. C. (2011-03-02). 1&2 Peter: St Andrew's Expositional Commentary (p. 119). Good News Publishers/Crossway Books. Kindle Edition]

Read Full Post »

Do you have this passion for souls?

Hudson Taylor lived in the 1800′s, and was one of the first missionaries to inland China.

Before he left for China, he worked as a medical assistant.

One of his first assignments was a man with severe gangrene in his foot.

This man was an atheist with a violent temper.  When someone offered to read Scripture to him, this man loudly ordered him to leave.  And when a pastor had visited, this man spit in his face.

Hudson’s job was to change this man’s bandages every day.  He also started praying earnestly for his salvation.

The first few days he shared nothing of the Gospel, but focused on carefully changing the man’s bandages.  This greatly eased his pain, and the man was deeply touched.

But Hudson Taylor was concerned for this man’s eternal destiny.

Keep reading “How God Saved a Hardened Atheist”

Read Full Post »

Starting and continuing evangelistic conversations

I want to do better at engaging others in evangelistic conversations on an everyday level.  I want to do more than just learn six steps to talking about Jesus, I want to actually do it.  So I found this article by Timmy Brister very convicting.  After briefly giving five foundational principles regarding evangelism, he offers seven sequential steps that lead toward and actually result in evangelistic conversations.

He urges us to dwell, engage, listen, ask, bridge, share, and follow up (all with adverbs attached).

If this is something you need help with, read more here.  The reading is the easy part, the following through is what I find most challenging. Lord, help me to do what I know you have called me to do!

 

Read Full Post »

Are your prayers fiery?

If someone were to describe your prayers, what word would they use? Would fiery be one of the top five words that would come to mind.

Jeremy Walker in The Brokenhearted Evangelist  has some exhortation for how we can keep our prayers fiery:

How do we keep our prayers fiery? By engaging in hand-to-hand combat with Satan’s hosts, for those who are yet under his dominion. Why do we keep our spiritual weapons sharp? So that we can fight. How do we learn how to use those weapons? When we engage with lost men. Where are our graces brought to their highest pitch and exercised to their greatest degree? It is often when we are locked in mortal combat for the salvation of a soul. Where are our minds fired with holy truth so that we begin to understand, to press, and to be in earnest? When are our hearts most ablaze with love for Jesus Christ? When, in short, are we most alive as Christians? With the possible exception of the gatherings of the saints for worshiping God, it is when we are involved in the life business of the redeemed men and women of Jesus Christ, engaging with transgressors and seeking their salvation for the glory of God in Jesus Christ. There is little that so elevates us—that so engages the totality of our redeemed humanity—as the holy cut and thrust of evangelism. Nothing so casts us upon the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Nothing so reminds us of our need and sends us in desperation to God for increased measures of His Spirit as the reality of wrestling for souls.

HT: Challies

Read Full Post »

A miracle that surpassed the parting of the Red Sea

This is how Randy Alcorn described the salvation of his tavern-owning 84-year-old-father who was the most gospel-resistant man he had ever known.

Read the short story of how Randy had the privilege of giving his dad the bad news and then the good news!  You will be encouraged in your attempts with people whom you have prayed for over many years or seem impervious to gospel truth.

Read Full Post »