Rethinking Evangelism - Part 1

Many Christians avoid sharing the Gospel because they don't fully understand it. In this first part of a two-part series, we will explore the fundamentals of salvation and how to effectively communicate this life-changing message to others.

Those of us who love the Lord want to share that experience with others so that they, too, might know the love, joy, peace, freedom, and relationship that is at work within us. Sharing the Gospel is one of our four primary functions as Christians. The problem is that most of us don't understand it and, as a result, put it on the back shelf of our minds when we are interacting with the world.

What Christianity Is Not

Most of our troubles are the result of our own doing, the result of us not following Jesus in the first place. The idea that he will now deliver us from our disobedience violates the Law of Sowing and Reaping.

Read My Blog: We Reap What We Sow

Just because you are a Follower of Jesus Christ does not exempt you from troubles and suffering. In fact, being a Christian will likely increase your troubles and suffering, though you will go through it possessing the joy and peace that Jesus brings to life events.

Included in this topic are people who become Christians for the wrong reasons. They make the decision based on an intellectual argument, fear, or reward:

• Intellectual – People who become Christians because they have been convinced intellectually that it Is the correct thing to do.
• Fear-based – People who become Christians because they don’t want to go to hell.
• Reward-based – People who become Christians because they want to go to heaven.

Most people who become Christians for the wrong reasons don’t make it. It’s because they were never saved in the first place (Matthew 13:5-6). Their commitment was based on something other than the conviction of sins, remorse, and repentance.

Understanding Salvation

• It is God Himself who draws us to Him. It is God who initiates the process, not us. (John 6:44)
• When we are receptive to His beckoning, He convicts us of our unrighteousness. (John 16:8)
• When we are convicted, meaning we recognize how unholy we are in the presence of a Holy God, we can repent of our unrighteousness or harden our hearts. Repenting means sincere, heartfelt remorse for the things we have done and for the life we have been living (Luke 24:47).
• Repentance, earmarked by remorse, opens the door to accepting the salvation provided through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross (John 12:46). Salvation is the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14) and friendship with God (Romans 5:7).
• Upon accepting the sacrifice, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit as belonging to God and resurrected with Jesus as a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We think it’s our efforts at evangelism that bring about salvation. This thinking is unequivocally foolishness. This thinking is pride and arrogance. Many times, God uses us in the process, but we are simply the instrument God is using at the moment. Our tracks, shouting, arguing, gentleness, preaching, posting, blogging, reminding, pointing out, etc., bring about nothing relating to salvation unless the Father has initiated the process:

It is God who will create the opportunities (Proverbs 16:3) and prepare the hearts of those He will lead us to (Proverbs 16:9).

Christian living is about learning to hear and follow the Lord's guidance, rather than devising ways to "assist" Him. This is where the doctrine of The Great Commission falls short. It's entirely driven by human effort, with God participating rather than initiating. The doctrine of The Great Commission reflects a profound level of hubris, pride, and humanism.

See My Article: The Great Commission

Understanding Our Role in Salvation

We need to be prepared to share the Gospel by knowing and being able to recite pertinent Bible verses:

We should be prepared to explain what we believe and why we believe it:

To share the Gospel with others, we need to be close to God in our thoughts and actions, hearing Him and responding to His instructions.

To participate in sharing the Gospel, we should be active in serving God:

In a state of preparedness, we are ready and able to play our part in sharing the Gospel. God can and will use us to share the Good News.

Final Thoughts

One of the most daunting experiences for many Believers is facing someone who demands proof of God, the accuracy of the Bible, or some form of evidence that we hold the Truth. Encounters like these can be terrifying for many Christians because it takes a level of knowledge that most Christians do not possess.

Here's the truth: God does not require us to be Bible scholars before we share the Gospel. We should have some basic knowledge; however, expertise is not required. Whoever you are talking to, remember that God brought them to you, prepared their hearts, and created the opportunity. God is an excellent matchmaker. He puts together the right people in the right situations. Trust God. Even if you blow it, God knew you would blow it before he put you together. What’s more, God saw purpose and value for both parties in allowing the botched connection to proceed.

I’ve been in many dozens, perhaps hundreds, of interactions with people wanting to know more about Jesus. I can’t say that I’ve ever been “mismatched.” People curious about Christianity are mostly sincere and respectful in their quest for knowledge.

People who are afraid to share the Gospel are afraid because they are relying on their own strength or depending on their own abilities. Rely on God.

Additionally, don’t have expectations about the engagement or the outcome. It’s God who draws them, God who convicts them, and God who saves them. We are merely the instrument and sometimes also the example.

A common misconception among Evangelicals is that the Word of God is magical, much like Harry Potter’s Book of Spells. You simply throw out the "magic words," (Scripture) and powerful things start happening. While Evangelicals don’t say it in that light, they assign that meaning to it based on verses like this:

The Word of God is very powerful; however, the alive and active part is the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures have no power (2 Peter 1:21 & 1 Corinthians 1:18). Evangelicals do not recognize the Holy Spirit component in their evangelical efforts, and as a result, most of their efforts are based on intellect, fear, or reward. It's the Holy Spirit that convicts people of their sins (John 16:8).

It's essential to understand that sharing the Gospel without the prompting of the Holy Spirit is foolishness. If God has not prepared the way, who are you to think you can circumvent that process?

If you follow this path, you will find that sharing the Gospel is easier and much more effective than following your own devices.

God Bless!

Mark

• Rethinking Evangelism - Part 1
• Rethinking Evangelism - Part 2