Devoted Evangelism
Before I dive into my article for this week, can we just stop and recognize that today is Pi Day? Yes, March 14, or 3.14. That is for the math teachers in our lives. So, enjoy a piece of pie and thank God for faithful teachers today.
I have been using this space in our newsletter to remind us of the foundational principles of the local church, established at its very beginning in Acts 2:41-47. God’s purpose is to redeem His people from their sin. He sent Jesus into the world “…to seek and to save that which was lost,” (Luke 19:10).
Jesus, in turn, sent his disciples to the lost sheep of Israel first (Matt. 10:6). But at the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He told all those gathered with Him on Mt. Olive, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” (Matt. 28:19-20).
The making of a disciple begins with evangelism. He was going to scatter those early followers from Jerusalem throughout the world. And He told them, “As you go, make disciples, baptizing them.” Has this job been fulfilled? No, the best estimates suggest that 42% of the world’s population live in a part of the world where there is no indigenous believing people group with a population sufficient to evangelize the rest of their community.
That should stir us to grieve the lostness of so many, and the spiritual hopelessness that billions of people are facing. But, what about our own nation, our own state, our own city, and our own community? Make it even closer to home. What about our neighbors and our family? Lostness is not just a statistic of a far away group of people. Lostness is as near as our dinner table or our sidewalk.
If we are going to be devoted to evangelism, can I suggest a very practical four step process:
- Pray specifically for the people whom you know are lost, for people groups who are unreached, and for missionaries that are serving in other parts of the world to evangelize the lost.
- If you are going to be serious about praying for the lost, you need to get a prayer journal. A spiral notebook, or a bound book with blank pages.
- In that journal write down the name of everyone in your family, your workplace, and your neighborhood whom you know to be lost or suspect they do not know Jesus.
- Write down the name of a people group you feel compelled to pray for. If you do not know where to find that information, let me suggest using one of these two websites: https://joshuaproject.net/ or https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/
- Write down the name of one or more missionaries you want to pray for. Again, you may not know a missionary or pastor on a mission field that you want to pray for. So, use this website: https://www.imb.org/pray/. Or consider praying for the missionary we will be working with in Belize this summer. His name is Bob Farley and the ministry is Belize Bible College. Ask Pastor Jason about this ministry. He can give you lots of great ways pray. Or pray for Pastor Jacob Siefert and the ministry of Valley Christian Fellowship, in Panguitch, Utah, where our church will also work this summer. Susan or I would be glad to tell you how to pray for this church, as well as the several people who have traveled their the past two summers.
- Start intentional conversations with the lost people you are praying for, and with anyone whom God brings into your path. Learn to ask questions about their life, about church, and about faith. Questions like, “How can I pray for you?” Or statements like, “Tell me about yourself.” These will often open a deeper spiritual conversation. Do not be afraid they will ask something you cannot answer about God, the Bibe, the church, or salvation. If they ask a question which you cannot answer that is a good thing. Simply say, “I do not the answer to that. But I will do some digging and find out. Then, I will circle back so we can discuss that further.” That keeps the door open. That is the Holy Spirit at work.
- Have a clear plan to share the gospel. There are lots of ways to share the gospel. You might like the Roman Road (Rom. 3:23, Rom. 5:8, Rom. 6:23, Rom. 10:9-10). You might like one verse evangelism (John 3:16 or 2 Cor. 5:21). Pastor Jason has taught a class on 3 Circles. I have taught that method for years as well. The church has several good gospel tracts that you can give away. I like following the simple pattern of: God, Man, Christ, Response. Have a plan and practice it. The good news is God is the one who saves. Our only job is to proclaim the name of Jesus. You are successful when you announce the good news, not just when someone responds.
- Give faithfully through your church so that local ministries and evangelism happen, as well as mission dollars go to places all over the US, across our borders, and across the oceans.
Devotion to evangelism is essential to being a follower of Jesus. And yes, it takes devotion. Devotion takes time, energy, and sacrifice. God loves the world who is at enmity with Him. He expects us to love the world and be the hands and feet of Jesus to go and tell them that He wants to have a relationship with them. We can do that. Will we?
By His Grace and For His Glory,
Pastor Mark
