After spending a week in Chattanooga with the youth group at Harvest, I wanted to take some time to write some reflections that I had on the philosophy of evangelism. It seems that Hope for the Inner City reaches out to believers of “every tribe and language and people and nation.” New City and Hope for the Inner City both succeeded in living up to their claims. The church was thriving and many were being aided in all areas of life, and giving glory to God for it.
The highlight of the trips to Chattanooga, according to most of the high school students I talked with, was the ability to serve. There is a common struggle with selfishness that many of us are convicted with. One individual mentioned to me that she felt like a true servant down in Chattanooga, which was so contrary to how we presently live. Another girl stated that she wants to evangelize, but she did not feel that she had enough knowledge to do it. A lack of Knowledge and selfishness are two aspects that have been difficulties we are striving to overcome. Service and evangelism are important to us and essential to the Christian life. Each of these kids possesses gifts and abilities to serve the church, but often times little opportunity is available where these gifts can be used. Everyone has abilities and gifts that can be used for the furtherance of the Gospel. These gifts must be used proportionally and tangibly in ministry. Otherwise, service can quickly become discouraging and unsuccessful. We are attempting to revive ministry at Fox Croft by serving Christ in a realistic way. Ministry at Fox Croft will hopefully be sustainable and expandable to other areas of evangelism, as it will act as a training ground for fundamental elements of Gospel ministry and service.
Fox Croft has been a place near to my heart over the past few years. I remember the youth group running Bible clubs, praying, knocking on doors and handing out bread, and welcoming various members of the community to Harvest at the Elementary School. Most of the kids knew our names and the parents would often open their homes up to us. However, the move to the new building and the lack of leadership at Fox Croft Bible Clubs ended ministry there for a time. Many residents at Fox Croft were unable to walk to church and people lost contact with Harvest members. When we brought the idea up of ministering in Fox Croft again I was both excited and uncertain of what was to come. I knew how hard it was the last time and I know now that it will take work to sustain the ministry there. As we knocked on every door in the complex, we were overwhelmed by how many people we had met and how many people remembered many members of Harvest.
Brad mentioned a young man named Galau in a previous post. He immediately let us in and shared his experiences of Harvest. He talked openly about the Gospel with broken English and wished that he could have Bible studies and transportation to the new building. Another woman expressed her love for a group of girls that used to give her bread, pray, and read Scripture with her. She cherished the relationships that had been established with the youth group. The people at Fox Croft loved the work that was being done there! In light of these individuals (and many others), we desire to go back into Fox Croft, pray, run Bible clubs, teach, and serve in the name of Christ for anyone who desires to listen. We covet your prayers as we seek to go back into the community and revive a ministry that will need sustainability after the first few weeks. I already have seen excitement from the youth group to reestablish a connection that they too held dear to their hearts. As readers of this blog, encourage your children to attend events that are available and pray for open doors (quite literally) for the youth at Harvest. We want to serve and there are many opportunities available and invite others to worship along side of us for the praise of His glorious Grace.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Update
For those wondering how the new approach went today, here is an update:
Colin and I ventured out and within one minute we encountered a local artist who specializes in constructing wire figurines. His name is Ray, but he goes by the name Indica. He is a very creative, and spiritually driven man. He has a son in Oakland, CA and formerly worked in the Navy and in the granite/marble industry. He was very engaging and had many thoughts on religion/spirituality. We talked for two hours over some cold drinks in the park, and the conversation was a delightful one. We got to know each other in a fairly quick amount of time. We shared life stories and experiences. Indica's thoughts on spirituality were very interesting but jumbled at first. Colin and I raised questions for him to think about and when appropriate, we guided the conversation along biblical lines. By the end of the two-hour long conversation, Indica was able to speak with much more clarity about Jesus and the Gospel. He even wants to come to Harvest with us this Sunday! So we exchanged phone numbers, and left each other as friends. Indica needs discipleship, and a place to raise questions. He also has his own convictions, as well as some questionable beliefs about God and man. But with time, his beliefs can take shape and flourish into something more solidly biblical. All in all, God did more than we could have ever asked or imagined! Please continue praying, and please hold Indica in your prayers as well.
Colin and I ventured out and within one minute we encountered a local artist who specializes in constructing wire figurines. His name is Ray, but he goes by the name Indica. He is a very creative, and spiritually driven man. He has a son in Oakland, CA and formerly worked in the Navy and in the granite/marble industry. He was very engaging and had many thoughts on religion/spirituality. We talked for two hours over some cold drinks in the park, and the conversation was a delightful one. We got to know each other in a fairly quick amount of time. We shared life stories and experiences. Indica's thoughts on spirituality were very interesting but jumbled at first. Colin and I raised questions for him to think about and when appropriate, we guided the conversation along biblical lines. By the end of the two-hour long conversation, Indica was able to speak with much more clarity about Jesus and the Gospel. He even wants to come to Harvest with us this Sunday! So we exchanged phone numbers, and left each other as friends. Indica needs discipleship, and a place to raise questions. He also has his own convictions, as well as some questionable beliefs about God and man. But with time, his beliefs can take shape and flourish into something more solidly biblical. All in all, God did more than we could have ever asked or imagined! Please continue praying, and please hold Indica in your prayers as well.
An Exciting, Fresh Approach
Because of sermon preparation for a Sunday message, I have had to take a break from blogging. But now I'm back and very excited to inform readers of a new approach to evangelism that Colin and I will start taking today. Yesterday, we canvased numerous coffee shops in the downtown area of Grand Rapids. We basically wanted a place that was at the center of the downtown area, close by to where many people would be gathered. We also wanted a coffee shop that would be conducive to good conversations with people (i.e. one that was not so quiet). We found that place-- the Biggby's coffee shop on Monroe Center. It is conveniently located near several outside park benches, as well as the Rosa Parks Circle and skate park.
Now here is the plan: Colin and I will approach people and engage them on the question of whether or not anyone has ever told them about Jesus Christ. We expect many different responses. We basically want to engage them wherever they are at. But this is not the type of conversation that one can have in two minutes. So we thought it would be a good idea that if someone has the time, then maybe we can buy them a coffee and have a conversation. What we would like to do is to gently press people to articulate their own points of view on the matter. It should become clear fairly quickly what their basic objections are. And perhaps, we can then engage those objections in a loving, Christ-honoring way. If things go smoothly, perhaps we can even exchange numbers and continue the conversation at some other time. Colin and I have discovered time and time again that the "old way" of doing evangelism really is not that effective, and this has caused us to adapt our basic approach in sharing the Gospel with others. This new and fresh approach is born out of several convictions.
1. These days, evangelism must be intentional, but it also must be relational (or personally credible).
2. People pretty much know next to nothing about what the Bible actually teaches. Therefore, evangelism must be seen as more a process which seeks to guide people into the truth, starting from where they are at personally.
3. Evangelism must be culturally and socially appropriate. Part of why the "old way" of evangelism doesn't work anymore is that nobody goes door-to door anymore, and passing out tracts comes off as very impersonal.
4. Evangelism must lead people through the stages of intelligibility, credibility and plausibility. People must be persuaded of the truth for themselves. More than likely, peoples' understandings will develop in stages and their very real objections to the faith must be dealt with honestly.
5. If someone wants to do evangelism, then they must be excited and comfortable with not only the message, but also the method. Personally, I don't get excited about handing out tracts (but maybe some other people do). But I do get excited about knowing people and ministering the Gospel to their specific, personal situations.
There is plenty of room for disagreement with my views on the matter, and I certainly respect differing viewpoints. I'm always open to the wisdom of others, and I am in no way denying the usefulness of tracts and the fruit that has been borne by handing them out. But more thinking needs to be done on evangelism, especially in these days. I encourage any comments to be shared on this matter, and I ask for all of your prayers as we venture down this new road.
Now here is the plan: Colin and I will approach people and engage them on the question of whether or not anyone has ever told them about Jesus Christ. We expect many different responses. We basically want to engage them wherever they are at. But this is not the type of conversation that one can have in two minutes. So we thought it would be a good idea that if someone has the time, then maybe we can buy them a coffee and have a conversation. What we would like to do is to gently press people to articulate their own points of view on the matter. It should become clear fairly quickly what their basic objections are. And perhaps, we can then engage those objections in a loving, Christ-honoring way. If things go smoothly, perhaps we can even exchange numbers and continue the conversation at some other time. Colin and I have discovered time and time again that the "old way" of doing evangelism really is not that effective, and this has caused us to adapt our basic approach in sharing the Gospel with others. This new and fresh approach is born out of several convictions.
1. These days, evangelism must be intentional, but it also must be relational (or personally credible).
2. People pretty much know next to nothing about what the Bible actually teaches. Therefore, evangelism must be seen as more a process which seeks to guide people into the truth, starting from where they are at personally.
3. Evangelism must be culturally and socially appropriate. Part of why the "old way" of evangelism doesn't work anymore is that nobody goes door-to door anymore, and passing out tracts comes off as very impersonal.
4. Evangelism must lead people through the stages of intelligibility, credibility and plausibility. People must be persuaded of the truth for themselves. More than likely, peoples' understandings will develop in stages and their very real objections to the faith must be dealt with honestly.
5. If someone wants to do evangelism, then they must be excited and comfortable with not only the message, but also the method. Personally, I don't get excited about handing out tracts (but maybe some other people do). But I do get excited about knowing people and ministering the Gospel to their specific, personal situations.
There is plenty of room for disagreement with my views on the matter, and I certainly respect differing viewpoints. I'm always open to the wisdom of others, and I am in no way denying the usefulness of tracts and the fruit that has been borne by handing them out. But more thinking needs to be done on evangelism, especially in these days. I encourage any comments to be shared on this matter, and I ask for all of your prayers as we venture down this new road.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Could we do this?
In recent days, I have become more and more persuaded that evangelism must go hand in hand with sound biblical teaching. Moreover, I have always wished that there was some way to engage in what may be called "Hall of Tyrannus" evangelism (see Acts 19:8-10). But how can this be done in our day?
One answer is in-home Bible studies, and we are pursuing this route with the residents of Foxcroft and many seem open to it. Within the Foxcroft apartments are many single-moms, working hard to provide for their kids. So an important question to consider in our ministry to Foxcroft is: How do we minister well to single-moms, who lack a male leader in the home and who have crushing work schedules? In-home Bible studies are one way in which the Church can come alongside single-moms and help them raise their kids in the Christian faith. The other day I started thinking how great it would be if Harvest could somehow get a babysitting service started that these single moms might be able to count on. And what if this babysitting service was supplemented by teaching in the basic Christian fundamentals? Thus, two purposes would be served: 1) babysitting, which may meet a real need and 2) instruction in the Christian faith, which helps to meet the more ultimate need. This is just a thought.
Another idea in incorporating a "Hall of Tyrannus" style of evangelism/teaching might be to open up theology classes to everyone in the community, on a certain night of the week. Perhaps this could take the form of an enquirers' class that starts with the real questions of enquirers. I've even seen the effectiveness of small group studies like Christianity Explored, that take people through the Gospel of Mark in a way that avoids Christian jargon and creates thought-provoking questions.
As one who loves teaching the Christian faith, I really hope something can be done in our future to bring together evangelism and teaching. This method of evangelism was very effective for the early Church. And as we all know, the early Church found herself in an environment remarkably similar to our own.
In addition, I am often discouraged by the one-time door to door encounter. People just need more than this. They need to be taught. They need a safe place to ask real questions. And they need to see true Christian community beautifully lived out. And as evangelists, we all need to be respectful of the fact that conversion is usually the culmination of a process leading to faith.
I really encourage all readers of this blog to think more on this subject, interact, and offer some other fresh ideas that we can all get excited about. We all have a role to play. But for now, I have to sign off.
Remember that nothing takes off without prayer. God hears us and He alone is the Greatest Evangelist in the universe!
One answer is in-home Bible studies, and we are pursuing this route with the residents of Foxcroft and many seem open to it. Within the Foxcroft apartments are many single-moms, working hard to provide for their kids. So an important question to consider in our ministry to Foxcroft is: How do we minister well to single-moms, who lack a male leader in the home and who have crushing work schedules? In-home Bible studies are one way in which the Church can come alongside single-moms and help them raise their kids in the Christian faith. The other day I started thinking how great it would be if Harvest could somehow get a babysitting service started that these single moms might be able to count on. And what if this babysitting service was supplemented by teaching in the basic Christian fundamentals? Thus, two purposes would be served: 1) babysitting, which may meet a real need and 2) instruction in the Christian faith, which helps to meet the more ultimate need. This is just a thought.
Another idea in incorporating a "Hall of Tyrannus" style of evangelism/teaching might be to open up theology classes to everyone in the community, on a certain night of the week. Perhaps this could take the form of an enquirers' class that starts with the real questions of enquirers. I've even seen the effectiveness of small group studies like Christianity Explored, that take people through the Gospel of Mark in a way that avoids Christian jargon and creates thought-provoking questions.
As one who loves teaching the Christian faith, I really hope something can be done in our future to bring together evangelism and teaching. This method of evangelism was very effective for the early Church. And as we all know, the early Church found herself in an environment remarkably similar to our own.
In addition, I am often discouraged by the one-time door to door encounter. People just need more than this. They need to be taught. They need a safe place to ask real questions. And they need to see true Christian community beautifully lived out. And as evangelists, we all need to be respectful of the fact that conversion is usually the culmination of a process leading to faith.
I really encourage all readers of this blog to think more on this subject, interact, and offer some other fresh ideas that we can all get excited about. We all have a role to play. But for now, I have to sign off.
Remember that nothing takes off without prayer. God hears us and He alone is the Greatest Evangelist in the universe!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Encouragement from 150 years ago
Recently while reading a book entitled "Homiletics and Pastoral Theology" by the Presbyterian theologian W.G.T. Shedd, I was struck by a particular paragraph that seemed to to be relevant to the whole subject of evangelism in a post-modern context. I am always impressed by the insights I find in authors from the 19th century who were writing in the climate of modernity. So much of what they were facing was in many ways identical to what we are facing today, which appears to validate the notion that post-modernity is merely the logical outcome of modernity's humanistic presuppositions. Anyways, I would like to share this paragraph in light of the cultural pressure we face to abandon our 'narrow minded dogmas,' and the many fears that we face as we are called to preach and teach a message that claims absolute authority over its listeners to a resistant world.
'By what authority does thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?' was a question which the chief priests and the scribes and the elders put to Jesus Christ. If it was a natural question for them to ask of the Son of God, it is certainly a natural question for the secular, and especially the unbelieving, world to ask of the Christian herald. By what right does a mortal man rise upon the rostrum, and make positive statements concerning the origin of the human race, the dark mysterious beginnings of human history, the purposes and plans of the infinte Mind, and conclude with announcing the alternatives of eternal salvation and eternal damnation? With respect to these dark and difficult problems, all men stand upon a common level, if divine revelation is thrown out of the account. Apart from the light poured upon them by a communication from the Divine Mind, Confucius and Socrates have as much right to speculate and dogmatize as you or I. By what right, then, does that portion of the world which calls itself Christendom undertake to inform that portion of the world which is called heathendom, concerning God and the future life - concerning the soul, its needs, its sorrows, and its doom? What authority has the Christian man above that of the pagan man in regard to the whole subject of religion, and who gave him this authority? Why does not Christendom, as it peers into darkness beyond the tomb, look reverently to Mohammedanism for light? Why does Christianity insist that Mohammed shall come to the mountain; and why does the mountain refuse to go to Mohammed? As matter of fact, the entire human race is now receiving its lessons in theology and religion from only a portion of the race. In the outset, this portion which set itself up as the teacher of mankind was only a mere fragment of the sum-total - a mere handful of men in a corner of Palestine. The proportion has indeed greatly altered during the eighteen centuries that have elapsed since the death of Christ, but the vast majority of mankind are still pagan, the pupils still immensely outnumber the teachers. By what title does a mere fraction of the equally rational and equally immortal masses that crowd this planet, arrogate to itself the position of the tutor, and demand that the remaining majority take the attitude of the pupil? And, to narrow the circle, by what title does a small class of men rise up in Christian pulpits, and profess to impart instruction to the large congregations of their fellows and their equals, upon the most momentous and the most mysterious of themes? (Shedd 19,20)
As Shedd answers, it is the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ based upon His many infallible proofs and His testimony given in the Holy Scriptures. How much do we fail at being passionate about our evangelism because we are not saturated in Scripture? The quality of our evangelism will be affected by how much time we spend in prayer and in the Word with the source of the evangel Himself. As we go forth to spread the Gospel of Christ, lets not neglect to be transformed by the renewing of our mind that we may "preach Christ, through Christ, to the glory of Christ."
'By what authority does thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?' was a question which the chief priests and the scribes and the elders put to Jesus Christ. If it was a natural question for them to ask of the Son of God, it is certainly a natural question for the secular, and especially the unbelieving, world to ask of the Christian herald. By what right does a mortal man rise upon the rostrum, and make positive statements concerning the origin of the human race, the dark mysterious beginnings of human history, the purposes and plans of the infinte Mind, and conclude with announcing the alternatives of eternal salvation and eternal damnation? With respect to these dark and difficult problems, all men stand upon a common level, if divine revelation is thrown out of the account. Apart from the light poured upon them by a communication from the Divine Mind, Confucius and Socrates have as much right to speculate and dogmatize as you or I. By what right, then, does that portion of the world which calls itself Christendom undertake to inform that portion of the world which is called heathendom, concerning God and the future life - concerning the soul, its needs, its sorrows, and its doom? What authority has the Christian man above that of the pagan man in regard to the whole subject of religion, and who gave him this authority? Why does not Christendom, as it peers into darkness beyond the tomb, look reverently to Mohammedanism for light? Why does Christianity insist that Mohammed shall come to the mountain; and why does the mountain refuse to go to Mohammed? As matter of fact, the entire human race is now receiving its lessons in theology and religion from only a portion of the race. In the outset, this portion which set itself up as the teacher of mankind was only a mere fragment of the sum-total - a mere handful of men in a corner of Palestine. The proportion has indeed greatly altered during the eighteen centuries that have elapsed since the death of Christ, but the vast majority of mankind are still pagan, the pupils still immensely outnumber the teachers. By what title does a mere fraction of the equally rational and equally immortal masses that crowd this planet, arrogate to itself the position of the tutor, and demand that the remaining majority take the attitude of the pupil? And, to narrow the circle, by what title does a small class of men rise up in Christian pulpits, and profess to impart instruction to the large congregations of their fellows and their equals, upon the most momentous and the most mysterious of themes? (Shedd 19,20)
As Shedd answers, it is the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ based upon His many infallible proofs and His testimony given in the Holy Scriptures. How much do we fail at being passionate about our evangelism because we are not saturated in Scripture? The quality of our evangelism will be affected by how much time we spend in prayer and in the Word with the source of the evangel Himself. As we go forth to spread the Gospel of Christ, lets not neglect to be transformed by the renewing of our mind that we may "preach Christ, through Christ, to the glory of Christ."
Monday, June 28, 2010
A review of Mark Dever's "The Gospel & Personal Evangelism"
It has been a few years since I read a decent book on the subject of evangelism. The last book I read on the subject was "Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God" by J.I. Packer. I had not found a basic introduction to the subject of evangelism that is accessible to the average church goer, and that examines the subject from multiple points of view. That is, until I read Mark Dever's "The Gospel & Personal Evangelism," which I would recommend as a must read for any Reformed Christian seeking to pursue evangelism in the context of the local church. The chapters mainly deal with questions that the average Christian has about evangelism, such as; Why don't we evangelize, what is the Gospel, who should evangelize, how should we evangelize and what isn't evangelism. What I found to be one of the most powerful aspects of the book was the many stories about evangelists in church history that were scattered throughout the chapters. In fact, the book opens up with a very engaging story about an evangelist aboard the Titanic which is so interesting and encouraging to the aspiring evangelist, that I will not give any details beyond that in order to spur on your interest to pick the book up yourself. Dever then answers the question of why we don't evangelize and then continues on to define what the Gospel is. Most of this will be review for the average Christian, but it is always helpful to be reminded of the basics. We need to eat, sleep, and breath the basics because evangelism is the act of taking 'the basics' out to those who presumably have never heard them before.
Of particular interest to those of us from a more traditional Reformed background is his chapter on who should evangelize. Many Christians in Reformed churches seem to think that evangelism is only the activity of a select few at the very least, and others seem to implicitly think that it is a task only for ordained ministers. Unfortunately in a large number of Reformed churches not only do little, if any evangelize, but often even the ministers do not actively engage in evangelism. Through many Scriptures and comments of respected Bible scholars, Dever demonstrates that evangelism, while a gift to a select few, ought to be pursued in some avenue by all Christians. His main texts for this are Acts 8:1-4, and 1 Peter 3:15,16, which read as follows:
And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. (Acts 8:1-4)
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (1 Peter 3:15,16)
Clearly 1 Peter 3 is aimed at all Christians addressed in Peter's letter, and Acts 8 seems to insinuate that all the Christians who were scattered preached the word as they went. Dever also give several examples of people evangelizing who were not ordained ministers of the Word.
While I found these chapters refreshing and revitalizing to my own pursuits of evangelism, the chapters on how to evangelize and what isn't evangelism were the most convicting and applicable. Dever seems to be open to various forms of making contact in evangelism. Often direct street evangelism is called 'contact evangelism,' but all evangelism is going to involve a contact between individuals even if it is in the context of a progressing relationship with a non-Christian. Often 'friendship evangelism' is labeled 'relational evangelism,' but all evangelism is relational, even if it is with a complete stranger on a street corner. Rather than focusing on methods of contacting unbelievers, Dever focuses more on defining for us what evangelism is in context of communicating the Gospel to an unbeliever. He writes in several sub-points that there needs to be a balance in our approach between honesty, urgency, and joy. His reasoning for this is as follows:
Honesty and urgency with no joy gives us a grim determination (read Philippians). Honesty and joy with no urgency gives us a carelessness about time (read 2 Peter). And urgency and joy with no honesty leads us into distorted claims about immediate benefits of the gospel (read 1 Peter). (Dever, pg 60)
His specific suggestions for the task include; prayer, using the Bible and using the church. What particularly struck me and resonated with my previous thoughts on evangelism, was his recommendation that we try and provoke self-reflection in the unbeliever. In some of the best evangelism encounters that I have engaged in or observed others engage in, self-reflection on the part of the unbeliever was a cornerstone of the conversation. Even the Way of the Master, while being a more rigid form of evangelism, uses this principle in trying to use the Law, coupled with questions, to help the non-Christian see their own sin. Dever writes these encouraging words:
Ask good questions and listen to their answers. Explore them. You may be helping them to enunciate and articulate their own thinking for the first time ever. And you don't even need to try to pretend that this is easy for you. (Dever 66)
One last subject which he covered that I found very comforting and helpful to the task of evangelism, was his chapter on what isn't evangelism. The last false idea of evangelism that he addressed in the chapter was the tendency that we have to view evangelism as the act of winning converts. How often have we been discouraged in evangelism, sought out non-Biblical means, or felt that we needed to be overbearing in the lives of unbelievers because we thought that the fruit of evangelism was the same as evangelism. Of course we should hope for conversion, but every good Calvinist knows that evangelism is what we do with God's help, while conversion is the monergistic work of the Triune God. Of course we should seek to follow up with those whom we evangelize, and we definitely want to disciple those who are willing. But we ought not look at the few instances which produce such results as 'success,' and the rest as failure. We fail at evangelism when we do not accurately present the Gospel, or neglect to present it at all, not when we ourselves fail to see fruit. In many ways our 'success' and 'results' driven culture probably influences our attitudes here. But I also think this tendency of ours is more universal, as we see men in their sensuality throughout the Bible desiring to make images of God, making idols with their own hands, and desiring to walk by sight rather than faith. Dever rightly observes that this mentality can lead to feelings of failure, aversion, and guilt when evangelism doesn't go a smoothly as it is 'supposed' to. In quoting another book he writes:
To evangelize is to declare on the authority of God what he has done to save sinners, to warn men of their lost condition, to direct them to repent, and to believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Dever 80)
There is much more that is covered in this book, and everyone will probably find different parts significant, enlightening, and encouraging. If I were to summarize what I found most significant and the overall message of "The Gospel and Personal Evangelism," I can only quote the conclusion of the book.
We do not fail in our evangelism if we faithfully tell the gospel to someone who is not subsequently converted; we fail only if we do not faithfully tell the gospel at all.
Of particular interest to those of us from a more traditional Reformed background is his chapter on who should evangelize. Many Christians in Reformed churches seem to think that evangelism is only the activity of a select few at the very least, and others seem to implicitly think that it is a task only for ordained ministers. Unfortunately in a large number of Reformed churches not only do little, if any evangelize, but often even the ministers do not actively engage in evangelism. Through many Scriptures and comments of respected Bible scholars, Dever demonstrates that evangelism, while a gift to a select few, ought to be pursued in some avenue by all Christians. His main texts for this are Acts 8:1-4, and 1 Peter 3:15,16, which read as follows:
And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. (Acts 8:1-4)
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (1 Peter 3:15,16)
Clearly 1 Peter 3 is aimed at all Christians addressed in Peter's letter, and Acts 8 seems to insinuate that all the Christians who were scattered preached the word as they went. Dever also give several examples of people evangelizing who were not ordained ministers of the Word.
While I found these chapters refreshing and revitalizing to my own pursuits of evangelism, the chapters on how to evangelize and what isn't evangelism were the most convicting and applicable. Dever seems to be open to various forms of making contact in evangelism. Often direct street evangelism is called 'contact evangelism,' but all evangelism is going to involve a contact between individuals even if it is in the context of a progressing relationship with a non-Christian. Often 'friendship evangelism' is labeled 'relational evangelism,' but all evangelism is relational, even if it is with a complete stranger on a street corner. Rather than focusing on methods of contacting unbelievers, Dever focuses more on defining for us what evangelism is in context of communicating the Gospel to an unbeliever. He writes in several sub-points that there needs to be a balance in our approach between honesty, urgency, and joy. His reasoning for this is as follows:
Honesty and urgency with no joy gives us a grim determination (read Philippians). Honesty and joy with no urgency gives us a carelessness about time (read 2 Peter). And urgency and joy with no honesty leads us into distorted claims about immediate benefits of the gospel (read 1 Peter). (Dever, pg 60)
His specific suggestions for the task include; prayer, using the Bible and using the church. What particularly struck me and resonated with my previous thoughts on evangelism, was his recommendation that we try and provoke self-reflection in the unbeliever. In some of the best evangelism encounters that I have engaged in or observed others engage in, self-reflection on the part of the unbeliever was a cornerstone of the conversation. Even the Way of the Master, while being a more rigid form of evangelism, uses this principle in trying to use the Law, coupled with questions, to help the non-Christian see their own sin. Dever writes these encouraging words:
Ask good questions and listen to their answers. Explore them. You may be helping them to enunciate and articulate their own thinking for the first time ever. And you don't even need to try to pretend that this is easy for you. (Dever 66)
One last subject which he covered that I found very comforting and helpful to the task of evangelism, was his chapter on what isn't evangelism. The last false idea of evangelism that he addressed in the chapter was the tendency that we have to view evangelism as the act of winning converts. How often have we been discouraged in evangelism, sought out non-Biblical means, or felt that we needed to be overbearing in the lives of unbelievers because we thought that the fruit of evangelism was the same as evangelism. Of course we should hope for conversion, but every good Calvinist knows that evangelism is what we do with God's help, while conversion is the monergistic work of the Triune God. Of course we should seek to follow up with those whom we evangelize, and we definitely want to disciple those who are willing. But we ought not look at the few instances which produce such results as 'success,' and the rest as failure. We fail at evangelism when we do not accurately present the Gospel, or neglect to present it at all, not when we ourselves fail to see fruit. In many ways our 'success' and 'results' driven culture probably influences our attitudes here. But I also think this tendency of ours is more universal, as we see men in their sensuality throughout the Bible desiring to make images of God, making idols with their own hands, and desiring to walk by sight rather than faith. Dever rightly observes that this mentality can lead to feelings of failure, aversion, and guilt when evangelism doesn't go a smoothly as it is 'supposed' to. In quoting another book he writes:
To evangelize is to declare on the authority of God what he has done to save sinners, to warn men of their lost condition, to direct them to repent, and to believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Dever 80)
There is much more that is covered in this book, and everyone will probably find different parts significant, enlightening, and encouraging. If I were to summarize what I found most significant and the overall message of "The Gospel and Personal Evangelism," I can only quote the conclusion of the book.
We do not fail in our evangelism if we faithfully tell the gospel to someone who is not subsequently converted; we fail only if we do not faithfully tell the gospel at all.
A Day at Foxcroft
Shelby and I decided to take a new approach with the residents of the Foxcroft Apartments today. We thought that we would suggest the idea of in-home Bible studies to people just to see what God would do. After all, there is nothing we would rather do than gather around the Word of God with people. And guess what?
God absolutely blessed us! It looks like there is a real need beginning to open up for people who are interested in leading in-home Bible studies. We met several people willing to open up their homes to us so that we could consider the Scriptures together. One woman we met is a Hispanic, catholic woman with three kids. Another guy we met is a refugee from Myammar in Southeast Asia who is working on speaking better English. We offered to teach him the Bible as a way of learning English better and also growing in his relationship to the Lord. He is a Christian and speaks about 7 different dialects. We suggested that he consider attending a Bible college and be an Asian missionary. We can probably meet with him on a weekly basis, and he will probably be a regular visitor to Harvest. He remembers Tony, a Harvest member who served in the Adopt-a-Block ministry over a year ago. The Catholic woman (whose name I can't pronounce) remembers Francis from the Adopt-a-Block ministry. We also met a guy named Miguel who looked like an Army Ranger when he came to the door, the kind of guy you wouldn't want to mess with. He has a three-year old daughter and just flat out said that he would be at Harvest this Sunday. We'll just have to see if he shows up. We shook his hand and exchanged contact information.
Today was a fruitful day, and we find ourselves very thankful for the prayers of Harvest. We urge you to be persistent in these prayers and join us in God's labor if the Lord puts something on your heart. Personally, I find myself searching my own heart and asking whether or not these friends we are meeting are worth the time investment. And even they might be wondering whether or not we are willing to "walk the walk," and invest in them. I believe they are worth it, and these days ministering the Gospel automatically comes with some kind of investment in the lives of people. We must not only share the Gospel but even our very own selves with others. I think God would have it no other way.
God absolutely blessed us! It looks like there is a real need beginning to open up for people who are interested in leading in-home Bible studies. We met several people willing to open up their homes to us so that we could consider the Scriptures together. One woman we met is a Hispanic, catholic woman with three kids. Another guy we met is a refugee from Myammar in Southeast Asia who is working on speaking better English. We offered to teach him the Bible as a way of learning English better and also growing in his relationship to the Lord. He is a Christian and speaks about 7 different dialects. We suggested that he consider attending a Bible college and be an Asian missionary. We can probably meet with him on a weekly basis, and he will probably be a regular visitor to Harvest. He remembers Tony, a Harvest member who served in the Adopt-a-Block ministry over a year ago. The Catholic woman (whose name I can't pronounce) remembers Francis from the Adopt-a-Block ministry. We also met a guy named Miguel who looked like an Army Ranger when he came to the door, the kind of guy you wouldn't want to mess with. He has a three-year old daughter and just flat out said that he would be at Harvest this Sunday. We'll just have to see if he shows up. We shook his hand and exchanged contact information.
Today was a fruitful day, and we find ourselves very thankful for the prayers of Harvest. We urge you to be persistent in these prayers and join us in God's labor if the Lord puts something on your heart. Personally, I find myself searching my own heart and asking whether or not these friends we are meeting are worth the time investment. And even they might be wondering whether or not we are willing to "walk the walk," and invest in them. I believe they are worth it, and these days ministering the Gospel automatically comes with some kind of investment in the lives of people. We must not only share the Gospel but even our very own selves with others. I think God would have it no other way.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
George Carlin, the Law of God, and the Gospel of Christ
In my pre-Christian days, in what could be termed my 'hippie phase,' I enjoyed studying religion, philosophy, and the 'big questions' of life. I remember once during this time, I had been watching one of George Carlin's HBO gigs in which he went on one of his typical social critiques in the realm of religion. Most of what he had to say was aimed at the pope and the Roman Catholic Church, but in many non-Christian's eyes, those people and institutions are a good representation of religion and Christianity in particular. After comically ranting for a bit, he moved immediately into criticizing the Christian Theistic perspective in its entirety by saying something along these lines:
There's an all-powerful God, whose all-knowing, and all-wise and he has 10 things he DOES NOT want you to do, and if you do them, then he will condemn you to an eternity of suffering and torment in a place called hell... (raising his eyebrows while putting on a cheesy smile) ... but he LOVES you!
An issue which we need to recognize when we are sharing our faith, is that the world does not think about God the way we do. It is easy when you are surrounded by Christians all day, go to a Christian school and listen to Christian music, to forget that a fundamental truth which makes the Gospel 'click' is not a category of thought in most people's minds. That is, the fact that God is a holy God and can in no way clear the guilty (Ex. 34:7). This is not merely some abstract or esoteric truth, but is something very concrete and fundamental to human experience. In fact, this is so fundamental and terrifying to the human soul that, according to the Apostle Paul, the whole human race is in denial while also suppressing this truth. He writes:
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse." (Rom. 1:18-20)
Paul proceeds by elaborating on how man in this condition engages in idolatry in order to create a god that suites his own 'felt needs.' This behavior of sin and shameful suppression can be seen in the Genesis account, when Adam hid from God's theophanic presence. From Scripture then, we are aware that man in his fallen state knows God and the moral law. As Paul writes in Romans 2, even the Gentiles show through the activity of their conscience that the natural law is written on their hearts (Rom. 2:14,15). Which brings us back to those "10 things God DOES NOT want you to do." The Decalogue is God's written revelation of the natural law and has its foundation in the holiness of God. Francis Turretin defines it as being "founded in the perfectly just and holy nature of God" (Institutes Vol. 2, pg.2). As the creature's Creator and the source of all life and existence, the first four commandments illustrate man's duty towards God. The last six illustrate man's duty towards man on account of him being in God's image. For example, since God alone is the author of life, only He has the right to take a man's life, therefore, unlawful killing is man's rebellious attempt to become a god himself (Gen. 3:5). Because the institution of marriage is ordained by God and He draws men and women together (Mt. 19:6), it is necessary that we guard our neighbor's chastity in order that their sexual nature (and ours) be guarded for the ends that God has created them. The relationship of worship and the way we treat our neighbor is so intertwined that the Apostle Paul goes so far as to define covetousness as idolatry (Col. 3:5). How many times have we hurt others, or been injured ourselves by a friend who worshipped money, fame, or recognition and used the friendship as simply a means to attain that end? Far from being some arbitrary list that 'God came up with,' the 10 commandments are what God has given to define what morality and love truly are. This is why Jesus sums up the 10 commandments as “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself" (Lk. 10:27). The 10 commandments then are a tool to awaken men from their hardness of heart and denial, to recognize that they have sinned against both God and their own nature by violating the natural law written on their own hearts. Francis Turretin affirmed this relationship between the natural law (written on the heart) and the moral law (written in the Decalogue):
The same duties (both toward God and toward our neighbor) prescribed by the moral law are also contained in the natural law. The difference is with regard to the mode of delivery. In the moral law, these duties are clearly, distinctly and fully declared; while in the natural law they are obscurely and imperfectly declared both because many intimations have been lost and obliterated by sin and because it has been variously corrupted by the vanity and wickedness of men (Institutes Vol. 2, pgs. 6-7)
Probably the best example of how to present the Law in relation to the Gospel in evangelism that I have seen are the methods of The Way of the Master. In fact, the Way of the Master is what the Lord used to convert me. A good overview of how they present the Law to unbelievers can be found at http://www.areyouagoodperson.org/ . The more I engage in evangelism the less I like “fixed” methods, as they often become a crutch to lean on, that leads to not really connecting with people and a loss of credibility. What I like about the Way of the Master is that it is focused upon placing the Law before someone and letting their own conscience accuse them. I hope in a future blog post to elaborate on the many ways in which that can be done rather than always saying some like: “Have you ever told a lie before? What does that make you?” The point is that we cannot share the good news without talking about sin and condemnation, which is the bad news the Gospel remedies. To drive that home I would like present a few texts that illustrate my point:
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Rom. 3:19,20 ESV)
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul. (Ps. 19:7a NKJV)
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4 ESV)
So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. (Gal. 3:24 ESV)But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Gal. 3:4,5 ESV)
The fact that Jesus Christ is the second Adam, who obeyed the Law perfectly, resisted the temptations of the devil, and took upon the penalty that we deserve for being lawless makes sense in light of the Law and sin. Remember, people’s main issue is a moral problem not an intellectual one, the latter follows from the former. That is why apart from regeneration, even our best, most reasonable presentation of the Law to the likes of people such as Dawkins, Hitchens, or Carlin will be ignored or twisted in order to make God seem unreasonable or even evil. As even the Psalmist writes, "with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous" (Ps. 18:26 ESV). When we go around and just tell people “Jesus loves you,” or make other issues in the economy of redemption more important than sin, we are not ‘being nice’ to people, as we are helping them deflect from the issues at hand and adding fuel to the fire. We also are not honoring God or being faithful to the Gospel. Furthermore, by making Him seem trite and man centered while adapting the Gospel to magnify the aims of secularism's goal to merely improve the temporal realm, in the terminology of William Ockham, we are making God appear unnecessary. To that I will respond in similar words to a famous pastor from Grandville, MI, “soft-peddling, ‘love wins,’ nice-guy… I just don’t think it’s working…”
Thursday, June 17, 2010
10 Lessons Learned
It has been probably around 3 years since I had last gone out into the streets and public places in order to engage in evangelism. A lot has changed since I last actively pursued participating in the Great Commission. Before I was a Dispensational Baptist who was slowly becoming a 5 point Calvinist, now I am a full-fledged Presbyterian. Previously Bush was in office and almost every left winger that I spoke to about the Gospel was not only naturally antagonistic, but also thought I was trying to get them to be baptized by Sean Hannity into Bushianity. But now politics and what is deemed by secularists as “Evangelicalism” (Whatever that means) are not as tightly bound in our society’s political consciousness. Most importantly, 3 years ago I lived in what has been deemed the most liberal metropolis in America[1], now I live in what many have called a Calvinist ghetto. In the few experiences I have had since I began evangelizing again I have learned a few things. Some of it includes new realizations, but most of it are lessons I had learned before which have ‘come back’ to me since I started engaging in evangelism again.
1. As Piper and many other Pastors have emphasized, preach the Gospel to yourself daily. Your evangelistic appeals will become more natural and believable as the Evangel itself becomes the heartbeat of your life. You are a sinner and need the Gospel too, even in the midst of any attempt at sharing it with others. You are a sinner who has received grace going out to share with others what has been given to you.
2. Do not be afraid to simply pass out tracts. I know to many people they seem chintzy and often get a bad rap, especially in our theologically-centered reformed environment. However, good gospel tracts can go a long way in planting many seeds without one’s personality getting in the way.
3. Our primary aim in passing out tracts is to use them as “icebreakers,” or a means to facilitate a conversation with a stranger which otherwise would be difficult initiate. Learn to become comfortable interacting with and greeting strangers with a winsome attitude so that you can come across as approachable.
4. DO NOT try and force people into conversations. Many people are on a limited time schedule, or just simply do not wish to talk to strangers. It will be better off if they read your tract later when they have time, rather then be turned off by feeling hassled or forced into an awkward conversation.
5. Do not rely heavily upon certain methods of presenting the Gospel, while keeping in mind that certain truths need to be communicated in order for the encounter to be considered Biblical Evangelism. If we are too focused on methods we often do not truly connect with people as individuals, and subsequently loose credibility with them and they stop listening.
6. In order to understand the context of the individuals that you do converse with, use questions to help facilitate a healthy/natural conversation. Listen attentively and be genuine, people LOVE to talk about themselves.
7. In street evangelism most people will initiate a conversation with you by asking about the tract which you are handing to them. This makes it quite easy to bring up the Gospel, by simply answering honestly to them that it is a Gospel tract and asking them if they have ever had it explained to them and/or if they believe it.
8. In door to door evangelism you are initiating a conversation with them 100% of the time if they actually answer the door. Therefore, you must be prepared to introduce yourself and your partner and establish credibility by stating the church or organization that you are representing. From there you can ask them a question such as, “do you currently attend church?” or “have you ever had the Gospel explained to you?”
9. Just because someone says they are a Christian, it does not necessarily mean that they are. You also do not want to play the role of the elders of the Church and try to determine on the spot whether they have a credible confession or not. If you prod around on issues such as their church attendance, zeal for the Gospel, and knowledge of the Gospel you can usually tell whether or not you are dealing with a well grounded believer. Every individual is different, so be aware that if a professing Christian does show you evidence which concerns you, it may be due to a failure in shepherding or hurt from being sinned against. It does not necessarily mean they are unregenerate.
10. If your witnessing encounters, especially the first few, do not go as you had hoped, avoid dwelling on it or beating yourself up. Remember, we are just instruments planting seeds and that it is God who provides the increase (1 Cor. 3:6,7). God will use us in our weakness as long as the content of our message is Biblical; because His word will not return to Him void (Is. 55:11). Satan will be seeking to dissuade you from the task of evangelism; do not give him a foothold!
Monday, June 14, 2010
What "Two Ways to Live" Accomplishes
My previous post was an encouragement to check out the "Two Ways to Live" Gospel presentation put out by Mathias Media. This post lays out what may be realistically achieved by employing this presentation with unbelievers:
1. It clearly brings all people under the scope of God's grand plan of redemption. The Apostle Paul roughly employed the same method as he addressed biblically illiterate Gentiles in Acts 17:16-34. (Note: His method was very different when he spoke to biblically literate Jews.)
2. It views sin through the lens of idolatry, as opposed to the "sin as transgression model." Viewing sin as idolatry may be more understandable to unbelievers, so long as idolatry (Christian jargon) is communicated simply and effectively. Since all people are fundamentally worshippers (more Christian jargon), more points of contact with unbelievers may be opened up in regular conversation.
3. There is a much needed emphasis on present-grace, along with past grace and future grace. The emphasis on present grace more clearly addresses the present circumstances of people, with the result that people will immediately sense the relevancy of the Gospel in their hearts and lives. There is no possibility that our evangelistic efforts will be confused as a call for a one-time "decision" made for Christ or as mere "fire insurance." Rather, people will be called to submission to the Lordship of Christ and a life of continual faith and repentance.
4. People are provided with biblical categories so they can quickly begin to think more biblically.
1. It clearly brings all people under the scope of God's grand plan of redemption. The Apostle Paul roughly employed the same method as he addressed biblically illiterate Gentiles in Acts 17:16-34. (Note: His method was very different when he spoke to biblically literate Jews.)
2. It views sin through the lens of idolatry, as opposed to the "sin as transgression model." Viewing sin as idolatry may be more understandable to unbelievers, so long as idolatry (Christian jargon) is communicated simply and effectively. Since all people are fundamentally worshippers (more Christian jargon), more points of contact with unbelievers may be opened up in regular conversation.
3. There is a much needed emphasis on present-grace, along with past grace and future grace. The emphasis on present grace more clearly addresses the present circumstances of people, with the result that people will immediately sense the relevancy of the Gospel in their hearts and lives. There is no possibility that our evangelistic efforts will be confused as a call for a one-time "decision" made for Christ or as mere "fire insurance." Rather, people will be called to submission to the Lordship of Christ and a life of continual faith and repentance.
4. People are provided with biblical categories so they can quickly begin to think more biblically.
Presenting the Gospel
Many have drawn attention to the biblical illiteracy of the unchurched, especially those under the age of 30. These are people said to be without the biblical categories to understand the full Gospel, and among the hardest ideas to get across is the idea of sin. But if any presentation of the Gospel is to make sense, people must be very clear on the fact that they have offended God and their rebellion is absolutely disastrous for them and others. After all, no one will agree with a solution unless they agree about the problem.
This blog has a side link to the most helpful Gospel presentation that I have ever seen. The so called "Two Ways to Live" Gospel presentation is both logical and connects people to the history of redemption, providing the necessary categories to help them understand the fullness of the Good News. The presentation also begins with who God is. Let me take readers through the basic flow of thought in what is arguably the best Gospel presentation for today.
1. Who is God? God is our loving Creator and the Ruler of the whole world. God has made the world good, and He alone is able to define RIGHT and WRONG. God lays absolute claim on all of our lives as our Maker.
2. Who are we? From one man, God has made all people. God made us to be like Him. We were made to rule this world under God's loving authority, and we are always absolutely dependent on God for everything.
3. What went wrong? We rebelled against God and continue in our active rebellion against Him. We sought to live our lives apart from God and willfully rejected His loving authority. God let us have our way, and this rebellion has led to all the self-destructive patterns that we witness in our lives. Our way is doomed to failure and only promises to make a mess of our own lives and the lives of others. What is even worse is that our turning away from God has rightfully placed us under the judgment of God, which is the worst misery imaginable.
4. What does God do about sin? This is the best part! God takes sin very seriously and must punish sin. But God has not left us behind to fend for ourselves.
5. Who is Jesus and what did Jesus do? God sought us out by sending His one and only Son for our sins. Jesus Christ comes as our Savior and His life, death, and resurrection are substitutionary. He is both fully God and fully man. He is the full and perfect expression of God to us, and our perfect representative in the presence of God. He lives the perfect life that we never could hope to live and dies the death we should have died. God approved of what Christ did for us and shows us this by raising Jesus from the dead and placing Him in the supreme place of authority over all things. This Good News is completely outside of us and consists in what God did for us in the person and work of Christ. But this good news demands a response.
6. What are we to do? We can either continue to reject God or we can believe what God has done for us and submit to His loving authority. God commands all people to turn from their waywardness, look to Him in faith, and freely receive all the promises that are stored up in Jesus Christ. God desires to restore broken people back to proper relationship with Him. What God is now doing in the world is nothing less than bringing about a new creation. All those who believe in Him are given the right to be called children of God and are saved into the community of the redeemed. God commits Himself to us by sending His Holy Spirit to live in us and change us from the inside out, as we walk with Him. God's personal presence and communion with His people is God's guarantee that the best is yet to come!
This blog has a side link to the most helpful Gospel presentation that I have ever seen. The so called "Two Ways to Live" Gospel presentation is both logical and connects people to the history of redemption, providing the necessary categories to help them understand the fullness of the Good News. The presentation also begins with who God is. Let me take readers through the basic flow of thought in what is arguably the best Gospel presentation for today.
1. Who is God? God is our loving Creator and the Ruler of the whole world. God has made the world good, and He alone is able to define RIGHT and WRONG. God lays absolute claim on all of our lives as our Maker.
2. Who are we? From one man, God has made all people. God made us to be like Him. We were made to rule this world under God's loving authority, and we are always absolutely dependent on God for everything.
3. What went wrong? We rebelled against God and continue in our active rebellion against Him. We sought to live our lives apart from God and willfully rejected His loving authority. God let us have our way, and this rebellion has led to all the self-destructive patterns that we witness in our lives. Our way is doomed to failure and only promises to make a mess of our own lives and the lives of others. What is even worse is that our turning away from God has rightfully placed us under the judgment of God, which is the worst misery imaginable.
4. What does God do about sin? This is the best part! God takes sin very seriously and must punish sin. But God has not left us behind to fend for ourselves.
5. Who is Jesus and what did Jesus do? God sought us out by sending His one and only Son for our sins. Jesus Christ comes as our Savior and His life, death, and resurrection are substitutionary. He is both fully God and fully man. He is the full and perfect expression of God to us, and our perfect representative in the presence of God. He lives the perfect life that we never could hope to live and dies the death we should have died. God approved of what Christ did for us and shows us this by raising Jesus from the dead and placing Him in the supreme place of authority over all things. This Good News is completely outside of us and consists in what God did for us in the person and work of Christ. But this good news demands a response.
6. What are we to do? We can either continue to reject God or we can believe what God has done for us and submit to His loving authority. God commands all people to turn from their waywardness, look to Him in faith, and freely receive all the promises that are stored up in Jesus Christ. God desires to restore broken people back to proper relationship with Him. What God is now doing in the world is nothing less than bringing about a new creation. All those who believe in Him are given the right to be called children of God and are saved into the community of the redeemed. God commits Himself to us by sending His Holy Spirit to live in us and change us from the inside out, as we walk with Him. God's personal presence and communion with His people is God's guarantee that the best is yet to come!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Wisdom in Evangelism
John Dickson spoke at Baker Book House the other day on the topic of evangelism, and offered this helpful principle: Gospel living is the context for Gospel speech. In other words, our message has more force as people are able to see how the Gospel informs our lives. It probably goes without saying that most people in the Church will not be knocking on the doors of random strangers in order to share the Gospel, but I hope some would consider it. But as far as church-wide evangelism goes, I would have all readers consider the following:
1. Evangelism will be most effective in the most natural contexts, and there are five places to look: where we work, where we live, where we play, our family, and divine appointments. Consider who God may be urging you to reach.
2. Evangelism is very multi-faceted and there are different stages of evangelism. For example, some may sow, others may cultivate, and some may even harvest. Nothing, no matter how small, is insignificant. Furthermore, people have different gifts. So there is room for creativity in the evangelistic task. Evangelism will look different for different people. So look for your own particular role to play in God's plan to spread the Gospel to others. Be intentional, and bring others into this exciting endeavor.
3. There are few things that make the Gospel more compelling to us than sharing it with others. Never forget that a true love for the Gospel naturally produces a genuine desire to share it with others. Let me ease your burden by reminding you that true evangelism is not burdensome, coercive, or mechanical. True evangelism is our spontaneous joy in the Gospel being expressed to others. God promises us that this kind of evangelism is possible. How are you growing in your love for the Gospel?
1. Evangelism will be most effective in the most natural contexts, and there are five places to look: where we work, where we live, where we play, our family, and divine appointments. Consider who God may be urging you to reach.
2. Evangelism is very multi-faceted and there are different stages of evangelism. For example, some may sow, others may cultivate, and some may even harvest. Nothing, no matter how small, is insignificant. Furthermore, people have different gifts. So there is room for creativity in the evangelistic task. Evangelism will look different for different people. So look for your own particular role to play in God's plan to spread the Gospel to others. Be intentional, and bring others into this exciting endeavor.
3. There are few things that make the Gospel more compelling to us than sharing it with others. Never forget that a true love for the Gospel naturally produces a genuine desire to share it with others. Let me ease your burden by reminding you that true evangelism is not burdensome, coercive, or mechanical. True evangelism is our spontaneous joy in the Gospel being expressed to others. God promises us that this kind of evangelism is possible. How are you growing in your love for the Gospel?
Beginnings
I want to introduce readers to this blog, by stating several purposes for why this blog exists.
1. To track our evangelistic endeavors as we share the Gospel with others, and tell of what God is doing in the communities that surround Harvest OPC and the greater Grand Rapids area.
2. To ask for prayer from the Church, and to bring the Church further into God's evangelistic activity.
3. To offer insight into how evangelism has changed, to note the various objections we are now facing, and how we as a Church may become wiser and more effective in talking to others about the Gospel.
4. To praise God and worship Him for everything that He is pleased to do through broken and flawed people.
I plan on updating this blog at least on a weekly basis, and would encourage anyone to join us, pray for us, link others to this blog, or help us out in whatever way you can. There will be more information to come shortly. But please begin to pray for us and encourage others to do the same.
1. To track our evangelistic endeavors as we share the Gospel with others, and tell of what God is doing in the communities that surround Harvest OPC and the greater Grand Rapids area.
2. To ask for prayer from the Church, and to bring the Church further into God's evangelistic activity.
3. To offer insight into how evangelism has changed, to note the various objections we are now facing, and how we as a Church may become wiser and more effective in talking to others about the Gospel.
4. To praise God and worship Him for everything that He is pleased to do through broken and flawed people.
I plan on updating this blog at least on a weekly basis, and would encourage anyone to join us, pray for us, link others to this blog, or help us out in whatever way you can. There will be more information to come shortly. But please begin to pray for us and encourage others to do the same.
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