Guest Blogger: David Souther on the Gospel
June 30, 2008
A Response by David Souther to the following statement by Andy Stanley regarding the gospel:
“If we were able to rewrite the script for the reputation of Christianity, I think we would put the emphasis on developing relationships with nonbelievers, serving them, loving them, and making them feel accepted. Only then would we earn the right to share the gospel.”
While I agree with Pastor Stanley’s emphasis on developing relationships with non-believers, I don’t believe it is necessarily a prerequisite to sharing the gospel. As believers, we are called to be “salt and light” in our dark world. This involves both loving people and sharing the gospel. The two go hand in hand and balance is key. As we love and build relationships with people, God may give us the opportunity to share Christ at any time. It could be in the first five minutes or it might take months to get to that point.
In addition, the gospel itself is the “power of God unto salvation.” Anytime we share the gospel, it alone is enough to lead someone to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. I have seen people come to Christ by hearing an evangelistic message, reading a tract, or watching an evangelistic film. In all of these situations, the question was not whether or not someone earned the right to share. The message alone was enough. “Faith comes by hearing” (Romans 10:17), and anytime we communicate the gospel, it has the potential of changing someone’s life and eternal destiny forever.
Read more from David on his blog: Worldwide Hope
Mark Batterson on Evangelism
June 11, 2008
Pastor, author, and blogger Mark Batterson wrote briefly on his blog today about his personal and corporate perspectives on evangelism. First of all personally - he authentically shares:
“To be perfectly honest, over the last several months, the Lord has really convicted me about my lack of urgency…And it’s not about sharing our faith out of guilt. It’s about being so excited about who God is and what God has done that I can’t not talk about it.” (read more)
I love his passion. I have been given numerous opportunities lately to share what I believe about evangelism both in witnessing and in casual conversation. I think the biggest thing that Batterson points out is something that we teach in our evangelism training at EvanTell…that we should share the gospel out of grace and not guilt. Guilt has so often been associated with evangelism that it has given evangelism a fearful, negative connotation. I pray that outlook is overcome. That is my dream for the church.
Batterson closes explaining his dream for the church:
“Can I share a dream? I’ve always dreamed of being part of a church that was experiencing the reality of Acts 2:47. It says people were added daily. Don’t you want to be part of a church that is experiencing life changing transformation on a daily basis?”
Just like I do - he desires to see a church with Acts 2 Church DNA.
Joe Aldrich on Ineffective Forms of Evangelism
May 29, 2008
This post is for any pastor that has found a way to make every passage in the Bible evangelistic and worthy of an invitation. This post is for the preacher who needs all five stanzas of the invitation to convince someone in his congregation that he or she has doubts about their salvation and needs to be saved. Don’t get me wrong, I want to see churches grow by conversion, but I just don’t believe in the idea of a plateaued church, “adding to their numbers daily those who are being saved” (Acts 2) when they have no visitors and no desire to see the gospel go beyond the walls of their church.
Joe Aldrich further elaborates on ineffective forms of evangelism:
“Some churches fail to grow because they do not evangelize, others fail to grow because they do - but in outmoded, ineffective forms. For many, evangelism is what the pastor does on Sunday morning as he throws the lure over the pulpit, hoping some fish in the stain-glass aquarium will bite. The layman’s job is simply to herd fish within the reach of the big fisherman. Week after week the pastor evangelizes the evangelized. His people will grow weak on a diet of evangelistic sermons…” (from introduction to Aldrich’s Lifestyle Evangelism).
The word “Go” in the Great Commission phrase, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” is an imperative. If you have not been trained in personal evangelism, visit Evangelism.net and EvanTell.org for more information on how you can be connected to the life-changing Great Commission through proven evangelism tools and training.
Dr. Haddon W. Robinson on Relationships with Non-Christians
May 27, 2008
It has been said that it does not take new believers very long to distance themselves from their non-Christian friends and neighbors after their salvation experience. What a tremendous witnessing opportunity he or she is missing as a result of the misguided influence of self-righteous Christians. Are we supposed to be “set apart” and pursue holiness to the extreme that we miss the opportunity to tell of the same grace by which we were saved? No! By all means, convince a new believer that they are a missionary to those in their lives that are lost. Encourage them to take the Good News of their salvation to their friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Remind them to “make the most of every opportunity” (Col. 4:5). Realize that a new believer is instantly qualified for evangelism. He can share his testimony of the trust he is placing in Christ for his salvation. Or he can tell of the security he has of knowing that he will spend eternity in heaven.
Relationships with non-Christians should be maintained regardless of the amount of effort it may take. According to Dr. Haddon W. Robinson:
“Making a place in your life for non-Christian neighbors demands effort, thought, and at times risk. Bridges are harder to construct than walls. But that doesn’t alter this reality: Outsiders to faith are first drawn to Christians and then to Christ. Unfortunately, not all Christians attract. Like a turned magnet, some repel. Yet Christians, alive to God, loving, caring, laughing, sharing, involved at the point of people’s needs, present an undeniable witness for Christ in their society” (from the foreword of Aldrich’s “Lifestyle Evangelism”).
God may use your relationship with that person to draw your friend to Himself. God may use you to share the gospel with your friend. If He did provide that opportunity, would you be prepared? If not, visit Evangelism.net and EvanTell.org for resources and training to help you overcome any obstacles that would render you ineffective if an opportunity to share the gospel comes your way.