Evangelism: Living Proof

One more post on evangelism for this month. This is taken from chapter 8 of Jim Peterson's Living Proof, which I think is one of the best books on evangelism around:

Before reading this chapter, read the New Testament letters and note every exhortation about witnessing.

Earlier we observed how Paul limited his sphere of ministry to establishing beachheads of believers, usually in key centers. But his vision did not stop there.... He depended upon the ongoing growth of those little bodies of Christians for the preservation of his labors and the continued expansion of the gospel in the world....

This being the case - with so much resting on the performance of those little churches - one would expect Paul's letters to them to abound with exhortations to witness, to get out and continue what he had begun, proclaiming the gospel to every person. But no such exhortations are there! Why not? Perhaps it's because Paul realized that merely more of the same would be counter-productive. He had come in and reaped. Winning the remainder of those pagan societies required more than words. Before there could be a new harvest, more planting and cultivating needed to occur.

This is supported by what Paul did say in his letters about winning the lost. For example, he told Titus to "teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live ... they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God" (Titus 2:3-5, emphasis added).

He urged him to "encourage the young men to be self-controlled.... In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech ... so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us" (Titus 2:6-8, emphasis added).

These cause-and-effect statements reveal Paul's clear recognition of the importance of the people of God modeling the character of God before sharing the gospel. Almost without fail, when he discussed the problem of the lost world, he focused on our "being" as the fundamental solution (pp. 83-84).

Peterson then ends the section with this challenge: "In the light of this, I hope you will take the time to review the New Testament epistles again and note all that they do say about our witness to the world."

Initiative Evangelism

Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4 has been used often as an example of how to witness. Here's another article (Making the Right Connection by Kevin Young) that draws upon the story. But it's not the exegesis or analysis of the passage that I want to highlight. Rather it's the call to overcome our nervousness and explain the gospel to a stranger. Friendship evangelism is good, but there are times when God may open the way for us to talk with someone we won't be able to build a relationship with. What then? Young writes:

By thinking the best of them, listening well, and using natural bridges, our first encounter can dissolve hostility and encourage dialogue. We'll never know the spiritual influence we can have with someone until we take the risk to break the ice.

Evangelism and The Art of Sowing

In an article about the The Art of Sowing, Mike Sorgins at LeadershipU recommends Tim Downs' book Finding Common Ground. Sorgins writes:

The number of people who are "ripe" to hear the gospel in the U.S. is getting smaller and smaller. Today our society is filled with people who are ignorant of the Bible, often assume Christians are intolerant and manipulative, distrust any meaningful concept of truth, and are leery of making a commitment to anything.

How do we convey the gospel effectively when people hold such views? Well, as Downs reminds us from Scripture and history, we need to take the time to sow. We need to value sowing. And the best place to start is right where you live, with the people you see around you every day.

What are the sower's tools? Downs suggests some excellent "implements" we need to learn to use skillfully. One is to simply ask questions - questions that are non-threatening, communicate humility, and encourage dialogue.

Another is to begin with by finding areas of agreement rather than our areas of difference. In Acts 17 the Apostle Paul models this technique when relating to Athen's skeptical philosophers.

A third tool is your very life, lived before others, warts and all. We need to be there for the other person's agenda, not merely our own. We need to admit our mistakes and demonstrate our own need of a Savior. And we need to be there for people when they are ready to make a decision.

Evangelism and Websites

In the new year I will be having a website designed for a new church plant. I've said to the designer that I want the main page to be targeted to non-Christians. That's why this case study interested me:

Some Christians might look at Christian Women Today, notice the comfortable familiar Christian words on front and inner pages: 'prayer', 'repentance', 'saved', etc., and say, "Ah, this is an evangelistic site. This must preach the Gospel."

But no! Christian Women Today is designed for Christians. All those Christian words are 'insider' terms which exclude rather than enlighten. No doubt some non-Christians visit, as they do any site. In fact, Women Today Magazine is the site that has been carefully written for non-Christians. Because both sites have been produced by the same team, and have many similarities, we have a unique opportunity to understand why it is so important to target each audience in a different way.

Actually I'm not sure I see that big of a difference in the two sites - at least on first glance. The editors say that one of the main differences is the words they use (avoiding Christian terminology). I've never bought totally into the argument about Christian words being a language barrier. I think the main thing is simply being sensitive to your audience, and then to provide opportunity to interact. We hope to do the latter by using our website in the context of relationships: We will ask our friends to "check it out" and then follow up with, "What did you think?"

Evangelism and the Christmas Message

My favorite Scripture line this Christmas season: "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst" (1 Tim. 1:15).

As we share Jesus with others (by deeds and word), may the knowledge of our own sinfulness keep us humble and gentle in our witness. May we be clean of self-righteousness and arrogance.

Merry Christmas!

Evangelism: More "Hanging Out"

Jim Elliff talks about The Value of Hanging Out and offers the following ideas:

1. Find a hanging out place, or several, in your area. This will be easier for some than others. I've even spent some time in the local hamburger place. For most this will have to be early in the morning before work, but others may be able to invest a bit more. The morning usually attracts the "regulars" that you will be best able to connect with.
   
2. Learn the names of the people you meet. It is good to jot their names down somewhere for reference.
   
3. Take your Bible and spend time reading it, writing notes in your notebook, or reading a good Christian book while out.
   
4. Keep a friendly, approachable look about you. Speak to people. Introduce yourself and find out about them. Focus much of your talk on them. They'll also be curious about you.
   
5. Seek to get to the layer of philosophical talk. What do these new friends believe about important issues of life and death? This makes for deeper and more significant relationships.
   
6. You will find that they will be curious about you and your beliefs also. Talk freely about what you believe and how you approach life.
   
7. Make friends, real friends, who will be important to you no matter what their spiritual preferences are. Love them for who they are.
   
8. If you have read something interesting that you can pass on, by all means do so, especially if it has something to do with the true love of your life, Jesus Christ.
   
9. Expect God to do something. Christians make a difference! You might help a fellow believer or a person who does not have a spiritual bone in his body. You never know what God may be doing. The world reacts and responds to "lighted" Christians.

Evangelism: "Hanging Out"

A few days ago, Rob Wilkerson posted on Doing Evangelism Like Jesus.

One of the things I was looking forward to the most about stepping out of the pastoral ministry as a vocation was the ability to do evangelism the way Jesus used to do it. If we stop and reflect on how much difference there really is between the office or vocation of the pastoral ministry and the ministry of Jesus, we'll be mildly shocked. To be sure, there is a necessary difference. He had a specific job to accomplish while on earth and He had a specific amount of time in which to get it all done. That's where we must be careful when making a comparison of the two. But the are other comparisons which ought to give us cause to rethink how we do ministry.

One of those comparisons has to do with the method of evangelism. I love the way my friend Jim Elliff described it in a couple of sermons ("The Value of Hanging Out" and "A Different Style of Evangelist: Laborers on the Loose". When he read through the New Testament again and again, he observed Jesus basically just 'hanging out.' Obviously, as the Son of God who had come to do the Father's will, there was a very specific purpose and plan to the 'hanging out' that He did. When we see Him, for example, 'hanging out' among prostitutes and tax collectors, the scum of the town, this wasn't just haphazard 'hanging out.' He wasn't hanging with the sinners just to kill some time. He was on a mission. And it was to seek and save those who were lost. As He taught the Pharisees once, only those who were sick needed a physician. Lost people are sick. Many of them know it. And those were the ones Jesus 'hung out' with.

Wilkerson goes on to share an experience he had "hanging out." Of course, there are dangers and cautions to be aware of. As he points out, this is not about having an excuse to go out and party. It's about being less concerned with our comfort level around lost people and more concerned about their eternal happiness and joy in Jesus. The challenge is how to show the love of Jesus.

Evangelism: Tactics and Common Ground

Here's another Quick Thought from Greg Koukl. At first, when I read this, I didn't think it was possible to pull off for most people - that few of us are so "quick on our feet." But then I realized that I've done this before - and I'm definitely NOT quick on coming up with responses. But when we work at relating with people, it's not impossible to come up with "common ground." Anyway, here's what Koukl writes:

When a person asks me a question, I've found it helpful to try to frame my response in the context of his own discipline or profession. For example, when an attorney tells me he won't believe in the soul because it can't be measured physically, I ask him how can he prove in court that a non-physical thing like a motive exists if a motive can't be measured physically. Even laws themselves are not physical. They can't be weighed; they have no chemical composition; they aren't located in space. The attorney must face the fact that his own methodology defeats his objection. This tactic makes it easier to persuade him, because he sees the issue in light of things he already knows to be true, or procedures he's already familiar with. This is an important step of establishing common ground.

Evangelism: Not Quick on Your Feet?

Greg Koukl at Stand to Reason addresses something many of us feel intimidated by when sharing our faith:

Maybe you don't consider yourself fast enough on your feet to keep up with someone who's quicker than you in an intense discussion. No problem. Don't feel under pressure to immediately answer every question asked or every point made.

For tactical reasons you may want to adopt the posture of a neutral observer. Shift from argument mode to fact-finding mode.

Try this. Say something like, "Interesting point. I'd like to hear more. Let me ask some questions about your view and your reasons for it so I understand it. Then let me think about it. We can talk more later." This shows you take the other person's view seriously and also buys you valuable time.

Ask probing questions (Columbo tactic), but don't try to win your case just then. Take notes if you need to. Make sure you understand the challenge or the objection clearly. Then do some work on your own—maybe even enlisting others in the process—and come back prepared.

If your discussion was just part of a chance meeting, you may not be able to revisit the topic with the same person, but you'll be prepared next time the issue comes up.

This is a wonderful way to completely take the pressure off you. It's not a retreat, just a different type of engagement. It greatly reduces your anxiety level, strengthens your own confidence, and prepares you to be more effective next time around.

Evangelism: Turning Conversations

Worldwide Challenge, a magazine of Campus Crusade for Christ, shares 20 QUESTIONS you can use to turn a conversation to spiritual things. It seems to me that most of them presume you have a fairly good relationship with the person, except perhaps, "Do you think much about spiritual things?"

Evangelism: Breaking the Silence

Another booklet from RBC Ministries is How Can I Break the Silence? Why do we find it difficult to break the silence about the best news and most important Person the world has ever known? Here are a few reasons:

The Nature of Unbelief. Many people are not only unaware of their need of Christ (they assume they're doing just fine without Him), but they are also predisposed against Him. Talking to them about the Lord is like trying to sell an expensive medicine that the AMA has branded as dangerous and fraudulent. They've heard rumors. They don't think they need it. They don't want to open themselves to a discussion or an argument that they feel might result in their being pressured into making a decision they don't want to make.

The Christian Strategy. A second sound barrier is found in the Christian strategy itself. According to the New Testament, there are times when we are better off not talking. Wisdom shows that there are times when we should let our actions break the ice and create a sense of interest. Peter told Christian wives that they should let their Christian behavior do the talking for them in the presence of unbelieving husbands (1 Pet. 3:1-3). Later in the same chap- ter, Peter told believers that they should endure persecution in a manner that would cause unbelievers to ask questions about their faith. It is implied that the lives of these Christians would speak louder than their words.

A Lack of Relationships. One reason some of us don't know what to say to non-Christians is that we are not spending enough of the right kind of time with them. We are at a loss for words because we have limited ourselves to talking lovingly and meaningfully only to other Christians. The One who came to us as "the Word" gave us a different example. At the right time, He left the comforts of Home to go to the rescue. In fact, He went so deep into enemy territory that He was criticized by some of the most religious people of His day.

A Sense of Inadequacy. Another reason for our silence is our fear of failure. We're afraid we will encounter questions we won't be able to answer and objections we won't be able to handle. This fear is understandable. Few Christians are so well-versed in the Bible, history, or science that they can effectively answer all the questions or objections that unbelievers throw at them. But that shouldn't stop us. God hasn't asked us to tell people what we don't know. He's asked us to be witnesses to what we do know.

How Can I Share My Faith? Part 2

From RBC Ministries: Bill Fay's approach to sharing his faith is to begin with five questions to determine the other person's spiritual condition. Those five questions are:

1. Do you have any kind of spiritual belief?
   
2. To you, who is Jesus?
   
3. Do you think there is a heaven and a hell?
   
4. If you died right now, where would you go?
   
5. If what you believe were not true, would you want to know it?

Fay also offers some advice on how to ask questions:

• When you ask a question, don't respond with your own answer. Then you won't end up on some rabbit trail. The minute the other person says he's going to reincarnate or fizzle when he dies, you are going to want to jump in and respond. But don't!
  
• You can use other introductory "bridge" questions, such as: Do you go to church anywhere? That question can serve as an effective transition into the questions mentioned above.
  
• What are the two possible answers to question number 5? Yes or no. If it's yes, you go on. If the answer is no, stop (but what happens almost every time you stop is the person will say, "Well, aren't you going to tell me?").

After these five questions, Fay's approach goes on to look at the Scriptures and then asks for a response from the individual. Another tip: "When you talk with people about trusting Christ, you will hear objections, reasons they don't want to believe. In dealing with their objections, the key word you need to remember is why."

How Can I Share My Faith?

I'm linking this month to resources on evangelism.

RBC Ministries offers "Discovery Series" booklets on a wide range of topics, including one by Bill Fay called "How Can I Share My Faith Without an Argument?" The simple step-by-step approach he uses to present the gospel is this:

First, I ask five questions to determine the other person's spiritual condition. During this time I am probing for information, not presenting my case.

Next, I have the person read several key Bible verses and ask what the verses say to him or her. The goal here is not to preach but to allow the Holy Spirit to bring conviction as the person reads and thinks about the truths of Scripture.

The third step is another series of five questions. These summarize the truths of the verses the person has just read, and they call for a decision to receive Christ.

Tomorrow, I'll post the five questions Fay uses and some tips he offers on how to use them.

By the way, RBC also has a series called "10 Reasons to Believe." The one particularly fitted to the Christmas season is "10 Reasons to Believe God Offers the Perfect Gift."

The Chronicles of Narnia

Narnia came out yesterday, and I haven't seen it (then again, I've never read the book either - now I can't decide if I should see the movie first or read the book first). But my son saw the movie last night. He says it's "the sweetest movie" he's ever seen. Here's how he describes the analogies in the story. There's certainly opportunity for talking about Christ with others through this film.

P.S. I am thankful to God for what he has done and is doing in each of my children's lives to shape their hearts to love Christ. I like Mike's description of worship: "what is worship? to me, it's taking thanks one step further and giving God glory for that."

Evangelism and the Doctrine of Creation

An article at Kairos Journal argues that the doctrine of creation is integral to the gospel:

Although Paul’s evangelism consistently centered on Jesus, the crucified and risen Messiah, the precise way he presented the gospel varied from audience to audience. When evangelizing Jews, he emphasized the biblical text (e.g. Acts 13:13-41), but when preaching to pagan polytheists, he emphasized the doctrine of creation (Acts 14:15-17; 17:22-31). For Paul, the fact that God created everything is foundational to the gospel.

Amongst the Athenian altars to Zeus, Athena, and Demeter, Paul spotted one to the “unknown god” (v. 23); Athens kept its options open and tried to cover every base. Yet, in the midst of this plurality of idols, Paul went on the offensive, proclaiming that the God whom the Athenians did not know is the true Creator of all, the only God. Unlike their pathetic idols, He does not require housing or food (vv. 24-25). Rather, He gives life and a dwelling place to humans (vv. 25-26). In other words, He is not man’s debtor—He does not depend upon the religious devotion of humanity to provide His needs. Quite the reverse: all people depend on Him; all are indebted to Him. Only with this foundation in place could the Athenians have any hope of grasping their debt to their Creator; only then would they fear His coming judgment and repent (vv. 30-31).

The doctrine of creation is integral to the gospel. Modern men and women will never understand their need of Christ as a Savior from God’s wrath if they do not first have some comprehension that they owe their generous Creator everything. Nor will they grasp the wickedness of rejecting Him and running life their own way. Divorced from belief in a sovereign, holy, gracious Creator, the gospel makes no sense at all.

In the face of frequent public ridicule, holding on to the truths of creation requires clear-thinking courage.... Embarrassed silence concerning creation will help no one; if God did not create, Christians have no gospel.

Evangelism: Words Seasoned with Salt

Another John Piper quote: This is from a sermon on Colossians 4:2-6 and addresses one way we can buy up every opportunity as we relate to the unbelievers in our lives:

The second answer to how we buy up opportunities for eternity is salty speech. Verse 6: "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt."

I take this to mean that what we say about Christ and about the Christian life should be made as appetizing as possible. When food is not salted its taste is bland. People don't want to eat it. It's unappetizing. Our speech is not supposed to be like that.

This is one of the most refreshing things I have ever heard anyone say about personal evangelism. Think about it for a moment. How can you develop the ability to speak about Christ so that there is an appetizing flavor to it. How do you learn to talk about Christ in a way that makes people's mouth water?

I think the answer is simply to spend time every day reminding yourself from Scripture why the gospel tastes good to you. Some of us who have been Christians for a long time begin to neglect the crucial business of enjoying Christ. Then an opportunity comes along to commend him to someone and we realize that all the reasons he is wonderful have been neglected and the keeness of our own taste buds has grown very dull. It's hard to salt your speech with the deliciousness of Jesus when you haven't been enjoying the taste yourself.

So the wonderful thing about Paul's advice here is that the best way to prepare to be an advertisement for the satisfying taste of Jesus is to enjoy him yourself. Every day we should go to the Bible and look for reasons why knowing Christ is the greatest thing in the world. And when we get up off our knees with our hearts happy in him we will be in the best postion to make our speech appetizing for Christ. (See Jesus' example in John 4:14; 6:35; etc.)

Evangelism: Praying for God's Help

I'm glad Josh Harris could say, "I Stink at Evangelism." I do too.

Along the same line, John Piper in his sermon "How to Give Away a GIFT" says, "I have never been very good at turning a conversation with an unbeliever into a serious spiritual discussion of his condition before God." I can identify with that as well.

Piper has a few practical insights, emphasizing our need for prayer:

Probably the most helpful thing anybody ever told me about becoming a good witness is this: be honest with God about how you feel and then ask Him earnestly to take you where you are and give you some opportunities for witness that you can handle at this stage and grow by. Very few changes happen overnight in the Christian life. Most of us grow slowly and by fits and starts. But even that will only happen if we are earnestly praying that it will.

He goes on to say:

I suppose I could content myself under the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit and say that He has called me to be a pastor-teacher not an evangelist. But I am a dyed-in-the-wool hedonist. I want to be as happy as I can possibly be in this life and in the life to come. And now I have seen in the Word and tasted in experience that there is a joy to be had out there in telling others about why I have hope in Christ, and I want that joy. So unless the Lord makes it very clear to me that I must, I am not going to accept my lack of giftedness in evangelism. I have been praying and will go right on praying and ask you to pray with me that God will give me the gift to win people to Christ, one-to-one and through my preaching.

This is good counsel for the many of us who "stink" at evangelism. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will empower us to make Jesus known.

Asking Questions

Judson Poling says that "most seekers' questions, whether intellectual or emotional, indicate underlying issues. Choosing to believe in Christ carries major internal ramifications. Snappy, pat answers don't satisfy these inner struggles. Nobody wants a two-cent answer to a million-dollar question." How do we get at those underlying issues? Poling notes that Jesus often answered a question with a question. Using that technique, he suggests some questions to ask:

I've found several specific questions effective at reaching the underlying issues. Now, when someone asks me a spiritual question, I almost always reply, "That's an interesting question. What do you think?"

Another good question: "What situation in your life makes you wonder about that?"

Sometimes, however, a seeker's questions and thoughts do require challenge. For instance, many seekers today are struggling with Jesus' claim to be the way, the truth, and the life. "No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). They ask, "Does Jesus really mean he's the only way? Isn't that kind of narrow-minded?" "If I were to say that he really meant it," I reply, "would you rule out the possibility that it's true? Why won't you even consider that a possibility?" Such questions help them examine their skepticism.

When I was in college, students often boasted phantom objections and rationalizations to discount Jesus. Cutting through these smokescreens, I sometimes asked: "If you found out you were wrong, what would be at risk?"

Shared Stories

Paula Rinehart asks: How do you talk about the cross with people who scoff at the concepts of sin and guilt? Part of the answer is our "shared stories":

Gaining a hearing is, perhaps, the greatest challenge in relating the gospel to anyone. It's easy to talk—and certainly the message itself is not difficult to understand—but the moments when someone actually listens as though it might be meant for him ... ah, that is a mystery worth exploring. A mystery at the heart of the cross itself.

With my successful friend in the seat beside me, I could talk all day about life and faith and Christ. And it would be interesting information. But he did not really engage with my message until his failure, his defeat, was out in the open. And what an awkward moment that can be in a social setting. Suddenly, the conversation descends two levels, and you can almost hear your ears pop. It's tempting to skip to easier, safer topics far from this talk of failure or weakness or sin. But if you do, you may miss your best opportunity to allow someone to connect his point of need with the cross of Christ.

I find that in order to remain at ease—to not flinch—when someone's failure or sin slips into the open, I have to keep returning to the cross myself. When I let the cross speak to me about the frailty and failure and sin in my own life, and someone suddenly lays his on the table, I recognize it for what it is—a variation of my own story, of all our stories. There is almost instant recognition—Oh yeah, I know what this man is talking about—and it's easier to take the plunge.

This theme of failure and insufficiency is the common ground we share with each other—Christian and nonChristian alike. And that ground we always hold in common. Only the Christian knows and experiences the rest of the story—that God supernaturally redeems and transforms his life. Our connecting point is the awareness of our need as it's expressed in the language of defeat and sin—and mirrored in each person's real story.

If we want someone to feel safe enough to share his secret shame and hidden vulnerabilities—and thereby acknowledge his need of Christ—then we need to stay quietly conscious of our own.

Evangelism: Two Ways to Live

Two Ways to Live: The Choice We All Face presentation by MattiasMedia.

Questioning Evangelism

Josh Harris at his blog recommends Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman. Here's an excerpt adapted from the book:

Any evangelistic skill requires three skills. The first and most basic involves declaring the gospel, including the ability to clearly and concisely articulate the message of salvation and one's own story or testimony. The second evangelistic skill is ability in defending the gospel. The third skill is built on the foundations of declaring and defending the gospel.

The skill is called dialoguing the gospel. Often neglected, difficult to master, but absolutely essential is the skill of asking questions and bouncing ideas around. We need all three skills if we're to be Christ's ambassadors in the 21st century.

Answering a question with a question often has significant advantages over direct answers. It brings to the surface the questioner's assumptions. It also takes the pressure off you—the one being asked—and puts the pressure on the one doing the asking. As long as we're on the defensive, the questioners are not really wrestling with issues. They're just watching us squirm.

Responding to a question with a question paves the way for a concept that the questioner might not otherwise consider. Many ideas that are central to our gospel message—God's holiness, people's sinfulness, Christ's atoning work on the cross, and people's responsibility—are alien today for many people. Questions bring these concepts into clearer focus for consideration and even acceptance. Let me give you an example:

Non-Christian: I can't believe that you believe Christianity is the only way.

Christian: Then why do you think Jesus said such a narrow-minded thing?

Non-Christian: I don't think Jesus was narrow-minded.

Christian: Me neither. Why do you think He claimed that He's the only way to God?

Non-Christian: Are you sure He said that, or is that just something His followers made up?

Christian: No, I'm really sure that He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

Non-Christian: Well, I don't understand the Bible all that well. I don't know why Jesus would say those things.

Christian: Would you like to hear what I think He meant?

I'm proposing a style of evangelism that is more dialogue than a sales pitch. If we were to try to convince someone to "buy" the gospel, we'd shy away from some difficult words that need to be said. Confronting a prospect with unpleasant truths doesn't work in sales, but it is essential in evangelism.

Christian: Do you ever think much about spiritual things?

Non-Christian: A little. I think religion is a private thing, though.

Christian: Are you saying that people shouldn't discuss religion with others?

Non-Christian: No, I wouldn't say that. I just don't like it when people blab on endlessly.

Christian: So is some talk about God OK?

Non-Christian: Sure. But not when a total stranger talks to you about God like they talk about the weather.

Christian: Oh, I see. You say it's a private thing because you don't talk about private things with just anyone.

Non-Christian: Exactly. I think your religion is something reserved for only certain situations.

Christian: It sounds like you think religion is very important.

Non-Christian: Yeah, but I don't know what I believe about God.

Christian: Is that something you'd like to find out more about?

Non-Christian: I think so. But where do you begin to find answers?

Christian: I think I've found some good answers. Would you be interested in what I've found?

By asking questions in our evangelism, our conversations can lead to conversions, rather than presentations that lead to preconceptions. An exchange of ideas might lead both participants to the truth of the gospel. For one participant, it will be the first arrival at that point; for the other participant, it will be a rediscovery and a new appreciation of the message of the Cross.

Evangelism and the Marks of a Healthy Church

For a while I've been wanting to focus on just one theme for a month. Since I posted on evangelism yesterday, for the next month I think I'll link to articles and resources that encourage the practice of evangelism.

According to Mark Dever at 9 Marks, one of the marks of a healthy church is a Biblical Understanding of Evangelism. These are some of his thoughts on how we should evangelize:

• Use the Bible when you share the gospel. When we fail to use the Bible, we are either implicitly or explicitly revealing a lack of faith in the converting power of God's Word. Our power is in our message (Rom 1:16; 1Cor 1:18; 2:1-5; 1Peter 1:23; cf. Isa 55:10-11).
• Realize that the lives of individual Christians and of the church as a whole are a central part of evangelism. We should be looking for ways to use our practical love and holiness to attract others to Christ. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matt 5:16). By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35).
• Remember to pray. Prayer expresses our dependence on God, and reminds us that only He has the power to convict, convert, and conform even the most ungodly of us.
• Remember God's sovereignty. We should indeed try to persuade men like Paul did, but in doing so we should acknowledge that only God convinces and grows people, and His converting mercies are His to bestow as He wills, and to whom He wills.
• If we don't believe in the sovereignty of God's grace, then we will be more likely to tell people stories in such a way that they will cry, their hearts will be tugged, and they will make a sincere decision, but they will not be confronted by the reality of their sins, by their need to repent, and by the Holy Spirit.