Evangelism in the New Year

Happy New Year, everybody!

Let’s make this a productive year personally, professionally, and spiritually. Make all the resolutions you want. Write them down if you need to. But whatever you want to accomplish this year, make it count. Don’t over-plan or try to finesse too much. Just do it.

What Evangelism Isn’t

One of my resolutions is to do more evangelizing in 2008. I’ve been evangelizing on this blog for four years, but I want to do a lot more.

What is evangelism? Some make it seem more complicated than it really is. Simply stated, evangelism is telling people about Christ, why he came, what he requires of us, and what happens if we reject him.

Christianity Today published an excerpt of a book called The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, by Pastor Mark Dever of Capitol Hill Baptist Church here in DC. In “What Evangelism Isn’t,” he explains why some Christians don’t evangelize:

Some people don’t practice evangelism because they feel they are imposing on others. And the way evangelism is often done, I can understand the confusion! But when you understand what the Bible presents as evangelism, it’s really not a matter of imposing your beliefs…It’s important to understand that the message you are sharing is not merely an opinion but a fact.

Think about it. The Bible presents as fact – and I believe it’s true – that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that his forgiveness is required for us to enter heaven. Dever encourages Christians to remember that the Gospel message is factual. This will give you the proper attitude when evangelizing.

Next, Dever discusses what evangelism is not. Our moment of salvation stories may be just as “powerful” as the blind man’s in John 9. But our testimonies are not the Gospel, says Dever. “An account of a changed life is wonderful and inspiring thing, but it’s the gospel of Jesus Christ that explains what it’s all about and how it happened.”

Being involved in social causes is quite commendable, but it’s not evangelism. As Christians, we are encourage to do good works and live lives that reflect Christ in us. But doing good deeds is not evangelism. “To be evangelism,” Dever writes, “the gospel must be clearly communicated, whether in written or oral form.”

Is defending the faith evangelism? James White is a pastor, apologist, debater, author, and blogger, among other things, and his life’s work is defending the faith. You should listen to his webcast and debates sometime. Pure gold. But defending the faith is not evangelism. Dever writes:

Other people mistake apologetics for evangelism. Like the activities we’ve considered above, apologetics itself is a good thing. We are instructed by Peter to be ready to give a reason for the hope that we have (1 Pet. 3:15). And apologetics is doing exactly that. Apologetics is answering questions and objections people may have about God or Christ, or about the Bible or the message of the gospel.
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Apologetics can present wonderful opportunities for evangelism. Being willing to engage in conversations about where we came from or what’s wrong with this world can be a significant way to introduce honest discussions about the gospel.

Elected Unto Salvation

Some Christians put an emphasis on “winning souls for Christ.” Does that describe you? Such an attitude is not wrong per se, but it shouldn’t be the focus of evangelism. We can’t give ourselves credit for someone’s salvation, and we shouldn’t be overly concerned about it. Does that shock you?

Our job as Christians is to share the Good News, the Gospel message, with unbelievers. But we have no way of knowing if those people truly become saved. The Bible teaches that God chose us “before the foundation of the world.” He selected certain people to receive his grace and mercy. Some Christians refer to this as the doctrine of election.

Everyone will not be saved. Hell will be quite full. But because we don’t know who God has preordained to salvation, we’re commanded to preach the Gospel to all men and to all nations. This is God’s “salvation program.” He desires that all men hear or read about the Gospel, but only those he elected will respond.

There is no such thing as failed evangelism. If we don’t “win the soul” of the person we’re sharing the Gospel with at a given moment, we have not failed. It’s God’s business who he saves. But we can know this:

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

God’s word will not return to him void. Even if someone rejects the Gospel message we share, God’s purpose will be accomplished.

For example, the person we happen to be communicating the Gospel to may not be the person God intends to save. Let’s say the person still rejects Christ after hearing the Good News. They go home and make fun of the “Bible-thumper” and his deluded beliefs. While everyone else is laughing, one person is not laughing so loudly. The retelling of the Bible-thumper incident ignited a spark, and the person, although laughing along with everyone else, wants to know more. So falls the seed…

Evangelism in the New Year

God can and does use anything and everything to accomplish his will. Indeed, as the story of Joseph shows us, what men may intend as evil, God may have intended for good all along. Each of us can look at our own lives and see how something God-glorifying resulted from a seemingly bad or thoroughly evil situation.

I can’t pretend to understand why God does what he does the way that he does. All I know is that I’ve been given the gift of salvation. I don’t know why he chose me and set me on this path. When I see him, perhaps I’ll ask. By the time I do see him, however, I have a feeling I’ll already know the answer.

Christians, make a resolution to do more evangelizing in 2008. Start a blog. Write articles. Go on a mission trip. Invite unbelievers to your church or Bible study. Get on a soapbox downtown in the middle of rush hour, if you must. Just do it.