Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.
Evangelism Begins With Discernment
“Calling the Twelve to Him, He began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits” (Mark 6:7 NIV)
Evangelism is typically defined as the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness. Many Christians are uncomfortable with active engagement in evangelism because they do not consider themselves a preacher and are too timid to engage in personal witness. The gift of evangelism is directly from Christ: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers.” (Ephesians 4:11).
You may not be called to pastoral ministry but by your baptism and profession of faith you are called to ministry. It is important to acknowledge we are all uniquely called to spread the Good
News. According to Romans 12:6-8, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
Below are five steps to help discern if evangelism is right for you.
Start with prayer: Prayer is essential to discern God’s will for us. It is essential that we follow His will and not try to have Him follow our will. God demonstrated in Exodus 13:21 that He wants us to follow him. “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light so that they could travel by day or night.”
Talk with your pastor and friends. In addition to prayer, God will speak to us through our friends and our pastor. Talk and pray with them and ask for their assistance in determining what your spiritual gifts are.
The best evangelism doesn’t involve words. St. Francis of Assisi is known to have said, “Speak the gospel wherever you go and use words when necessary.” The best method to extend the reach of the church is by sharing Christ’s love through missions and Christian action; be the hands and feet of Christ to the unchurched.
The Great Commission. One of the greatest blessings we have as Christians is The Great Commission. We have all been called to the priesthood of all believers and to make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:16-20 teaches, “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Be the light of Christ: There is plenty of darkness in the world. As Christians, we should all strive to be the light of Christ and bring His light into the darkness. John 1:5 tells us “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Be the light. Be blessed.
Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the blessing of evangelism. Please give us the courage and discernment to live out the Great Commission.
Meet the Author
Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
We welcome your comments below.
Liked this post?
Read more below or search for more topics...
-
Finding Comfort During Grief
Finding Comfort During Grief “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4 NIV) Grief is inevitable. We grieve our loss – a child, spouse, parent, close friend, or pet. I have grieved many losses in my life – sister, marriage, father, friends, and many pets. It is important to understand that grief is a process and it never ends but does take one through different stages. It is a passage to go through but not a place to linger until the final stage of acceptance. Grief is not a sign of weakness nor a lack of faith and... -
A Man’s Role in the Family and in the Church
A MAN’S ROLE IN THE FAMILY AND IN THE CHURCH A man must model genuine godly masculine behavior to his children so that they will grow up as godly people and seek godly partners for marriage. That was part of the message from Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin at the September Man Up men’s ministry meeting at Greenwell Springs Baptist Church. More than 175 men attended. Interim Senior Pastor Tony Perkins says the men’s ministry program had become less active in recent years. His father, Richard Perkins, had to vacate his position as director of men’s ministries in 2015 due... -
Who Is In Your Foxhole?
Who Is In Your Foxhole? “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24 NIV). A few years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Coach Jeff Kisiah “Coach K” at an Iron Sharpens Iron men’s equipping conference. He spoke about the importance of foxhole friends and the strength of a threefold cord (Ecclesiastes 4:12). This man of God recently went on to Glory, but he left behind a legacy. The basis for the annual, national conference is Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another.” Men...