Thursday, June 3
by Joanne Warman
There is a word that can strike fear in the heart of many Christians – that word is evangelism. Yikes! Why are we so frightened by this word? I read a reflection on this word the other day by Clarence L. Haynes Jr. and I am going to use some of his thoughts to help in our understanding and hopefully ease some of this fear.
“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” (Matthew 28:19). Referred to as the Great Commission, this is the commandment Jesus gave his disciples – a commandment to share the gospel. While it is true that one of the jobs of a priest is to proclaim the gospel, it is really everybody’s responsibility. On May 23rd we celebrated Pentecost Sunday – the birthday of the church. If that early church in the Book of Acts had relied on only the 12 apostles to spread the gospel it would not have grown.
Too often we think evangelism means bringing people to the gospel when we should be bringing the gospel to the people. Inviting people to church is great but sharing the gospel must happen first. We are not responsible for another’s response to the gospel, that is a job for the Holy Spirit, but we are responsible to share the good news with others.
In I Corinthians 3:6-7 we read: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters are anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” This is what evangelism is – planting and watering. Our community garden is a very tangible example of this. Some of you may have been responsible for planting it while others are responsible for watering but it is God’s design that will cause a harvest.
Evangelism means you don’t just share the gospel and leave, but you invest yourself in the lives of those you are trying to reach. This will include praying for them, loving them, and genuinely caring about their lives and their situation. Doing this and showing real interest in who they are will open the doors to share the gospel.
Evangelism is not meant to be scary; it is ordinary people meeting people where they are and ministering to them.
I learned a poem in grade 8 by Annie Johnson Flint and the first verse sums up just what evangelism is:
Christ has no hands but our hands
To do His work today;
He has no feet but our feet
To lead men in His way;
He has no tongues but our tongues
To tell men how He died;
He has no help but our help
To bring them to His side.
Evangelize – and if necessary, use words.
PRAYER:
All I am, and all I have,
I offer, Lord, to you.
I offer you these hands,
that you might use them
in and through my daily work.
I offer you these feet,
that you might lead them
to someone who needs my help.
I offer you these shoulders
if you should need them
to help lighten another’s load.
I offer you this voice
that you might use it
to speak up for those in need.
All I am, and all I have,
I offer, Lord, to you.
Copyright © John Birch, 2019 ·
