Evangelism in the Local Church

Evangelism in the Local Church

Pastor Daniel Ho, DUMC, 31/01/2010

Mat 28:18-20  And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  (19)  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  (20)  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

We are in the greatest rescue mission on earth. We long to see the realization of the Lord’s Prayer. We are to draw men, women and children to the faith of God.

What is evangelism?

It is the Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and trusting God the results (Acts 6:42, Eph 6:19, 20)

Act 5:42  And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Eph 6:19-20  and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,  (20)  for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

How do we bear witness?

1.       Witness by our lives and deeds: visual evangelism. Our life must speak clearly the value of a Christian by our deeds.

2.       Witness by our mouth and words too: verbal evangelism. We must make it known and share and declare the Good News of Christ. The apostles declared the grace and mercy of Christ.

3.       Witness by our character: valid evangelism. Our character will validate / confirm the Good News of Jesus Christ. It is sad when people see a Christian say one thing and do another. It grieves the heart of God when inconsistency in our lives invalidates the Good News.

There are three important things we need to do. We don’t just leave it to God.

1.       Always ask or extend an invitation to trust in Jesus. People more ready than we think.

2.       Keep on praying as we do so. It is not just our efforts.

3.       Then take it on from there. Don’t go into rejection mode and stop sharing. We must all have crocodile skin or elephant hide. Don’t let rejections affect us. Don’t get into depression.

a.       We may be afraid of rejection.

b.      We may be afraid not being able to answer questions.

c.       We may be afraid to be seen as foolish or losing a friendship.

d.      We may try to rationalize that there is still time.

Why do we evangelize?

1.       It is the lifeblood of the church.

a.       It is the life of the church. It pulsates in the church. If evangelism doesn’t take place something is seriously wrong in the church. Everything the church must have an evangelism focus. We are not here to entertain and to please people. We have the best message in the world. If coming to Christ is the best thing that happened in our life, how can we not share it? It’s criminal not to share it. DT, a Sri Langkan preacher described evangelism as a beggar telling another how to find bread, the Bread of Life. We are a bad friend or not even a friend if we don’t share the best thing that happened in our lives.

b.      It determines the health of the church.

2.       It is also the life-line of the church. (Mt 28:19)

a.       It determines the future of the church.

b.      If the church doesn’t evangelize it will soon fossilate. People go to the museum to reminisce the past, not to look to the future.

Jesus’s comment about the harvest field:

1.       He says it is plentiful

Mat 9:37  Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;

2.       He says it is ripe

Joh 4:35  Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

If one person were to win one soul one year, it takes 24 years to win the whole 28 million population of Malaysia. It takes less than 33 years to win 6 billion.

God looks into the sincerity of our hearts. Just do it and let God take charge.

How do we respond?

1.       Pray and seek God’s power and passion (Act 1:8, 8:4)

Act 1:8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Act 8:4  Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

No laws or regime can stop the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Everyone on earth has the right to hear the Good News because everyone will one day face Jesus Christ. If we don’t tell them about it, we will be hold accountable and responsible.

2.       Be proactive and seize every opportunity.

Col 4:5-6 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.  (6)  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Do not miss the privilege to lead someone to God. We rejoice when we see someone move and become powerfully used by God. Do not see it as a threat.

3.       By God’s grace and in prayer, I hope to lead 5 people to the Lord in 2010. (2 Pet 3:9)

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

4.       Now go and just do it because of the harvest (which is plentiful and ripe) and the urgency.