Podcast Episode #347
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We have discussed evangelism a lot over the past few weeks and even launched a new site focused on it at EvangelismRenewal.com. Today we discuss six statements that can kill evangelism in your church.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- Evangelism is often the least natural ministry in many churches.
- If there is not explicit intentionality about evangelism, it will wane in a church.
- Evangelism is not the sole responsibility of the pastor and church staff.
- If we depend on a single evangelistic event, we abdicate our daily evangelistic responsibility.
- Don’t think of evangelism as a once-a-year church event.
- We should be highly intentional and prayerful about connecting with unbelievers.
- The most effective evangelistic churches have two main characteristics: obedience and prayer.
The six statements that kill evangelism are:
- “That’s what we pay our pastor to do.”
- “Our church members are just not evangelistic.”
- “Our denomination does not help us.”
- “We emphasize evangelism once a year in our church.”
- “I don’t know anyone well who is not a Christian.”
- “We don’t have the resources.”
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I know this isn’t related to the article, but would y’all do something on the avg. % that churches contribute to the pastor’s retirement? Or can you direct me to a source?
evangelism begins with prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in witnessing, open doors of opportunity, and a clear understanding of the bad news of sin and wrath and the good news of love, grace, mercy and faith.
In my denomination the church pays into our pension fund the equivalent of the current rate that independently employed people pay into social security (15.7% of the pastor’s salary and housing allowance).
Another one, though unsaid, is “I’m not happy as a Christian.” Those who only see a rules-based, legalistic form of the faith don’t evangelize. I have been there. I was envious of some in other denominations and other faiths who had fewer and lighter rules, got to hear relevant sermons, and got forgiveness.
When our members understand the gospel they will share it. I’m afraid most churches that evangelize little understand the gospel little. Powerful cross-centered preaching is the first step to rekindling evangelism, while intentionally keeping members accountable for sharing their faith is an important follow-up. I’m also afraid that a revivalistic mentality over the past hundred years in most of our SB churches has trained or people to think that evangelism only happens within the four walls of the church building during the service. We also can’t forget that evangelism is a selfless all-out assault on the enemy, and many, if not most of our members are not ready or willing to go there due to spiritual intimidation. We (pastors) must model it for them and let them watch and listen, then turn them loose by giving them the reigns, sooner rather than later, so they can quickly get over their fears.
Some Christians do not get to hear much gospel on Sunday. Some preachers think it is too simple. Others focus mainly on Paul and the church. Also, when a preacher mentions “(absolute)truth” Christians can’t really use those terms while talking to people outside the faith because they mean nothing. Also, most Christians cannot defend the faith because they don’t know how. Now I have been berated by preachers and fundamentalists who say that the truth does not need defending, but again, most people outside the faith and some inside it say truth is relative or struggle to believe anything is the truth.
Yes, most Christians do not know how to defend their faith. 1st Peter 3:15 is ignored. Lots of anti-intellectualism and/or fideism in the church (including the SBC though not at the seminaries). Not a viable option anymore.
Well said, Wayne.
In my church, most of the time, we are only busy with internal affairs. Mission month in every August only for taking offerings for the missionaries in the fields. I think the discipleship program is needed to prepare people for the evangelization.
Pastors & leaders get caught up in making church happen,
Doing all the things to keep all the programs running.. Equipping the saints to evangelize and disciple is not what pastor / leaders are taught… BE A MISSIONARY
Our slogen is
don’t go to church
be the church…
The statement: “Evangelism is often the least natural ministry in many churches” captured my attention. Maybe the reason for this is because evangelism has to be a SUPERNATURAL ministry. In the book of Acts the Apostles emphasized the work of the Holy Spirit and prayer and Acts 2:47 says, “and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Maybe if we started focusing on God, praying and seeking His presence, maybe He would fill us to overflowing with the Spirit of Christ and from the overflow Jesus would add to His Body those being saved.
It seems to me that in too many instances we have replaced the Spirit of Christ with guilt trips and formulas, and Jesus told us very clearly in John 15 that without Him we can do nothing.
Among the barriers to evangelism that I have so far identified in the church where I preach is that the members of the congregation have a lot of misperceptions about what evangelism entail. They do not know many unchurched people. As they have grown older, their social networks have shrunk. Living in a rural area, they have relatively small social networks. One writer describes what he calls the “ten and done” limit on the number of relationships that people in rural areas will form in and outside their extended family. Relationships tend to be divided between extended family and church. They often have very few open slots for new relationships.
One way that I have concluded that they might be helped to become more evangelistic is through shared evangelistic activities that they can do as a small congregation. What kind of activities, however, is challenge to the imagination. Here is where you and Jonathan and the readers of this blog can help with your ideas – things that you all may have done, what worked, what did not.
Robin –
Great idea. For starters, check out the blog post yesterday (July 20) that Jonathan wrote. Lots of great insights there.
I wonder if the biggest hindrance to evangelising for many of us is that we are ashamed of our churches. You can have as many theological discussions with a non-Christian as you like, but at the end of the day you would love to be able to say to them, ‘Come to my church. Come and see what Christianity is really all about. See it in action. See how Christians love one another. See how we live. See how we glorify God.’ But many of us are ashamed of what people would find if they came to our churches.
Evangelism needs to be a team effort (one to plant, one to water, one to reap the harvest etc.). Maybe we are often unwilling to take a desirable evangelistic step because we know that others will not play their part. We want to water the seed but we worry that there isn’t yet a healthy environment in which to nurture that delicate seedling. We feel we will only be encouraging that seed to grow in order for it to die as soon as it is exposed to the harsh conditions it will meet with. It feels like it would be better not to water the seed just yet, but leave it lying dormant in the ground for a while longer, waiting until the drought or the frost has passed and more favourable conditions have arrived which are conducive to growth.
I could work hard to persuade a friend to go to church, but will what he sees, will what he hears, be worthwhile, or will it put him off of ever setting foot in a church ever again? Often we either know exactly what people will see and hear if they come to our churches – and we do not want to expose them to such a poor display of Christianity – or we have absolutely no idea what might happen and are ashamed and fearful for what might take place. It’s good when you have a preacher who can be trusted, and a congregation who love one another and are genuinely welcoming of visitors (not just in the sense of taking a polite but superficial interest) but people who are actually keen to befriend the newcomer and will take pains to do so.
Usually there are members of a congregation who are very anxious for the souls of their friends, who do have an evangelistic mindset, who do witness as they are able, but often they only feel able to go so far by themselves. As individuals they can only present so much of the picture. What they really want is for their non-Christian friends to witness a Christian community for themselves, to see real-life examples of real Christianity and to be able to distinguish it from the caricatured Christianity presented in the media, or the nominal or liberal Christianity proclaimed by pop-stars and politicians. They want people to see the genuine Christians worshiping God, having fellowship with one another, caring for one another, reaching out to the lost, helping the needy, people who have given their whole lives to Christ and are seeking to glorify Him. And often it feels like the church is the last place that they are actually going to witness any of these things.
Over the last 60 years or so, I have witnessed a move away from bible based expository preaching to topic based preaching and gospel centered preaching. This together with the music that is being sung does not equip or focus the mind towards evangelizing. Evangelizing must begin with the members.. Do they understand salvation. They must be challenged from the pulpit and with the music, for them to be equipped to reach out.
I felt the most important thing Jesus said about evangelism …
“YOU SHALL BE MY WITNESS …”
The records of Acts are full of evangelistic activities, because everyone who make the decision to follow Jesus knew exactly their place, position, identity and calling in Christ.
They knew they themselves are called to be witness.
Notice something interesting happening in (Acts 8:14)
“When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.”
These church people were not waiting for the apostles to come preach the Gospel to get people saved! Everywhere they go they preach and witness!
I felt we really need to educate and put back that identity into today’s church people ..
Jesus said “You shall be my witness …”
It nice to have tools, programs and assistance for evangelism. But our most basic evangelism tool is we ourselves.
I see mega-church wasting monies and resources on “big-crusade” and “one-time-events”, the congregation starts to falls into a culture and mentality of waiting for the leaders to preach, do evangelism and win souls. End of the day the events company are making more monies then the church winning souls!
I believe the success of evangelism recorded in Acts is in training and equipping. I believe Paul spent more time tanning and equipping the congregation to be faithful witness for Jesus, more then he himself preaching!
(Acts 11:25-26)
Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
We are called to be witness.
I felt churches need to rethink how to budget and support effective sustainable evangelism in church.
Instead of going for event-base, key speaker and preacher base kind of outreach, we can easily mobilize the people “to be witness”
people bring people to church
the individual can introduce the kingdom of God to non-believers
We Christians will come up with any excuse to justify our disobedience!
Consider the following:
1) We have no love whatsoever for those outside of Christ. Let unbelievers die in their sins and burn in hell forever, as long as, ”we are comfortable.” ”Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men . . . ” 2 Corinthians 5:11
2) There are those amongst our ranks though they profess Christ, are not truly born again. For how can a man be forgiven his sins and have the Holy Spirit of God come to live in him and have within himself the hope of heaven stay silent?
Look at what those early Christians had to say to those who were persecuting them: ”But Peter and John replied to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you and obey you rather than God, you must decide (judge). But we [ourselves] cannot help telling what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:19-20
We all (myself included) need to get over ourselves and get a fresh vision of God’s command to make disciples of all nations and get on with it!