Evangelism in Action

Acts 8:1,4 NAS - " . . . And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem,a nd they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Therefore. Those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.”

        Previously I shared that while it would appear that Christianity is in decline in the United States, it is flourishing elsewhere in the world. What does this mean for us? It means one of the greatest mission fields in the world is right in our backyard. It means Christians in America have much Gospel work to do. We need to march forth with boldness and confidence declaring the Gospel of Christ and admonishing all men to forsake their sins and embrace the King. 

I often receive some great questions in response to my teaching. After reading my previous post one of you asked, “But how do we (our congregation, our church) do more in our local mission field?” As we can see in the Acts 8 passage (above), the work of evangelism is primarily the duty of the laity, the person in the pew. It was the lay people who went about sharing the Gospel. We must not see evangelism  as confined to the pastors or to the church, in the sense that evangelism is only done as a group activity. I often say, evangelism isn't an event, it is a lifestyle. There are several things to consider in answer to the question.

1. As individuals we must continue living with Christ as the focus of everything. This will result in us speaking about Him to others—we tend to talk about those things that we are most passionate about. With Christ as our focus we will be sharing the Gospel, inviting the lost to our church services, etc.

2. The church should provide the “tools” for evangelism. This includes solid teaching to provide a good foundation for the work of evangelism. The church should equip the membership with other tools. For example, our church prints thousands of tracts for the use of our members in their evangelistic efforts. We also provide congregational outreach opportunities such as tract distribution in large gatherings in our community.

3. The church also stands ready to assist members who become engaged in particular Gospel opportunities. It may be providing literature, Bibles, or other support to encourage them in their labors. They might find an open door into a nursing home, a local school, a prison,  or a Bible study in their home or at work. There are endless opportunities and the church stands ready to assist our members and provide whatever resources they might need. 

4. We must keep evangelism as a priority, and we must not forget the importance of prayer. The Gospel goes forth as God’s people pray for its success (2 Thes. 3:1).

The Church Triumphant

"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18 ESV). 

 

      In my last post I spoke of the troubling statistic that for the first time in the history of our nation the majority of Americans do not profess Christianity. The past 20 years have seen a 20% decline in church attendance. The declining interest in Christianity has resulted in many negative consequences, particularly among our young. World Magazine (Dec. 28, 2019) quotes psychoanalyst Erica Komisar, “As a therapist, I’m often asked to explain why depression and anxiety are so common among children and adolescents. One of the most important explanations—and perhaps the most neglected—is declining interest in religion. This cultural shift already has proved disastrous for millions of vulnerable young people.” 

      This decline of interest in Christianity in our nation is indeed troubling. But not so fast! We must not pretend that the US is the only nation on the earth. Americans are often accused of an arrogant sense of self-importance. While the statistics of a decline in Christianity in the US must not be dismissed, Christianity in other parts of the world is flourishing. Before 1949 there were approximately four million Christians in China. Today there are over 31 million officially recognized, but many believe there are tens of millions more, with a 7% annual increase. In 1900 there were 8.7 million Christians in Africa. In 2010 there were 390 million. Christianity is the fastest growing religion in Iran, increasing at an annual rate of 5.2%. This is in a Islamic nation where Christians are persecuted. In 1950 Christianity in South Korea stood at 3% compared with almost 20% today. 

      What does this mean? It means Christians in America have much Gospel work to do. While we must not neglect the foreign mission field, we must not turn our eyes away from the tremendous mission field here at home. The Great Commission begins in our own backyard. We must also never forget the promise of our Lord regarding His Church, “The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” We must not see the decline of Christianity in one particular region as indicative of the health of our Lord’s kingdom. 

      We also must not misunderstand our Lord’s words. “Gates” were used defensively to protect a city. Hell’s gates are under siege by the church, and they will not prevail. The church marches forth as a mighty unstoppable force bombarding Satan’s kingdom through the power of the Gospel, and its gates are continuing to crumble. We need to march forth with confidence and steadfast courage as we carry the Gospel to the lost of our generation. Pray that God will have mercy upon our land and  bring a great awakening.