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Throughout church history but more prominent in the last few years there have been discussions about whether there’s such a thing as the “Gift of Evangelism”. What propels this discussion is when some people explain why they don’t evangelize as, “I just don’t have the gift of evangelism”. Some have even proposed that there is no such gift.
I’ve made several observations.
One, I don’t think there’s any way you can prove dogmatically from scripture that evangelism is actually a spiritual gift. However, the Bible does make it clear that God has given people to the church as evangelists (Ephesians 4:11). Therefore, whether it is a spiritual gift or a gifted person, it doesn’t change the fact that God has given people to the Church as evangelists and He equips them accordingly. Thus, it almost becomes a mute issue. Whether it is a gift or simply a person, there are people who are given to the church as evangelists.
Two, the first thing Christ ever taught his disciples was evangelism (Matthew 4:19). Therefore, if a person is going to follow Christ as His disciple they must in some way be involved in evangelism, regardless of whether they have gift of evangelism or if the gift exists.
Three, Timothy was a gifted pastor – teacher. Few people doubt that. Yet, Paul in 2 Timothy 4:5 told him to do the work of an evangelist. If there’s any Scripture that tells church leaders they should in some way be involved in evangelism, it’s certainly that one.
Fourth, when you stop and think about it, the only thing you take with you to heaven is a friend. Therefore, if we have our priorities straight, why wouldn’t we want to talk to someone about Christ, regardless of whether the gift exists.
Whether or not the gift exists is one thing. It doesn’t change the fact though that every believer, in obedience to Christ, ought to in some way be involved in evangelism. I’ve personally discovered that if believers knew they could lead someone to Christ they would like to. They’re simply hiding behind the excuse, “I don’t have the gift”, because they don’t know how or they are afraid. Conquering those two problems makes you want to evangelize and not be coerced to evangelize.
Q: I have many opportunities to share Christ when I travel. How do I follow-up with the ones who trust Christ when I probably won’t see them again?
A: This question comes up a lot, and here are some of my suggestions.
First, ask for their contact info so you can send something to encourage them. We suggest sending information to help them grow as a Christian. Then follow up with a call or email of encouragement after they have had time to go through the material. Many have used our…
Second, ask permission to give their name and phone number to a church in their area. Your pastor should be able to help locate one. Then call the pastor or staff member of that church, and ask if they could follow-up.
If that is not possible, explain to the new believer their need of a church home as well as the characteristics of a healthy church. A church should believe that a person receives the gift of eternal life through faith alone and that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God. The members of a healthy church love one another and demonstrate a commitment to introducing non-Christians to Jesus.
Lastly, don’t hold back from sharing the gospel with someone you may never see again. The Lord brought you into their life for such a time as this to bring the gospel to them. Trust Him to bring other believers along to help them grow and, above all, remember to pray for them.
A recent study by George Barna determined that 60% of young adults who showed signs of “strong spiritual activity” as teens disengaged from “active participation in the Christian faith” in their adult years. What accounts for the drop off?
The term “spiritual activity” may reveal a source of the problem. Christianity is supposed to be about a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, but has come to mean (in some circles) a set of behaviors or “activities” that mark a Christian, including going to church. Yes, it is true that one would expect some sort of “spiritual activity” as a result of a relationship with Christ, but “spiritual activity” in and of itself does not guarantee that a relationship exists. Billy Sunday said it best, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.”
Therefore, if a teen attends church because their parents make them go, yet does not have a relationship with Christ, what makes us think that they will attend church as an adult when they are out from under their parent’s authority? Years ago, a popular reason for going to church was because it was the socially acceptable (and expected) thing to do. This is no longer the case today. Therefore, it is not surprising that the “retention rate” has dropped. For many communities, it is no longer the “expected” thing to do.
What is the answer? First of all, churches need to make it a priority to continually communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ to their children and youth to give them the proper foundation. A relationship with Christ does not just “happen” because a youth is present at church. If the gospel is indeed, “the power of God unto salvation”, then it is the only way possible for anyone to have a real relationship with Christ. It is dangerous to assume, as one camp pastor I met said, that the youth of your church “know the gospel already.”
Secondly, churches should make it a priority to truly disciple their youth, not just entertain or babysit them. This involves not just teaching them about how to grow in their faith, but to demonstrate it. I am very thankful that the men who served in my youth department not only taught the truth, they lived it out. I also knew that many of them were praying for me, both when they were with me as well as during their own personal quiet times. That type of faith is contagious and helps to prepare the next generation to walk with the Lord for the rest of their lives.
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In talking to someone recently, I told them of how I think there are more people with gifts in evangelism in the local church than often recognize the presence of the gift. I think there are two unfortunate reasons for that. The first is a thought that unfortunately is accepted as truth when the fact is it’s not. That thought is, “If you have the gift of evangelism then you’re never afraid to evangelize”. That is simply not true. I’ve never met a person with the gift of evangelism that does not at the same time have times when he or she is afraid to talk to others about Christ. As I tell people, the presence of an evangelistic gift could also mean the presence of fear. People with evangelistic gifts are as afraid as anyone else is. Once, a pastor and I were having lunch with a woman who said to me, “There are times I think I have the gift of evangelism but there are times I’m afraid it is obvious I don’t”. That gave me the opportunity to tell her that if there were times she’s afraid it might mean she has the gift of evangelism, because fear is one thing that often characterizes the gift. So, if you are afraid to evangelize, that doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have the gift of evangelism.
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A recent article published in Christiantiy Today caught our attention. It states, “The mainline American churches up until the middle of the last century held in healthy missional balance social action and evangelism. But slowly the evangelistic mandate got squeezed out. A myopic concern for the social undermined the church’s spiritual mission. This has led to spiritual decline, from shrinking membership to a loss of spiritual vitality to faddish theology.”*
That’s the reason behind Dr. Moyer’s featured article in Sermon Central this week – Four Reasons Not to Give an Altar Call. While targeted to preachers, this article contains some great truths for anyone about asking someone to trust in Jesus Christ. He’s written several articles in the last year for Sermon Central and this one has already generated a lot of response.
If you’re interested in this topic and others like it, check out his other articles:
*The Greatest Social Need,” Christianity Today op/ed, January 2009
Pluralism is doing quite well while Christianity seems to be feeling a little ill.
A couple of weeks ago I touched on the spread of mainstream populist tolerance for Islamic law and the potential effects on Christianity in the public forum. Evidence of the complete breakdown of orthodox Christian doctrine in American life is, of course, everywhere. However, it is interesting to note that even within the ranks of those who would state that they believe Jesus’ claim to be The Way, The Truth, and The Life, many also believe that Christ does not have a monopoly on the concept.
In a recent survey of 35,000 adults, a full 57% of “evangelical church attenders” believe that the teaching of other religions can also lead to eternal life. It’s important to avoid a clever play on words—implying that yes, although everyone has eternal life we won’t all be enjoying it—because I don’t think that’s what they had in mind.
The following percentages may not be as surprising, but are nevertheless of concern:
“Nearly across the board, the majority of religious Americans believe many religions can lead to eternal life: mainline Protestants (83 percent), members of historic black Protestant churches (59 percent), Roman Catholics (79 percent), Jews (82 percent) and Muslims (56 percent).”
It is interesting to note that the smallest percentage belongs to the Muslim group—once again; the commitment to their religion should make us look inward.
Furthermore, and perhaps even more interesting,“Another finding almost defies explanation: 21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with 8 percent “absolutely certain” of it.”
WOW—isn’t that telling? So do not give up on those atheist friends of yours—most of their talk is defensiveness and insecurity anyway.
“The survey shows religion in America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only three inches deep,” said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion. “There’s a growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance and that is having theological consequences,” he said.
The consequence, or perhaps the cause, is that Americans jump from one belief to another. There is a lack of commitment to their faith and an avoidance of the deep waters of theology where one can truly grow roots and therefore grow strong in their convictions. Without convictions, no one stands on principals—when it comes to anything. Therefore, they are easily swayed—the first clever orator to come along captures their attention, and soon their lives.
Denver Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput offered a quote which I believe applies to all in the Christian faith:
“Being Catholic means believing what the Catholic church teaches. It is a communion of faith, not simply of ancestry and family tradition. It also means that the church ought to work harder at evangelizing its own members.”
We should all work harder at evangelizing our own members—an often overlooked field ready for the harvest and sometimes desperate to be fed the truth—as painful and exclusionary as it may be. That Jesus is The Way, The Truth and The Life and NO ONE can go to the Father except through the Son.
-AJ Rinaldi
