Archive for the 'Evangelism' Category

C. S. Lewis’ Evangelistic Style

Published at May 2, 2008 in Evangelism and Quotes. 0 Comments

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Earl Palmer shares about the following exchange by letter between C. S. Lewis and a non-believer in his article, Evangelism Takes Time.
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A man who liked C. S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters went on to read Mere Christianity and was infuriated. He wrote the author a scathing letter. Lewis’s response, in longhand, shows a master evangelist at work:

Yes, I’m not surprised that a man who agreed with me in Screwtape … might disagree with me when I wrote about religion. We can hardly discuss the whole matter by post, can we? I’ll only make one shot. When people object, as you do, that if Jesus was God as well as man, then he had an unfair advantage which deprives him for them of all value, it seems to me as if a man struggling in the water should refuse a rope thrown to him by another who had one foot on the bank, saying, “Oh, but you have an unfair advantage.” It is because of that advantage that he can help. But all good wishes. We must just differ; in charity I hope. You must not be angry with me for believing, you know; I’m not angry with you.

What impresses me about that exchange is the light touch. Lewis acknowledges the man’s complaint; he gives him one thing to think about—and he stops. He steps back as if to say, “Your move,” which opens the way for the man to write again. Evangelism, like sanctification, takes time. Therefore, we must take the time it takes.
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What do you think? Do we sometimes rush evangelism? Should we take a more patient approach?

The Gospel and the Jewish People

Published at April 2, 2008 in Gospel and Evangelism. 0 Comments

The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) released the following statement on The Gospel and the Jewish People on March 28, 2008 (see below). The statement is being distributed in a variety of Christian and secular publications, including Christianity Today and the New York Times. Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, the CEO & International Director of WEA, comments,

Increasingly, Jewish Evangelism is being marginalized and even dismissed as irrelevant, inappropriate, unethical or deceptive by some segments of the church. This statement is an attempt to speak to the evangelical community about the biblical basis for sharing their faith with all people, including Jews. It is our hope that it will be received in the spirit it is intended by the non-evangelicals who see it. Namely, that it is a statement of friendship and profound respect for the Jewish people, a commitment to stand with the Jewish people who have suffered mistreatment simply for being Jewish. And that part of our friendship and care and respect is shown is our commitment to share the love of God in Christ whom we believe is their Savior as well as ours.

Here is the wording of the actual statement:
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The Gospel and the Jewish People - An Evangelical Statement
March 28, 2008

As evangelical Christians, we want to express our genuine friendship and love for the Jewish people. We sadly acknowledge that church history has been marred with anti-Semitic words and deeds; and that at times when the Jewish people were in great peril, the church did far less than it should have.

  • We pledge our commitment to be loving friends and to stand against such injustice in our generation. At the same time, we want to be transparent in affirming that we believe the most loving and Scriptural expression of our friendship toward Jewish people, and to anyone we call friend, is to forthrightly share the love of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
  • We believe that it is only through Jesus that all people can receive eternal life. If Jesus is not the Messiah of the Jewish people, He cannot be the Savior of the World (Acts 4:12).
  • We recognize that it is good and right for those with specialized knowledge, history and skills to use these gifts to introduce individuals to the Messiah, and that includes those ministries specifically directed to the Jewish people (1 Corinthians 9:20-22).
  • We deplore the use of deception or coercion in evangelism; however, we reject the notion that it is deceptive for followers of Jesus Christ who were born Jewish to continue to identify as Jews (Romans 11:1).

We want to make it clear that, as evangelical Christians, we do not wish to offend our Jewish friends by the above statements; but we are compelled by our faith and commitment to the Scriptures to stand by these principles. It is out of our profound respect for Jewish people that we seek to share the good news of Jesus Christ with them, and encourage others to do the same, for we believe that salvation is only found in Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the World.
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The statement has been affirmed by a wide variety of Christian leaders including the following:

  • Rev. Dr. Lon Allison—Director, Billy Graham Center
  • Dr. Mark Bailey—President, Dallas Theological Seminary
  • Joel Belz—Founder, World Magazine
  • Doug Birdsall—Executive Chair, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization
  • Dr. D. A. Carson—Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
  • Chuck Colson—Founder, Prison Fellowship
  • Mark Greene—Executive Director, London Institute of Contemporary Christianity
  • Stan Guthrie—Managing Editor, Special Projects, Christianity Today
  • Dr. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.—President Emeritus, Professor of Old Testament, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
  • Dr. Haddon Robinson—President, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary
  • Dr. Geoff Tunnecliffe—International Director, World Evangelical Alliance

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has condemned the statement as “offensive and insulting to the Jewish people,” while the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) maintains that it is “a statement of friendship and profound respect for the Jewish people.” I agree with the WEA. What do you think?

Gospel Presentations in 25 Different Languages

Published at January 11, 2008 in Gospel, Evangelism and Missions. 0 Comments

Grace Community Church recently put free Gospel presentations in 25 different languages on their website.

Grace Community Church has several different approaches for the kind of cross-language evangelism that Los Angeles requires. We have evangelistic Bible studies taught in nine different languages. We have teach ESL (English as a second language) classes that serve as a connection for people in our community. The idea is that they join our ESL class, and then get connected to the appropriate Bible study.

We also offer Gospel presentations on CD in the 40 most common languages in our area. We give these away Sunday mornings from a table at our church. We have found they are popular and helpful, as people take them to give to neighbors and co-workers that don’t speak the same language.

We have recently put those gospel presentations on-line, for free. So, if you know someone who is more comfortable in another language, and you are looking for a way to present them the Gospel, see if their language is on our site. You can make your own CD for them, or you can email them the link. (Source: Pulpit Magazine)

This sounds like a great resource. A big thanks to the good people at Grace Church for making these available online.

Doing Things in Public Together as a Church

Published at January 9, 2008 in Evangelism and Church. 5 Comments

I have been thinking recently about how we can do a better job of reaching out to the community. So I found the following post by Brian Thornton on doing things in public together as a church interesting. Here are some excerpts:

I have heard it said that we (as believers) gather together on Sundays to get equipped/energized so that we can then go out into the world to be a witness for Christ. And I agree with that. But, so often, once we depart from being together with our brothers and sisters within the confines of the four walls of the church building, we become soloists … In other words, the world doesn’t really see the church together, in public, interacting with one another …

The Lord Jesus Christ said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”, but how will all people know this if the only place you express love for your brothers and sisters is inside the walls of your church?

I fear that the visible church is only visible on Sundays and Wednesdays, and even then it is not the church which is visible, but rather just the gathering of cars in a parking lot!

Brian goes on to suggest that the church do more things in public together as a church body.

I am not saying every single thing we do should be done within the view of the world, but perhaps we could give the world a taste of our love for one another if we conduct at least some of our activities out in a public setting.

If your Sunday School class has regular get-togethers, schedule some of them at the local Chili’s or Golden Coral. Let the world see you having fun together and enjoying each others’ company.

If you have small Bible study groups which meet during the week at church or in homes, plan to have one or two of them a month at the local Starbuck’s or Atlanta Bread Company. Let the world see you opening the Word of God together and praying for one another.

If you have annual church-wide gatherings, schedule at least one of them a year in public. Have a church picnic at a public park or facility that can hold a larger group of people. Let the world see that your church loves being together.

They will know we are Christians by our love, but only if they actually see us together, loving one another in the world. They will not know anything about that love if we continue to stay holed up in the comfort of our buildings and homes.

What do you think? Are there things your church has done to be more visible as the church in the community?

HT: ekklesia

The Power of a Question: “If you died today . . .”

Published at September 6, 2007 in Heaven, Death and Evangelism. 2 Comments

Having been trained in Evangelism Explosion and as a frequent listener to WAFG radio when I lived in South Florida, I found the following paragraphs from the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church press release on Dr. D. James Kennedy’s death very interesting:

Dr. Kennedy was born Nov. 3, 1930, but his Christian life did not begin until 1953. Sleeping late on a Sunday morning, his radio alarm went off and a preacher’s booming voice invaded his slumber. “Suppose you were to die today and stand before God and He were to ask you, ‘What right do you have to enter into My heaven?’—what would you say?”

Dr. Kennedy soon discovered that answer was to trust in Christ alone for eternal life, and shortly after he made that commitment was called into the Gospel ministry. Crediting this radio program for hearing the call to Christianity, he founded WAFG (90.3 FM) in 1974 as an outreach for Christ to the South Florida community.

Anyone who has taken E.E. (Evangelism Explosion) knows the two diagnostic questions that help you transition a conversation into sharing the gospel:

  1. “Have you come to the place in your spiritual life where you know for certain that if you were to die today you would go to heaven, or is that something you would say you’re still working on?”
  2. “Suppose you were to die today and stand before God and He were to say to you, ‘Why should I let you into My heaven?’ what would you say?”

I have personally seen the power of asking these questions to many people over the years. What I didn’t know is that God used a variation of these questions to bring Dr. Kennedy to faith! I also did not know that God used the medium of radio to bring this question to bear on Dr. Kennedy’s life, and that this was part of what inspired him to launch WAFG so many years later. What a wonderful testimony to God’s grace and how he works in our lives to advance his kingdom!

Related posts:

Dr. D. James Kennedy Retires

Published at August 27, 2007 in Evangelism and Current Events. 3 Comments

Dr. D. James Kennedy has retired as senior pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Dr. Kennedy, 76, preached his last sermon from the pulpit of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church on Christmas Eve 2006. He suffered a cardiac arrest four days later and has since been unable to return to the pulpit. A tribute worship service honoring the extensive ministry of Dr. Kennedy will be held in the main sanctuary of the church at 11:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Sept. 23.

I took Evangelism Explosion training at Coral Ridge back when I lived in South Florida. Dr. Kennedy taught some of the sessions, and I was impressed to learn that he still went out on visitation every week with the evangelism teams from his church.

Update: Rick Phillips shares a nice tribute to Dr. Kennedy over at Reformation 21.

Related posts:

Back to School Tips on Sharing Your Faith

Published at August 22, 2007 in Teens and Evangelism. 0 Comments

Jane Dratz offers some great tips for teens on sharing your faith as you go back to school for the fall.

Most students view the start of the new school year as an opportunity for new beginnings - a time for signing on with new school clubs and organizations. So step up and invite your unchurched friends to join you for youth group where they can make new friends, have some fun and explore spiritual truths about God.

Dratz gives the following suggestions to help you get the conversation going:

  • Talk about schedules and plans for the new school year. Ask your friends how they decide what’s important . . . This may open the door for you to talk about how your spiritual beliefs impact how you choose to spend your time. Let them know Jesus is important to you and why!
  • Ask your friends what they think of church. Listen. Then share your experience. Invite them to join you for youth group at least once, just to check it out first-hand.
  • Once you know what they think of church, ask them what they think about God. Do they believe in God? Why or why not? Share what you believe.

Your school years can be fruitful years for Christian witness when you commit yourself to sharing about Christ with others. Read Dratz’ full article for some more great suggestions.

Billy Graham Museum Opens in Charlotte, NC

Published at June 2, 2007 in Evangelism and Current Events. 18 Comments

Related story: The Day I Met Billy Graham
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Contact and address information for the Billy Graham Library (Museum):
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
1 Billy Graham Parkway
Charlotte, NC 28201
Phone: (704) 401-3200

The Billy Graham Museum in Charlotte, NC is set to open this Tuesday, June 5. The official dedication was held Thursday.

Hundreds of friends, family members, ministers and politicians had gathered to dedicate a library celebrating the ministry of Mr. Graham, whose vast popularity lent him the title “America’s pastor.”

Standing on a platform before the Billy Graham Library, former President George Bush delivered the keynote address, his voice cracking into a sob as he said Mr. Graham was “the man, the preacher, the humble farmer’s son who changed the world.” Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton also spoke of how Mr. Graham had transformed their lives.

Infirm and rarely appearing in public now, Mr. Graham approached the dais using a walker and noted the sense of completion and twilight that marked the speeches before his.

“I feel like I’ve been attending my own funeral, listening to all these speeches,” he said to the crowd’s nervous laughter. “I’ve been here at the library once, and my one comment when I toured it was that it is too much Billy Graham. My whole life has been to please the Lord and honor Jesus, not to see me and think of me.”

The museum, also known as The Billy Graham Library, will hold various memorabilia from Graham’s life including childhood photos, his college yearbook, personal papers, and his wife’s engagment ring. There will also be footage of Graham’s evangelistic crusades from around the world.

Billy Graham is a wonderful man of great character and integrity, and I am glad they have put together this library to honor his work for Christ. Does anybody have any favorite Billy Graham stories they would like to share? I have one, but I think I will save it for a separate post next week. (Update: Here it is! The Day I Met Billy Graham)

Reading the Bible with Non-Christian Friends (2)

Published at May 10, 2007 in Evangelism and Bible. 2 Comments

A couple weeks ago I posted on Reading the Bible with Non-Christian Friends. Mr. Dawn Treader shares about doing exactly that over at his blog. See his post on Opening the Bible with an Unbeliever here.

Reading the Bible with Non-Christian Friends

Published at April 25, 2007 in Evangelism, Women and Bible. 4 Comments

Here is a great article on a simple idea: getting together to read the Bible with your non-Christian friends. In her article Back to the Bible, author Laura T. De Gomez shares how she got started:

I’d heard through the grapevine that two coworkers . . . had expressed some interest in spiritual things. So I dropped by their office one day and said, “Hi! I’ve been meaning to ask you both: Would you be interested in reading the Bible with me?” They looked at each other, then back at me, and said yes.

I was surprised by their enthusiasm. When I didn’t get back to them as soon as they expected, they called me to find out when we could start!

From the beginning, they loved it. Their initial nervousness evolved into excitement as they discovered the Bible is relevant to everyday life. By the second or third week, they were captivated by Jesus. Within about eight weeks, they had a clear understanding of salvation by faith. That was eight years ago. Both continue to walk with Jesus today and remain my friends. And it all started with a simple invitation to read the Bible together.

De Gomez goes on to share some of the main lessons she has learned about reading the Bible with her nonbelieving friends:

Continue reading ‘Reading the Bible with Non-Christian Friends’

7 Nights of Worship - Pembroke Pines

Published at April 19, 2007 in Evangelism and Church. 2 Comments

The Church of Pembroke Pines in Florida has begun holding worship services seven nights a week in addition to their regular Sunday morning worship services. They are asking 600 of their members to commit to one of the night services on a weekly basis for the next year. This is partly to help with overcrowding on Sunday mornings, but also to reach out to the community in a new way.

They call the new plan 7 Nights of Worship at 7 PM. Each night of the week has a different host pastor and a particular style or focus. For example, Sunday nights have a focus on worship, Monday nights focus on young adults and young married couples, etc. However, the same message is shared at each service for the week (either live or by video).

Here is a blurb from their website:

Have you ever needed to pray or worship during the week? Have you ever wished there was a place to go where you could release your burdens and focus on something bigger than your problems? The gyms, bars, and retail stores are open every day. Why not the church? Why not our church?

I lived in South Florida for ten years just north of Pembroke Pines, so I know this area well. Although my theology of the local church and preferred style leans more towards the whole body worshiping together, this seems like a bold and creative step for the church, and I pray God uses it in a mighty way to reach more people with the gospel.

HT: Monday Morning Insight