Heyo, friends! Welcome back to the blog. Today I want to talk more about a topic the Lord has been placing on my heart lately… evangelism.
I’ve found the Lord pointing out to me not long ago what an advantageous position I am in as a student at a public institution for school. I clearly got the message when I happened to pick up a book on evangelism*, attend a church conference about the Great Commission, and hear a sermon about sharing the gospel all in one week.
I was like, Okay, God, I get it. I need to share the gospel. But there’s so many people. And so little time. And so much fear. Where should I start?
As I puzzled through this, I found the answer to that question to be quite simple. Anywhere. Everywhere I look, there is someone in need of the gospel. Of course, the Lord places people in our paths all the time that He nudges us to share the gospel with, but the best way to start is honestly with anyone. Because if you don’t start with anyone, you start with no one. And starting with no one would clearly be ineffective.
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?”
Romans 10:14-15a (ESV)
This verse has always been convicting and encouraging to me when thinking about evangelism. In today’s society, it is easy to shy away from speaking the truth to avoid hurting someone’s feelings or offending them. The “coexist” narrative is a strong influence, even stronger, in my opinion, than anti-Christian narratives. Most people in the United States are okay with Christians, as long as Christians don’t interfere with whatever they’re doing.
But the gospel is inherently something that shakes up a person. It brings us not from being a bad person to being a good person, but from being dead to being alive. It is a transformation that is not for the faint of heart. Following Jesus is an exclusive, no-turning-back kind of lifestyle, the kind our culture frowns upon.
The point of my saying this is to remind you that when you share the gospel with a non-believer, you will always contradict what that person believes. So, in other words, get used to it. Sharing the gospel means going against the grain, swimming against the tide. And this sort of behavior isn’t always displayed through speaking. Often, it is reflected in our choices, in whether we choose to be compassionate and patient and grateful when the people around us choose to be catty or impatient or full of complaints.
I want to single out my peers, fellow high school students, for a second. Looking back at my years in elementary school, I see now that so many of my friends and peers needed the hope we hold. Now, returning to a public school environment, I see that even more so. You are in a unique position that no adult can hold and that, once you graduate high school, you will never hold again.
This is your time to speak up.
Our generation has never been more open to speaking about spiritual stuff. If you don’t believe me, you can look it up… the statistics don’t lie. Over the years I’ve had to extract myself from the dangerous lie that we can just love people and they’ll come to know Jesus. While, yes, our love can point people to Christ, that in no way negates the importance of speaking the truth in tandem to our compassion. Otherwise, they might think the good they see in us is from within ourselves, which is clearly not true.
So, all of this said, be bold. Be bold with the strength of Christ, remembering that it is HIS strength running through your veins and that your weaknesses can be used by Him. Remember He has placed you where you are and how you are so you can help execute why you are here on this earth… to exalt and magnify His name.
“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch our your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Acts 4:29-30 (ESV)
Now, note that I’m writing this to encourage myself as well. I have in no way ‘made it’… nobody ever can, fully. I fail every day, glossing over my faith, passing up opportunities to love, and keeping silent when I should speak. But together we can grow, step by step. That one kind word. That one offer to pray. That one conversation. Think about it… such things could plant seeds that one day lead to changing someone’s eternity. Their eternity!
All of this said, I praise God for how I see Him at work in my fellow peers and the next generation of Christians already. I know there is hope so long as He keeps working in us, spurring us on as we encourage one another. Take heart, my friends! After all, it is never truly us doing the work, but rather, the Lord through us.
As I was reading through an old journal the other night, I read an entry/prayer that stuck with me and I want to share with you. This is following my description of an encounter with a friend who used to attend my church small group and has now walked away from the Lord:
(11/27/20) “Though this pains my heart, it also opens up my perspective even more beyond myself. This world needs You. All the characters I write about include one similarity: change. A flick of a switch. That’s what it’s like. One moment someone pushes you away and the next they’re nearly unrecognizable. One moment I hesitate and the next I’m invisible to them.
They need help.
I feel corny in saying this, but maybe these small glimpses – these small blinks of vision – are Your way of telling me that my circle is wider than I think. These are the lost – the lepers hungry for healing and the drowning thirsty for a drink. One moment can change a life forever, whether it be through a scar or a smile.
God, my deepest plea is that more of these lost children could be reawakened or awakened for the first time with even the tiniest moment of encounter with You. That if it be Your will I would lead others to You in increasing measure. Just like that first nail driven through your veins or first thorn pricking your scalp changed countless lives, one choice can have more repurcussions than I ever realize.
God, help me to choose right. I want to aid someone in a deeper way with Your intervention, bringing them limping to their light switch so that You can do the impossible task of turning it on. A flick of a switch. One choice.
Lord, bring me discernment to know what to do when questions and choices arise. You are sovereign. You are good. Thank You for being the light of my life and I pray that I could honor You more with each passing day.
These are all things to think about – as far as how to put them into action. You’ll lead me. I’m confident. What a gracious blessing, this confidence.
Thank You for making me small enough that Your hands are big enough to hold it all. As You’re not just already fighting my battles… You’ve won.”
*If anyone wants to read this book, it is “Will Our Generation Speak?” by Grace Mally (2012)
Graceful Authenticity 