Evangelism - Who, What, Where, When, Why?
September 15, 2021 Sunday Evening Study

My family went to the State Fair this year for the first time in Missouri, though the fair has become a bit of a tradition in our household. There are really three things that we try to do as a family every year - the State fair, the Renaissance Fair, and a camping trip. Last year, unfortunately, we did none of those things, but this year we are 2 for 3, with the Renaissance Fair coming up in a few weeks. 

I mention the State Fair because for the first time ever, I was approached by people wanting to share the gospel with me 4 separate times. 4 times - 4 different places, 4 different denominations. Here I am, wearing a Pink Floyd TShirt, so the guy from the Nazarene church is not expecting me to be able to answer his questions about why the world is the way that it is. I was able to have several good and meaningful conversations with people at the fair who saw me and would never have let it cross their minds that I was a pastor myself. Honestly, I was both impressed and a little taken aback by the assumptions that were made about me, and it made me wonder about my own approach to people - my body language, attitude, and the assumptions I make. These things when mixed with the activity of evangelism speak volumes more than the words used, at least at first.

Evangelism is a tricky thing - and it shouldn’t be. Jesus was very clear about what we are to do - and we got another clear message in that way this morning in John 13 where Jesus says “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done.” In that case He is referring directly to the foot washing He just did, but He is also pointing to His life and ministry - what He had done and what He was going to do. Later He tells us our purpose - to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That is our job - our holy quest.

How do we do it properly? Is there a right way? Proper evangelism will awaken a sense of need within the hearer, and more importantly will show that Christianity is not only true, but the answer to that very need. Both parts are crucial - not only must Christ be seen as the answer, but His words must be seen as true - because the Christian claim of “new birth” is unique to all other religions.

Think of what we are telling people when we evangelize. As followers of Christ, not only do we claim that we ourselves have been supernaturally transformed, but we are placing the responsibility upon ourselves to not only defend the faith we believe but to also live the faith we defend. As 1 Peter 3:15 says “ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer (apologia) to everyone who asks you to give reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” This verse is clear - if we are to be qualified to give an answer to the question of faith, there is the prerequisite that we revere Christ as Lord. We have to know Christ to share Christ - right? Makes sense.

Yet many of us have never been taught how to share our faith. How many here have had the privilege of sharing their faith story with someone other than your own children? Would somebody be willing to share a brief story? According to studies conducted several times over the past 4 decades, less than 10% of Christians have shared their faith with someone that is not their child. How can that be? What does this happen?

In our world, we see a trend in each of these studies that shows that more and more people believe that evangelism is the responsibility of the church rather than the individual. The prevailing attitude is that the church should be having revivals and evangelism teams so that the responsibility is taken off of the church member - because, as many say, not everyone has the gift of evangelism.

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done.” That doesn’t say anything about gifts, does it? So let’s follow what He says - what did Jesus do? The most extensive piece of dialog involving Jesus in the Bible happens in John 4 - we spent 3 weeks on this dialog in our Sunday morning sermons. His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well - it greatly surprised even his own disciples. Recall that the woman raised question after question - as if they were her real everyday problems. It would have been easy for Jesus to call her bluff with some condemning words about her lifestyle, but instead, he worked - almost like a skilled craftsman. With his words he rubbed away the blemishes of sin and pain in her life until even she was amazed at the amount of gold he uncovered and restored in her. He gave her hope - the value of the person was an essential part of Jesus’ gospel message, and it must be for us as well. This requires listening with sensitivity, understanding the questions really being asked, and clearing away our preconceived notions so that they might begin to listen as well.

We are a results-driven society. We love numbers, results, proof of good work. We often underestimate the role we may play in clearing away obstacles for someone’s spiritual journey. A seed sown here, a light there - it may be all that is needed to move that person to the next step along the way. Our goal is to try and move a conversation out of the smoke-screened questions of the mind into the real questions of the heart. If we are effective in our evangelism, we find a bridge to connect both, and we can travel the journey alongside them.

Our call as evangelists is a simple call, with a complex response. The call is this - we are to never forget the past (sin and redemption) speak to the present (sin and seeking) in preparation for the future (victory and judgment.)

To do this requires several things that we are going to study over the next several weeks. Understand that evangelism is a process - it is not a one and done transaction. We were commanded to make disciples, not to make converts, so effective evangelism requires an investment in the person that does not cease once they “do the deed.” Some of the concepts we will study may seem mechanical or even impersonal, it is important that we recognize the value of all forms of evangelism, as different people respond to different things. The more ways we understand how to reach different people, the better chance we have of being able to appeal to anyone’s sensibilities. I would encourage you to work and learn each concept with equal priority - even the ones that do not make much sense to you, because they will make perfect sense to a person who needs Jesus.

Secondly, remember that mastering a new skill, as this will be for most, requires practice. Don’t short circuit this process. Take the time to learn and absorb these things into the fabric of your conversations - you will not become a master evangelist overnight. Don’t be discouraged if your attempts to use these skills do not pan out in the way you picture it - there will always be people who will not respond positively no matter how good you are. We must crawl before we walk, and then learn to walk so that we might run with confidence.

This may be hard to hear - but it goes back to that prerequisite to evangelism. We must be living the faith we proclaim. Many of the troubles in evangelism are not due to methodology so much as they are due to maturity. We cannot bear witness to what we did not see - so it is important that your personal relationship with Christ always remains the center of your life, whether you are engaging in evangelism or brushing your teeth. With that maturity comes a heart like God’s which breaks for lost people.

When we are in the right posture in our own spiritual lives, we will find that many of the methods we will study will be helpful in engaging others in spiritual conversation. When your heart is right with God, you may find that you can talk with people far more effectively than you might have believed. But let’s not confuse our priorities here - to grow in our personal evangelism, we need to begin by praying that God would develop in us a greater heart and passion for the lost. Once that happens, when our hearts are right with God, the conversations become much easier.

Please also note - we are going to discuss a lot of methods used for evangelism - some old, some new, but all relevant to different people. These are designed for you to add to your toolbelt to assist you in witnessing. Be aware that these are not the only tools you should use. People are looking primarily for connection - and that is where your unique calling and shape fit in - continuing the conversation as this person takes their spiritual journey.

This week - Think about the various methods you have used for evangelism. Think about tracts, outreach events, the use of technology or large gatherings. Consider sharing your experiences, and shed some light on what seemed to be most effective and why. Do you think these same methods would be as effective today? Why or why not?