BarkerAs I thought about this article, I looked back over the last 40-plus years of my involvement in evangelism – at Harmony Baptist Church (with 68 in Sunday school) – on a college campus as a student helping start a student ministry – teaching at seminary – leading Southern Baptists in Continuing Witness Training for 10 years – big churches, little churches – traditional, contemporary, blended – and some churches I wasn’t sure what they were. What have I seen that’s common to reaching the lost and impacting a lost world?
– Somebody has to teach and train (on-the-job training) or it won’t happen.
– Somebody has to have a passion for the lost. Some don’t feel it’s their “gifting,” but Paul told pastor Timothy to do the work of an evangelist whether it is your gifting or not. I realize many started out and lost that passion, kind of like Ephesus. MacArthur says they lost their love for God, for each other, and for the lost.
– Doctrinally, the folks leading and the church must believe people are lost without Christ and He is the only way to eternal life. Too many folks, even Baptists, continue to believe there are other ways. Some have lost sight of the fact that there is a hell (Ephesians 2:1-3). The lost are objects of divine wrath; the saved, alive and objects of divine mercy. God doesn’t live in buildings, but in people! We are just as much the church on Monday as Sunday, so when we are scattered we “gossip” the gospel (Acts 8:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:8). We are all witnesses. Different ways to get to sharing the gospel for sure, but the Great Commission is for us all. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit. I’m sure there are more.
– Simplicity. We seem to want to do a lot of things. It’s certainly religious activity, but does it contribute to the Great Commission and impacting lostness?
– The definition of the gospel, found in 1 Corinthians 15. He died, He was buried, He was raised. If you receive what He has done for you as a gift and call on Him in repentance and faith, you will be saved. We feed, clothe, attend events, but somewhere we must build bridges relationally to turn on lights spiritually. We’re building the bridges, but are we walking across to turn the light on?
As Revelation 2:1-5 says, we must remember, repent, and return and do the first works. Ask God to renew your passion for reaching the lost.
Join me and others at the South Carolina evangelism conferences for challenge, training, and encouragement in evangelism. Jesus says, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Sometimes, when I’m not fishing, I really realize I’m not following.
Visit www.scbaptist.org/evangelism for more information on the upcoming evangelism conferences to be held in Anderson and Florence.
– Barker is evangelism and prayer strategist for the South Carolina Baptist Convention.