The Church as people who are Gossippers of the Gospel
[Evangelism] is telling the good news about Jesus, and doing it with honesty, urgency, and joy, using the Bible, living a life that backs it up, and praying, and doing it all for the glory of God.
–Mark Dever
Evangelism is not simply a matter if bringing individuals to personal faith, though of course that remains central to the whole enterprise. It is a matter of confronting the world with the good, but deeply disturbing, news of a different way of living”¦the way of love.
–Tom Wright
To evangelize is so to present Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, that men shall come to put their trust in God through Him, to accept Him as their Savior, and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of His church.
–William Temple
How do the definitions of evangelism above speak to you right now where you live and move and have your being? Think and pray over them.
Think of the word witness and the word eyewitness. What are the qualities of an effective witness to you? In a lawcourt? In an accident?
In the service of Baptism, the baptismal covenant includes the following Q and A:
Celebrant: Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? People: I will, with God’s help.
Against the standard above how would you evaluate yourself as a witness? In word? In deed?
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). What is the role of prayer it witnessing? What is the role of prayer in your witnessing?
If you could name one person in your life for whom you had a particular burden for them to come to know Jesus as Savior and follow him as Lord who would that be? How have you been praying for that person? Is there a way your prayers could be changed going forward? If so,how?
Suppose you had to study Jesus as a witness to God’s kingdom in the gospels? What specific things does he have to teach us about how to witness?
What is the role of listening in witnessing? Of question asking? What are the ways this week God is calling you to listen and ask kingdom oriented questions?
Make a friend, be a friend, bring a friend to Christ. How does this saying speak to you about witnessing? Are there ways for you to pay about your friends God is calling you to? Is there anyone in your life you may be missing who needs a friend?
–From this morning’s Bulletin insert in our series on the Church, cited by yours truly in the sermon
Kendall, thanks for this. I’d love a link to listen to your sermon if/when it becomes available online.
I’ve just begun a study of Mark with some local friends, and we were listening to and reflecting on the first half of Mark 1 a few days ago. I’d been struck in my personal study prior to our meeting by Mark 1:1 and Mark 1:15. In those verses several versions translate “gospel” as “good news” – thus (verse 1): “the beginning of the “good news” about Jesus Christ the Son of God” and verse 15, Jesus’ message to “repent and believe the good news.”
Jesus IS good news. His message is good news. Just think of how we love to tell good news to all our friends (c.f. the stories of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son…). Jesus IS good news. My local friends and I were challenged to have joy and confidence and sharing – that the message of Christ is good news that we should proclaim joyfully to our friends and neighbors, not to be ashamed or fearful.
So basic… yet so challenging to live out some times!