Evangelism Life

Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

I was at a meeting this week where it was mentioned that “apologetics” wasn’t the ultimate goal of the church: worship is. Today, I picked up an old article and read that evangelism is not the ultimate goal of the church; worship is. But, in both cases apologetics and evangelism is a goal of the church as the Apostle Paul states in 1 Peter 3:15, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have”, and as the Lord Jesus stated in the opening Bible verse. Pastor Parsons writes that Evangelism isn’t the end but a means to the end, which is God’s glorious rescue of His people, to know God truly, to worship Him purely, to enjoy Him fully and to glorify Him eternally. We must not forget that the gospel proclamation isn’t first and foremost a program, it is a way of life. Like children, who cannot help but express their tender love for their mother and father, we are born-again, adopted children of God. It’s not what we do, but who we are.  

Romans 10:13-15 For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Parson Parsons continues, that the life of the Christian is the daily life of gospel presentation that points to our desperate need for Christ. We don’t just enter the mission field when we drive out of our church parking lots each Lord’s Day, we enter the mission field when we get out of bed each morning, wherever God has us presently and wherever He might call us in the future. God has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light and has now called us to go (not walk, but run) into the darkness and shine, being always ready to give an answer to anyone who asks us a reason for the hope within us, with gentleness and respect. Go and make disciples of all the nations.

In Christ, Brian