Do you remember the very first time someone shared the gospel with you? I do. It was Mr. Rayburn's wife.
I really can't recall her exact words; I just remember she was kind, gentle, and compassionate towards me. It would be years before I came to faith, but the seeds of the gospel started with her small acts of kindness and gospel engagement.
“My goal is to stir us up to the point of having a heart for those far from Christ.”
No Better Time to Share
We now live in a time where it seems harder to engage the lostness near us. We've convinced ourselves that people are opposed to hearing about Jesus when that might not be the case.
Certainly, the church faces incredible challenges in a post-covid and largely post-Christian culture. Still, I want to encourage us to be diligent to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and Great Commandment (Matthew 22:34-40).
The Apostle Paul states the following imperatives in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15:
"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."
“Are we more motivated by our Sunday service production, or are we heartbroken by those living without the hope of the cross?”
My goal is to stir us up to the point of having a heart for those far from Christ. So, let's consider together both Jesus and Paul as we move from memories of the past to mobilizing the pulpit and pews to seek the lost nearest us.
Paul gives us a clear why in the verses mentioned earlier, "The love of God compels us." We must ask ourselves: Are we more motivated by our Sunday service production, or are we heartbroken by those living without the hope of the cross?
Five Words to Start the Conversation
To be compelled means we have an irresistible drive to see or do something—in this case, we’re compelled to share Christ with those who do not know Him as Lord and Savior. Today, I want to encourage you to start with an easy, entry-level evangelism engagement.
The next time you are out buying your favorite Starbucks drink or at your go-to dining venue, ask the person taking your order: how can I pray for you?
That's it—five words. 98 percent of people share a prayer request when I ask.
I then pray for them really quickly right there, and if time permits, I ask permission to share my why for praying with them.
My why is always the same: Jesus loves them and wants to have a relationship with them. I usually end this brief encounter by asking, “Would you like to have a relationship with Jesus?”
“The next time you are out, ask the person taking your order: how can I pray for you?”
If they say no, I thank them for allowing me to pray and move on, knowing I was part of God's grand plan of harvesting lostness.
If they say yes, I explain the gospel and lead them to faith in Jesus. It’s that’s simple!
Sharing Together
My goal this year is to have 300 Gospel evangelism engagements with my neighbors, people near my church, and those I encounter in the marketplace.
You and I can do this just in the flow of our everyday routine. We can engage lostness with what I call everyday evangelism. Don’t wait to feel like an “expert,” just share.
I challenge you to give it a try, and email me at bryant@ubahouston.org to let me know how it goes!
Bryant is pastor of Higher Expectations Church and a church consultant for UBA. Bryant has a particular passion for mentoring bi-vocational church planters and pastors reaching urban areas.
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Si una iglesia pequeña puede enviar por medio de la colaboración, estoy seguro de que su iglesia también puede.