Intentional Evangelism

Today, many consider America as a postmodern culture where experiential Christianity is paramount. While informational approaches to evangelism may still have some merit these approaches must migrate to a demonstration of the life changing power of Jesus Christ, being lived out before those who are unbelievers or incarnational evangelism. Authenticity is vital for the believer to be an effective evangelist. These two approaches, the informational and the incarnational, are connected. The informational approach requires you to know why you believe and be capable of presenting the information necessary to lead someone to Christ. The incarnational approach requires you to live a life demonstrating the power of the gospel in your life. How can you live what you do not know? Effective evangelism requires a balance between informational and experiential. “Christians must understand that an unbelieving world will not believe what we say about Christ and our faith, until they first see the truth manifested through us.”^[1] Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians said, “To the weak (wanting in discernment) I have become weak (wanting in discernment) that I might win the weak and overscrupulous. I have [in short] become all things to all men, that I might by all means (at all costs and in any and every way) save some [by winning them to faith in Jesus Christ]” (I Corinthians 9:22, AMPC).

Often we personally feel apprehension regarding the informational evangelism. Our conscious is clear because we have hired pastors and church staff to evangelize, however this is the responsibility of every believer. Many tools are available today via the internet for self-training to insure your tool belt is well equipped. The incarnational aspects are more challenging for many for a variety of reasons. Time tends to be one of the biggest obstacles for many. We have reduced evangelism to participating in evangelism events, instead of a life that must be lived. Incarnational evangelism is incorporating evangelism into your everyday routine. When some at work confides in you with a particular struggle at home or work, this is the opportunity for you to evangelize. You can express biblical content without reference, offer of prayer, or give an encouraging word of faith. When you are doing yard work and a neighbor rides by on their bike, wave and be open for conversation. Evangelism is the expressions of love God has commanded us to do. Seldom do we view evangelism in the context of our relationship with other believers; however, it is key in our identification as a disciple of Christ. Disagreements between Christ followers promotes unbelief. Likewise, agreement between Christ followers promotes evangelism and belief in Christ.

I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. (John 13:34-35, AMPC)

 

Unbelievers need to hear, “There is hope!” When faced with the reality that they may spend eternity separated from God, we should feel compelled to evangelize. When evangelism is a natural part of our life, it is casual and unpresuming. Our prayer life drive us to become watchmen, on the wall waiting for a casual opportunity to befriend unbelievers intentionally. How welcoming is your home? On your FaceBook page, are you limited to just believers? If you posted or liked one of the challenging social issues we face today with the truth of the Bible, would your post challenge any of your friends beliefs? Are you a friend of sinners? Many Christians avoid posting on controversial issues, because they feel weak in their ability to defend and challenge unbelievers. We are salt and light! Relationship building is important. Where there is no relationship offense is taken, however when we invest and build our relationships with unbelievers, they gain the sense that we really care for them, love them, and desire the best for them. In these environments, we are able to speak truth with love. We should continue to pray every day for the Divine appointments to share the truth of the gospel. Unbelievers are not a three-day project and will need a long-term commitment for the un-rooting of confusion of truth, hurts, and religion. A crisis in life, may present an open door. In those moments, the only way you will know or given an opportunity to intervene is if you keep unbelievers close in your prayers, heart, and mind.

 

Utilizing tools like “The Truth Project” or David Barton’s material from WallBuilders.com and interacting in your home, you may appeal to intellect and intentionally open a door. An investigative Bible study could follow with something like the Alpha course. Continuing to pray, inviting your unbelieving friends to church, filling the gap of family, security, and truth that no one has ever had modeled in their life could lead to an opportunity for them to experience Christ in a tangible way. We must help them realize that the journey of a believer does not end at salvation, but begins and will require ongoing discipleship.

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[1] David Wheeler, “Incarnational Apologetics” (Professor of Evangelism, Liberty University, 2014).