EVANGELISM



EVANGELISM

 

 

The Oxford dictionary defines evangelism as:

·       the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness.

·       zealous advocacy of a cause.

 

 

Although the term does not appear in the New Testament, the term, “evangelist”, however, does.

It simply means:  “the bearer of the gospel [good news]”

 

 

OUR modern concept has been determined more by cultural observation rather than actual scriptural example.

 

 

As the Evangelical movement has morphed into “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (2Tim3:5), it has reduced evangelism to attendance boosting programs… visitation… inviting people to church… or standing on the street corner, impersonally barking AT passersby.

 

…Then we let everyone involved in this “ministry” know “He was also despised and rejected of men” (Isa53:3;1Pet4:12-13)

 

 

After all… Christ promised: “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” (Jn15:20)

 

 

“Suffering” is expected.

 

 

Since Christ Jesus IS THE EXAMPLE…

 

How did HE “evangelize”?

 

 

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with POWER:  who went about doing good, and healing ALL THAT WERE OPPRESSED OF THE DEVIL” (Acts10:38)

 

 

“And Jesus went… preaching the gospel of THE KINGDOM, and healing EVERY kind of sickness and disease among the people.” (Matt4:23;9:35)

 

 

…And then told His disciples to “evangelize” the same way!

 

 

“Jesus sent them saying… as YOU go, PREACH, saying,

‘The KINGDOM of heaven is at hand.’

·       Heal the sick,

·       cleanse the lepers,

·       raise the dead,

·       cast out devils:

freely you have received, freely give.” (Mtt10:5-8)

 

 

“He gave them POWER OVER unclean spirits,

to cast them out,

and to heal EVERY kind of sickness

and EVERY kind of disease.” (Mtt10:1)

 

 

“For our gospel didn’t come to you in word only, but also in POWER.” (1Thes1:5)

 

 

For the kingdom of God is not in word, BUT IN POWER.” (1Cor4:20)

 

 

A good friend of mine always says, “If someone can convince you into it... someone else can convince you out of it.”



…but… POWER… changes YOU!


 

 

“My speech and my preaching

was not with enticing [trying to convince]

words of man’s wisdom,

but in DEMONSTRATION [showing off, proof, manifestation, to show forth]

OF THE SPIRIT

AND OF POWER:

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,

but in the POWER OF GOD.” (1Cor2:4-5)

 

 

EVANGELISM in its true modeled form by Jesus and the disciples is…

·       present the rule, reign, and authority of God on display

·       destroying the works of the devil

·       heal the sick, raise the dead, give sight to the blind, cast out devils... ie. liberate those in captivity

·       THEN proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is present... right here and now

·       Showing that this KING cares about YOU and wants YOU free!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LET YOUR FRUIT SPEAK

Image
LET YOUR FRUIT SPEAK?     People say, , “God told me”…  or “Holy Spirit directed me…”or… “this business belongs to Jesus, He tells me what to do!”     WHY?     Why do they preface THEIR works with such statements?     Isn’t it a ruse of the enemy to keep them unapproachable, uncorrectable, and continuing their own way without interference? … ITS INTENT: prevent ANYONE from speaking into them or the situation… After all… “who are YOU to contradict what God has said?”     “Every tree is known by his own fruit.” (Lk6:44) “…by their fruits you shall know them.” (Mtt7:20)   An apple tree does not have to tell you it is one… it just bears apples! …a cherry tree bears cherries.    You can tell a Dogwood Tree by its “Bark”… well… maybe that doesn’t fit the analogy.     If I have to tell you I am a certain type of tree, it is probably because there is NO FRUIT to make identification easy.     “He that speak...
Read more

FORMING YOUR WORLD

Image
  Forming Your World     Have you been in a place in life where you feel like your world has no form, reason, nor rationale to it… like it is void of meaning or direction… and it seems like the darkness is so deep and thick that you not only can't see, but are so disoriented you have no clue as to which way is up?     How do you get out of THAT?     Gen1:1-2 describes just that scenario, but on a grand universal scale: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.”     The rest of verse 2 begins to show the hope in the midst of the vast void…                   “…And the Spirit of God MOVED UPON the face of the waters.”             “MOVED UPON” is from a primitive Hebrew root word meaning: to brood: to hover, flutte...
Read more

CONVICTION

Image
  CONVICTION   I have frequently heard the phrase, “the Holy Spirit CONVICTED me”… or… “I was CONVICTED by the Lord”.  As a young boy I was taught that God was this big eye in the sky continually watching to see if I was being good… and the Holy Spirit, being on my shoulder, would  speak in my ear to bring that guilt… shaming me back to the right path.the moment I stepped out of line   But… why did Jesus send the Holy Spirit to us?     In  Jn16:7 Christ calls the Holy Spirit “ THE COMFORTER ”. He uses the term, “ parakletos ”, which was used in NT times of an  attorney (lawyer)… someone  giving evidence that stands up in court .   It comes from two words: “ para ” (close-beside), and “ kaleo ” (make a call). The word properly means: a legal advocate, advisor, or alongside helper who makes the right judgment- call  because  close  enough to the situation.       Zech3 clearly portrays a courtroom drama u...
Read more