Is Evangelism Your Top Priority?

What an exciting time to be alive!

You are one of the 7.9 billion-plus people living on planet Earth. If you are a believer, a Pastor or, serving in any capacity in your local assembly, it means you recognize the need to grow and learn more of what God wants for you. The big question is, are we willing to do what He has called us to do?

Well, even if you think you know what He has called you to do, are you doing it effectively and wholeheartedly? Perhaps you are sincere but do not understand what is required. If you are not sure, it’s my prayer that the Lord will give you wisdom and the humility to absorb the principles outlined in the book “Teach for Souls: An Emergency Response to Evangelism.” I pray that you will be vigorously stirred to action.

Look closely at your local assembly and ask yourself if enough is being done about evangelism. The answer is a resounding NO. We live in a modern environment with significantly greater means of doing things, faster transportation, advanced technology, and a more sophisticated society than 100 years ago.

How we farmed a thousand years ago is different today. How we do a lot of things today differs significantly from our forefathers. As knowledge increases and social systems change, so must the Church. The gospel message must remain the same, but we must become willing to adjust our methods to meet the times. The first-century Church provided a template for the body of Christ to emulate. As you delve deeper into the core material of the book, so much more will become evident to you about the first century principles of evangelism.

Today, when we examine the Church, we note that millions of believers have become dormant after they have been converted. Not because they want to but because, to a large degree, they have not been taught the principles of evangelism correctly or regularly. Often, what they have been taught is inadequate to meet the times. Many Pastors and church leaders themselves are victims of a vicious cycle of ignorance. They are functioning or came out of a system (organization) whose goal was not primarily evangelism per se. Their mindset is to wait until people show up in the pews instead of having a multifaceted approach to evangelism.

Many are satisfied with staying behind the four walls or with their small to medium-sized congregations. The times call for revolutionary thinking and men full of the Holy Ghost to take us in uncharted waters. While every soul is vital to God, and while we are grateful for every congregant, the Church must do more in growing our congregations. And it’s not just about numbers; it’s about believers developing a personal relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and becoming efficient at making “disciples of all the nations.” Remember also that while we should not forsake ourselves together, the Church is not a building. The Church (ecclesia—called out ones) is a mystical system of people called out of this evil world system to live for God.

According to Wikipedia, there are approximately 2.3 billion Christians in the world. This represents about 31 percent of the world’s population. Within this number, though, the true Church of God (those who follow the message and teachings of prophets, Jesus Christ and the Apostles) represents a much smaller number. It is estimated that the global total of Pentecostal/Apostolic of all types to be 535 million (6.7 percent globally). With over 195 plus nations in the world and 5000–6000 different cultures, the Church must assess its current methodology, approach, and reach in this dark hour to determine its effectiveness evangelically. How are we reaching the lost? How is the Church going to make inroads into these cultures? Do we have enough resources or have the right resources— men and women to match the mission and the times? Sure enough, thousands of missionaries are working in the field, but is that enough? The harvest is ripe, but where are the labourers?

There is an emergency at 6.7 or 7 percent of our world population walking in the truth of God’s Word. Even for those who claim to be Christians —they do not possess the truth of God. They simply have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. When you know the truth of God’s Word, you will be obedient, and your life will produce fruits of righteousness that emanate from the Holy Spirit. Whenever there is an emergency in the hospital or anywhere, it requires an urgent and immediate response.

This response can be clinical, surgical, or other. When we look at our world system’s socio-political and other elements, we must conclude that our world is in a crisis. Lawlessness, wickedness, materialism, consumerism, selfishness, and greed are just a few ills of society today. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and teach all nations…” Yes, teach. Teaching generally provides a platform for dialogue and discourse and an opportunity to learn and ask questions. Preaching, while very effective, rarely allows for interactions. Therefore, Jesus Christ did more teaching in His ministry.

As the redeemed of the Lord, we bear God’s mark on us, which is the seal of His blood. Therefore, we have a debt to humanity, which requires that we become “fishers” for the souls of men (Matthew 4:19). As fishers for souls, we throw our nets into the world and draw in all the entangled creatures. We do not discriminate; we must witness every nation, tribe, and kindred (Acts 1:8 and 2:39). God is not only calling upon us to be His witnesses, but He has also empowered us to witness about Him to the entire world. This has been my primary motivation in writing this book. My goal is to help you reach your family, friends, community, and your world. Teach for Souls is a tool that will assist believers in familiarizing themselves with the basics of the Bible while equipping them with the teachings they need to share the Gospel in an organized and Christ-like manner effectively.

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Understanding that the church may now be existing in the period of history referred to as the “End Time”! What effective strategies and or practical methods can your local church employ to reach unsaved people of diverse cultures in our post-modern society? What would an “Emergency Response to Evangelism” look like in your local church?

Take some time to share your thoughts in the comment section below.

1 thought on “Is Evangelism Your Top Priority?”

Larry Moore
June 27, 2022 at 10:02 pm

I believe we have spent a lot of time in discussion over the difference between the ‘attraction’ outreach model and the ‘missional’ outreach model. Attractional is where we have an event or a meeting and through it attempt to ‘attract’ others to attend, which gives a platform for us to tell them the gospel. ‘Missional’ on the other hand speaks to the process of sending people out on mission as salt and light to share the gospel with others wherever they go. While I believe that the missional format is biblical, I have seen many come to know Christ through the attractional model, myself being an example. I believe what Paul stated when he said he didn’t care how Christ was preached, just that He was preached. He told the church in Corinth, ‘I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some’. The Church needs a focus on the gospel as the #1 reason for our existence if we’re going to see God move powerfully across our country.

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The Book Review of Teach for Souls

The Teach for Souls book review and Bible study sessions are a direct response to Jesus' order to "...go and make disciples of all people" and are meant to educate Christians about the realities of soul-winning while simultaneously discussing some of the key ideas of the Bible.