{"id":792,"date":"2012-03-02T06:00:01","date_gmt":"2012-03-02T06:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/first15\/2012\/03\/evangelism\/"},"modified":"2012-03-02T06:00:01","modified_gmt":"2012-03-02T06:00:01","slug":"evangelism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/first15\/2012\/03\/evangelism\/","title":{"rendered":"Evangelism"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Weekly Overview:<\/h2>\n<p>In response to knowing the heart of God we are called to share the wonders of his invisible nature with a world in desperate need of him. God has chosen to use us to reveal himself. He\u2019s filled us with the Spirit and empowered us to proclaim the good news of salvation and restored relationship with our Creator. May you discover this week that you were made to share God\u2019s heart. And may you find joy and passion in God\u2019s longing to use you in powerful and unique ways.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Scripture:<\/h2>\n<p><em>\u201cGo into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.&#8221;<\/em> Mark 16:15<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"worship\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Worship:<\/h2>\n<h3>For the Sake of the World by Bethel Live ft. Brian Johnson<\/h3>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"display: block; margin: auto auto 30px auto; width: 100%; float:left;\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: block; margin: auto; float: left; border: 1px solid #000000; background-color: #484846; padding: 2px; -moz-border-radius: 3px; -khtml-border-radius: 3px; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px;\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S9oqi86yS3g?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<h2>Devotional:<\/h2>\n<p>The idea of evangelism has always been terrifying to me. Going up to someone and interrupting their day to tell them about Jesus, no matter how real and good I know him to be, has never been comfortable for me. But you can\u2019t read Scripture and escape God\u2019s command to share the gospel. You can\u2019t read through the New Testament and discount the reality that the disciples gave themselves entirely\u2014to the point of death\u2014that the world might come to know Jesus.<\/p>\n<p>Verses like Mark 16:15-16 couldn\u2019t be more clear. Jesus commands us, <em>\u201cGo into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.&#8221;<\/em> Evangelism is meant to be a part of our normal lives. It\u2019s not just for the few. It\u2019s not just for pastors or the intensely extroverted. It\u2019s for you and me.<\/p>\n<p>When I assess my own heart I discover that my fears related to evangelism are entirely selfish. In fact, I don\u2019t know if I could do something more selfish than hold back the one hope for the world just to protect my own image. Jesus is clear in Mark 16:16 that those who don\u2019t believe in him will be condemned. It\u2019s like I contain the cure for a deadly disease and rather than sacrificing my image to love them by sharing the one cure, I just let them continue to suffer.<\/p>\n<p>In pondering my own heart I realize that the way to engage in evangelism isn\u2019t fixing myself; it\u2019s getting over myself. Is my image really so important that it\u2019s worth condemnation for another? Are the opinions of others really so important to me that I would withhold from them eternal, abundant life with a God who loves them relentlessly and perfectly?<\/p>\n<p>I am made to share God\u2019s light. I have been commissioned by my King to go out and share his heart. It\u2019s time that we obey God\u2019s command in Philippians 2:3: <em>\u201cDo nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.&#8221;<\/em> Sure, people might think I\u2019m weird. Sure, it might be a little awkward. But God is after the hearts of his creation, and he\u2019s called me to help. May we be those who set aside our pride, seek humility, and love others whatever the cost. May we be so bold as to set our eyes on heaven and sacrifice this life for the sake of eternity. And may the world change around us as we humbly and courageously proclaim the goodness of our heavenly Father.<\/p>\n<h2>Guided Prayer:<\/h2>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\n<p><strong>1. Meditate on God\u2019s call for you to engage in evangelism. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cGo into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.&#8221;<\/em> Mark 16:15-16<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cFor the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.&#8221;<\/em> Luke 19:10<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cTherefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.&#8221;<\/em> 2 Corinthians 5:20<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. What are your fears in regard to evangelism?<\/strong> What holds you back from telling others about the good news of God\u2019s unconditional love?<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Take time to humble yourself before God and others.<\/strong> Ask him for grace to love others above yourself. Set your eyes on him and open your heart to receive his affection.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>In Jesus\u2019 conclusion of the Great Commission he tells his disciples, <em>\u201cAnd behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age&#8221;<\/em> (Matthew 28:20). Our power for evangelism is that God is with us. He doesn\u2019t send us out alone. His love, power, and presence are fully available to us when we seek to share the gospel with others. When you tell others about Jesus, don\u2019t speak of him as if he\u2019s not with you. Don\u2019t pray as if he doesn\u2019t move and work miracles. Instead, share the reality of God\u2019s nearness with a world that needs to be touched by a revelation of his love. May you be empowered to share the gospel with someone today that they might come to know the power and presence of God.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Extended Reading:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew+28&#038;version=ESV\" rel=\"alternate\">Matthew 28<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Weekly Overview: In response to knowing the heart of God we are called to share the wonders of his invisible nature with a world in desperate need of him. God has chosen to use us to reveal himself. He&#8217;s filled us with the Spirit and empowered us to proclaim the good news of salvation and&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":636,"featured_media":795,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-first15"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Evangelism<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Weekly Overview: In response to knowing the heart of God we are called to share the wonders of his invisible nature with a world in desperate need of him. God has chosen to use us to reveal himself. 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