We Don't Sell The Gospel, We Proclaim It: Evangelism, Part the Second

Tommorrow we start Fair Ministry. We'll face paint children using the colors of the Wordless Book (gold, black, red, white, green) to bring them Law and Gospel. The problem of many types of what many call evangelism is the focus of "how it's done." There are really two ways that this is done.

The first is the salesman approach (in which we are basically "pedlars" of Christ and Fine Spirituality) where the pressure is all on us to make the sale. "This was my life before Christ. This was my life after Christ. You really need Christ as you'll get left behind otherwise and go to Hell. I'd really like to get you behind the seat of this Christianity thing, you can see it comes fully loaded. What would keep you from signing the dotted line today?" At first glance it might not seem as though this is what we are trying to do, until you get to the end and say something like "Are you ready to make a decision for Christ today?" Did you catch it that time?

The second is a news announcer approach. A news announcer doesn't sell anything. He reports (or proclaims) the news, in this case, the Good News by using both Law and Gospel. "We're born sinful, are dead to sin and the punishement for that sin is eternal separation from God's love, which is Hell. There is absolutely nothing we can in any way do anything to get rid of that sin or to eleviate the punishment for it. (Law) But God is gracious and provided a way that our sins could be forgiven through his Son, Christ, who willing took our place, shed his blood for the forgiveness of sins, died and rose again, that we might believe and be saved through Him alone that we might be His own and be with Him. (Gospel)" Who's the pressure on in this approach? The Word. (Romans 10:17) It gives us faith. With the news announcer approach, the question we ask then is not "Are you ready to make a decision for Christ today?" (John 1:12-13, see post: "The Candle Sheds Light on Decision") but instead "Do you believe?" (Acts 16:31)

In what is being called evangelism, you're job isn't to make a sale, it's to tell them the Good News of what Christ did for them. There is no pressure on you, for you can't give people faith. People can't give faith to themselves. But the Word through Christ can. Our question at the end should be "Do you believe?" After having heard the Gospel, the Word of God, they'll either believe or they won't. And when they say "yes", they can only say it because they had faith from having heard the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) So remember, we're news announcers, proclaimers of the Gospel, not salesman. Man cannot save man. Only the Good News of Christ for us, the power of God, can do that. (Romans 1:16)

Jesu Juva,
Sole Deo Gloria

The Candle Sheds Light On Decision: Evangelism, Part the First

I've heard the arguments. "You must decide to follow Jesus and ask him into your heart to be saved" vs. "Jesus saved me." Notice the difference in these two statements as to who is performing the action of the verbs.

After much consideration of how to tackle this one, I think I shall do so like this. I believe that it is quite possible that we aren't considering all things, and as a result, misunderstanding what it is that we are seeing.

Example (with context of the Word as a means of Grace): Skippy has gone to a revival (actually, it's an evangelistic meeting since only God can bring about revival and it's not something that we can schedule) and he hears the evangelist. Skippy hears about how he has sinned (Romans 3:23), was born sinful, wants to sin, there's absolutely nothing that Skippy can do to get rid of his sin and the punishment for that sin is eternal separation for God's love (Hell) where he will forever experience God's wrath (His anger times a million infinity squared) which is Skippy's rightful punishment. (The evangelist just served Skippy some 100 proof Law) Skippy feels the full weight of this, his pride is broken and he experiences contrition for his sinful life. But what to do? Skippy knows he can't do anything to get rid of his sin.

The evangelist continues on and tells Skippy about the person and work of Christ. About how Christ was God's one and only Son who was perfect, willingly took Skippy's punishment, had to shed his blood for the forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22), was crucified, died, buried and resurrected (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).  And Jesus did this for Skippy because Skippy will never be able to do it for himself. (The evangelist just served Skippy the Gospel, the Good News of Christ for Skippy) The evangelist then quotes a verse like John 3:16 or Acts 16:31 (leaving off the tail end that says "...both you and your household." because few like to tackle explaining that part) saying "...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved..." Then the evangelist takes a page from Finney and has people raise their hands and them come forward to "ask Jesus into their hearts". Skippy raises his hand and goes forward when instructed. Skippy and the other people pray some form of a sinner's prayer and are then told that they are saved.

Explanation:
First of all I want it understood that with what I'm about to say, I am not knocking prayer. Prayer is always good. What I appreciate about a "sinner's prayer" is the acknowledgement of what a person is. A helpless sinner in need of a savior. That's good, because the Law has done it's work in that person's life and the Holy Spirit has brought that person to a place of contrition.

So when was Skippy saved? In this example, was it when he prayed the sinner's prayer to "ask Jesus into his heart?" To answer this question I'm going to use a concept from Thomas Watson, a puritan. He uses it in a slightly different way, but the context remains the same. 

There's a dark room, no light whatsoever. There are no windows in this room, just the open door that leads into it. A light starts shining into the room from the open door. The light gets brighter and brighter until someone carrying a candle enters into the room. So the question is, what was there first? The light or the candle? It was the candle that was there first, though, we did not see the candle first. We saw the effects of the candle first. We saw it's light first, despite the fact the candle was there first.

So back to Skippy. When was he saved? When he first had faith and believed. That faith came from hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) We first saw Skippy raise his hand. We first saw Skippy go up front. We first saw Skippy pray. What we first saw was the effect of faith. Skippy heard the Word of God, had faith and believed. The Holy Spirit was active in Skippy. Skippy was saved before he raised his hand, before he went up front and before he prayed. Because Skippy now believed and the Holy Spirit was active in him, we saw the effects of that faith. Because of faith he raised his hand. Because of faith he went forward. Because of faith he prayed.

That prayer, though misunderstood by many of those who went forward, was not so much to ask Christ into their hearts. Christ was already in their hearts back when they first believed because of having faith as a result of hearing the Word of God. That prayer was actually a prayer of thanksgiving. "I'm a wretched sinner. I cannot do good because I am sinful and I cannot escape this sin. Thank you for forgiving me! Thank you for saving me Jesus! Thank you for taking my place! Thank you for doing this for me!" With salvation, in the context of situations like Skippy's, we see the effect of the candle first, despite the fact that it was because of the candle that we saw anything.
Thank you Jesus for saving me. Thank you for taking my place. Thank you for giving me faith.

Jesu Juva,
Soli Deo Gloria

The Wordless Book

This past Sunday I had the wonderful opportunity to speak at Sidney Luthren Brethren Church in Sidney, Montana, and share about Child Evangelism Fellowship, the children's ministry organization that I work for. Along with sharing about our ministry I was also given the opportunity to give the message. The following link is for the podcast of my message which was a presentation of the Wordless Book. Using the five colors of Gold, Black, Red, White and Green we are able to share the Gospel message with people. This presentation is the version I use when speaking to adults instead of children. The Wordless Book is a very easy witnessing tool that you can use in your own personal evangelism.

The Wordless Book, November 14th, 2010, Sidney Luthren Brethren Church, Leif E. Halvorson presenting 

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Jesu Juva
Soli Deo Gloria