It’s clear, evangelism doesn’t come easy

“No church is too small, community too broken or lay people too ill equipped to begin the work of evangelism.” – Ed Stetzer

There are a few contemporary Christian authors I am currently reading with whom I find challenge, encouragement and inspiration. Among them are Karl Vaters, Carey Nieuwhof, Paul Borden and Ed Stetzer.

Each of them has a passion for God, the church and their community. While their backgrounds, methods and perspectives vary somewhat, they all share the same heartbeat – the work of evangelism (the spreading of the gospel of Jesus by personal witness).

While learning from these authors is helpful, it is key to note that it is the example of Jesus Himself as found in the Bible that is to be our nal word on the mission of God.

Jesus came from heaven as the Messiah, or King, but unlike most kings, He came to reign differently. Jesus spent time with people like you and me – the poor, the sick, sinners, widows and children – some of those considered in His day as the lowest of the low.

In doing so, Jesus shows us that God is relational. He wants to know us. He wants us to know Him.

Through these relationships, Jesus shared His love with the broken and the hurting and all who would receive. By doing so, Jesus inspired and equipped those closest to Him – the disciples – to eventually be prepared to build relationships and to take the gospel globally.

Two thousand years later, the Kingdom of God (as demonstrated by believers) is larger now than it has ever been.

If Jesus could use the 12 uneducated, awed and, at times, unbelieving disciples that He chose to influence the world, He can do anything with anyone who might be willing.

While God’s Kingdom on earth is greater now, the number of those who are outside of His Kingdom is larger still.

Imagine what that does to the heart of a relational God. is is why evangelism is so vital.

God gave us His Son to be our ex- ample and Saviour (i.e., the cross) and Lord (I.e., the empty grave). God does not want any to be separated from Him, thus the example and work of Jesus on earth.

God is not a condemning God, as often we think, but One who wants to restore all who will receive His Son, Jesus as Saviour and Lord (see John 3:16-17).

By being relational, Jesus influ-enced scorers, skeptics, doubters, the broken, the lonely, the outcast, the rich, the poor, the educated, and the uneducated. He got to know people. He asked questions about them. He spoke into their needs.

Not all who met Jesus decided to follow Him. In fact, many turned away. Likewise, today, not all who hear about Jesus will choose to believe in Him.

But Jesus’ call to the church is to go and make disciples – in other words, to make relationships and lovingly share His good news of hope and salvation.

Some will join God’s Kingdom, some will not. However, the churches and believers that are seeing success in making disciples are those who actively engage in building relationships as Jesus did.

No one likes to be rejected. No one likes to be mocked. At times, these things happen to those who lovingly share the story of Jesus.

Evangelism isn’t easy. But God goes before us in all things. He cares for our community. He longs for people to know Him. We are responsible for planting the seeds of faith – it is His responsibility to make them grow.