Here we are: The beginning of things again. Sunday school, confirmation, youth group, adult forum, two services; it’s all beginning again.
There’s something else we need to renew this September: Our dedication to evangelism. I gave a challenge last January that by next Easter we’d have 24 new connections at Trinity. 24 people who’ve attended a regular church activity at least twice. After 8 months, we’re around 4. We have 8 months to go.
When we started this goal, I was just beginning to teach you about evangelism and relearn it myself. We gave each other lots of gentle nudges, but we were barely learning to walk. So it’s OK we’re nowhere near our goal yet. This September, it’s time to put our efforts into full swing.
As we prepare to renew our dedication to evangelism, I want to give you three simple things to remember:
Prayer is key to evangelism. Every book I’ve read on evangelism starts there. We need to be praying. Alone and together. Without agenda other than to hear God’s word spoken in our hearts.
We’re not doing evangelism to get more members. We’re doing it because it’s at the heart of what it means to be Church. Jesus’ last command to the disciples was “Go and Tell It”. On the mountain, in the valley, to your neighbor, and to strangers.
Evangelism is telling people good news. You’re not selling a product: “If you buy into Jesus, you’ll get heaven.” You’re telling people what’s already true: “God’s saved the world, including you!”
This is good news (if only all news were this good)! And do you know the best time to tell someone good news? When they are overwhelmed by bad news. Especially since our good news is specifically for addressing bad news. Next time someone shares bad news with you, ask yourself, “How does the good news of Jesus address this bad news?” Then tell them the good news.
~Pastor Tyler