Evangelism

EVANGELISM, MISSIONS, WITNESSING, APOLOGETICS, DISCIPLESHIP AND SANCTIFICATION; HONORING, OBEYING, TRUSTING GOD 1. EVANGELISM Evangelism is the duty, joy, and privilege of every Christian congregation, home, and individual. Evangelism means “good news”, and particularly the sharing of it. Evangelism must be with supreme zeal and fervor in time, money, prayer, attention, mind, heart, deed, and sacrifice; and must be in accordance with the message and method which is given in Scripture. Methods of Evangelism should primarily be founded upon frequent personal conversation, but can also include various written materials, and audio materials, such as television, radio, and the internet. The general content of Evangelism: Is that the Holy God of Scripture, who is the only true and living God, is glorifying himself by saving many sinners solely by His grace through the person, work, blood, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God is saving these sinners by sending them the Holy Spirit, whom gives them a new birth, mind, and heart which in turn understands, believes, confesses, and loves Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Evangelism is not getting people to attend pizza parties, hot dog suppers, rafting trips, music concerts, hayrides, and other socials. Honestly, evangelism is not even inviting people to attend sermon at a building where the church meets. The recipients of Evangelism include every man, woman child, age, race, language, nationality, and background. All mankind are sinners and all sinners are commanded by God to repent and confess the righteousness of Jesus Christ. God has the power and grace to save any sinner despite any bondage, disposition, background, defiance, pride, sin, error, or history.

2. MISSIONS Missions is the duty, joy, and privilege of every Christian congregation, home, and individual. Missions is essentially synonymous with Evangelism; yet usually entails telling the “good news” to other nations, languages, aces, and groups. Missions usually involves more extensive travel and costs than Evangelism, whether it be 4 day, 4 month, or 4 year trips. Missions must be with supreme zeal and fervor in time, money, prayer, attention, mind, heart, deed, and sacrifice; and must be in accordance with the message and method which is given in Scripture. Methods of missions should primarily be founded upon frequent personal conversation, but can also include various written materials, and audio materials, such as television, radio, and the internet. While all Christian ministries should include compassion, mercy, kindness, and benevolence, the content of evangelism and missions is never vaunt the body over the soul. Food, Clothes, Shelter, Jobs, Money, and labors of assistance must never usurp the priority and message of Scripture. The ministries in the book of Acts provide ample example to the focus on Sin, Guilt, Jesus, the Resurrection, Repentance, and Confession. The recipients of Missions include every man, woman child, age, race, language, nationality, and background. All mankind are sinners and all sinners are commanded by God to repent and confess the righteousness of Jesus Christ. God has the power and grace to save any sinner despite any bondage, disposition, background, defiance, pride, sin, error, or history.

3. WITNESSING Witnessing is the duty, joy, and privilege of every Christian congregation, home, and individual. Witnessing is essentially synonymous with Evangelism; yet it emphasizes the individual responsibility involved in personal proclamation of Jesus and Scripture. One cannot hide in negligence by attempting to delegate evangelism only to international missionaries or church staff; rather, Witnessing requires personal initiative which does not passively wait for groups to find and join, or merely hear the reports of others. Witnessing must be with supreme zeal and fervor in time, money, prayer, attention, mind, heart, deed, and sacrifice; and must be in accordance with the message and method which is given in Scripture. Methods of Witnessing should primarily be founded upon frequent personal conversation, but can also include various written materials, and audio materials, such as television, radio, and the internet. As with Evangelism and Missions, Witnessing highlights the importance of personal integrity and purity; furthermore, each Christian is responsible for growing in their knowledge of Scripture and the belief structure of those they encounter. Thus continued discipleship, maturity, and learning is mandated with utmost gravity. It is not sufficient for those who have been saved for 3 years to merely say, “Come to Church, Just trust God, Just have faith, Just believe Jesus.” Such trite simple phrases while positive, fall far short of the substance and content found in Scripture, such as Peter’s Pentecost message or Stephen’s proclamation. The recipients of witnessing include every man, woman child, age, race, language, nationality, and background. All mankind are sinners and all sinners are commanded by God to repent and confess the righteousness of Jesus Christ. God has the power and grace to save any sinner despite any bondage, disposition, background, defiance, pride, sin, error, or history.

4. APOLOGETICS Apologetics is the duty, joy and privilege of every Christian congregation, home, and individual. Apologetics while thoroughly related to Evangelism, involves knowing and exposing the errors of other belief systems, and giving a strong explanation, evidence, and defense of Biblical Theology. During Evangelism, Missions, and Witnessing, the Christian will encounter: Evolutionists, Atheists, Agnostics, Mormons, Muslims, Russelities, Romanists, Buddhists, Hindus, nominal protestants, scientologists, and numerous other cults which abound. The Christian must be prepared to answer questions, criticisms, and attacks on God, Jesus, Scripture, and Christianity, even if it takes 2-3 weeks of research before responding to the prospect/ The Christian will never be perfectly prepared and experienced for every group, but can be used by the Holy Spirit in witnessing and following up with continued research; thus, no Christian is allowed to relegate apologetics to “the trained professionals” since apologetics is in fact a means of evangelism, missions, and witnessing. The recipients of Apologetics include every man, woman child, age, race, language, nationality, and background. All mankind are sinners and all sinners are commanded by God to repent and confess the righteousness of Jesus Christ. God has the power and grace to save any sinner despite any bondage, disposition, background, defiance, pride, sin, error, or history. 5. DISCIPLESHIP and SANCTIFICATION The prior 4 areas dealt with communicating God’s word to the unregenerate. Discipleship and Sanctification addresses communicating and applying God’s word to the regenerate. In brief, All Christians are held personably accountable and responsible to mature in love, faith, obedience, prayer, Scripture, repentance, and evangelism, among other traits. The fruit of the Holy Spirit should encompass all manners of evangelism, missions, witnessing, apologetics, Christian fellowship, ministry, and benevolence. The Christian is commit himself to good deeds and be zealous for good deeds for the Glory of Jesus Christ.

6. HONORING, OBEYING, TRUSTING GOD We acknowledge that fallen man is unable of himself to love, trust, believe, confess, please, honor, know, or obey God, nor prepare himself thereunto. Ever since Adam’s Sin, mankind is by nature and personal choice, at birth, an evil, sin-filled, wicked, rebellious, vile, willful enemy and hater of God. We acknowledge that God has not elected every human to salvation. We acknowledge and that before the creation of man God determined whom He would graciously save from sin and also determined whom He would righteously and justly damn to eternal Hell. We acknowledge that Jesus has not died on the cross for every sinner, but only for the elect. We acknowledge that the Holy Spirit will not be sent to regenerate every sinner that we encounter, but only to the elect. We acknowledge that neither the Corporate Church nor the Individual Christian has any power to elect, atone, regenerate, change, or effectual persuade the sinners which they encounter for salvation.

EVEN SO: We acknowledge that neither the Corporate Church nor the Individual Christian is aware of who the unregenerate elect are, but nonetheless are commanded to fervently proclaim the whole counsel of Scripture and Jesus Christ to all humanity with zeal and joy. All mankind is commanded of God to repent of their sins and unbelief, and confess the person and work of Jesus Christ according to Scripture; All Christians are commanded of God to proclaim this message to all sinners. Though it is sobering to realize that God does not love every sinner, He has indeed shown every sinner kindness, mercy, goodness, and providential blessing; yet our greater amazement is to ponder why the Holy and Eternal God would even love and redeem even one evil, sin-filled, wicked, rebellious, vile, willful enemy and hater of God—such as I. To proclaim the message of Jesus Christ is an act of worship, honoring God, obeying God, and trusting God. Though God does not “need” us to accomplish His purposes He has ordained to use the means of the Church/Christian in proclaiming Scripture and Jesus Christ as an instrument through which the Holy Spirit bears fruit. We know that Sovereign God has the power and grace to save any sinner, and we trust His wisdom and authority to either draw or harden the hearts we encounter. We trust God to do as He pleases, upon whom He pleases, when and He pleases. To avoid evangelism on a corporate or individual level is to dishonor God, disobey God, and display unbelief and ingratitude, and should be subject for reproof, rebuke, and admonishment by fellow Christians. >> Scriptural Evidence for the above 6 points can be given upon requested <<