On Personal Evangelism
What is personal evangelism? Could we define "personal evangelism" plausibly?
When was the last time you told a person about Jesus? Have you shared Jesus lately?
Personal evangelish is the art of sharing Jesus passionately with those whom you encounter for the first time and those whom you've already established a relationship with. Effective personal evangelism is based upon one's on-going personal relationship with Jesus himself. One can only be effective in reaching out people for Jesus upon a prior experience with Christ. Successful evangelistic witness is built upon on'es continaul relationship with the Master. Thus, discipleship is the foundational truth of evangelism. That is, a total commitment to follow Jesus daily. Personal evangelism is communicating the love of God in Christ with a dying world. In order to reach this postmodern, radical culture for Christ, we need to go where people are, seeking to understand their worldview about God and life. Moreover, it is essential to build bridges of relationship with the people whom Jesus died for and came to save. People matter to God and relationship matters to people. Our Gospel message will have no effect on the lives of the people we seek to evangelize if we fail to love them and establish genuine relationships with them. For we are God's instruments for the purpose of effecting sound relationships, restoration and reconciliation of all peoples and ethnic groups through Jesus Christ, his Son.
However, personal evangelism involves seed sowing. That is, "we plant seed by loving people toward Jesus with small acts of kindness in the name of Jesus" (McRaney, 46) According to McRaney, "there is no effective approach to personal evangelist that does not involve planting, watering, weeding, and then waiting for the harvest"
(47). For most evangelistic opportunities involve sharing the good news of Christ in numerous occasions with people God directs us to. Therefore, successful proclamation of the cross of Christ through the means of personal evangelism requires our commitment and faithfulness to the cross of Christ. It also an unshamaded and unapologetic proclamation of the crucified and resurrected Master and Lord, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Personal evangelism is also "spiritual warfare" and must be engaged on a spiritual level (McRaney, 29). The christian soldier learns to pray in order to be victorious throughout this journey. The christian warrior also knows that "being filled" with the Holy Spirit is essential for fighting this battle; and seeking the face of God to move in the hearts of people who need Jesus. Once commitment is made to follow Christ as Lord and Savior, priorities must be shifted because the result of salvation is that people must change loyalties from themselves to absolute commitment to Christ (67). In all we do, our roel is therefore to help people understand the Gospel message through effective communication.
In conclusion, the true motivation for evangelism is a zeal for God and a love for others, and a passion for God's glory and the welfare of human beings. We are reminded that successful evangelism will be impossible if we fail to make ourselves available to the Spirit of God to use us as He wills.
*For further study on the subject, see the following books
Introduction to Evangelism by Alvin L. Reid
Share Jesus Without Fear by William Fay
Concentric Circles of Concern: Seven Stages for Making Disciples by W. Oscar Thompson
Christ and Culture Revisited by D. A. Carson
The Gospel in a Pluralist Society by Lesslie Newbigin
Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture by Lesslie Newbigin
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