Messy Gospel, Week 4: Evangelism Challenge
Identifying Your Mission Field
“Every believer is either an evangelist of an impostor” say Charles Spurgeon. Those are strong, honest words on a very important area of obedience in our lives. Christ commissioned us to tell everyone we know about Him both by how we live (Matthew 5:3-16) and how we speak (Matthew 28:19-20). That is evangelism. All we can do is put Christ on display and trust the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts, saving sinners (Romans 1:16)!
In effort to add focus to our efforts, try this simple system of identifying your mission field. Make up three lists:
List 1. The unbelievers you regularly interact with, but with whom you have never had any gospel conversation. Limit it to just those you communicate with on a regular basis such as neighbors, family, coworkers, friends from social gatherings, and so on.
List 2. The unbelievers with whom you have had some level of gospel conversation. With these people, you have discussed portions of the gospel, perhaps advancing their understanding of various components. On this list might be the people whom you have invited to a Bible study, comforted during difficult times, prayed with when given the opportunity, answered some questions they had about the gospel, and so forth.
List 3. All of the unbelievers with whom you have had extensive gospel conversation. Those listed here have heard the full gospel presentation perhaps multiple times. They have had questions answered, and you have pleaded with them to repent and believe in Christ.
So, what will it take to move a person on your first list to the second… and the second to the third? What first step will you take this week to make that happen? Set up lunch? Send an email? Offer to help with some project in their life?
Keep this list in the front of your Bible. Pray daily for them by name. Pray the Holy Spirit works in their hearts, drawing them to salvation (Romans 10:1). Pray for opportunities (Colossians 4:3). Pray for personal boldness (Ephesians 6:19-20). Share these prayer requests with one another. Ask others who they are praying for and help strategize for gospel purposes.
Hopefully this simple system will help focus you more intently on the actual work of evangelism. May we join together in prayer and effort to see Christ draw many to Himself!