Evangel basically means 'Glad Tiding' or 'Good News'.
An evangelist is one who spreads or brings good news.
Evangelism is the activity of sharing the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,
"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
[ Matthew 28:18-20 New King James Version ]
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At the time of my conversion there was a lot of social unrest in America brought about by LSD, Hippies, Drop-Outs, and
Flower Children. One of the movements was the emergence of 'Jesus Freaks'; young people who had come to the Lord and
were out and about proclaiming Him as Savior. Being nearly forty years of age I was not in the mold of these youngsters, but
I applied the label to myself.
I was so filled with joy and enthusiasm I could hardly wait to tell my family. I wrote letters to my sister and brother saying I
had become a Jesus Freak and signed my letters "in Christ" or "In His Love". When I persisted in this they became concerned
and needed to know if I had lost my mind. A common and reasonable reaction in the thinking of the unbelievers.
Before long my youngest brother came to visit me in Ohio where I lived at the time. I subjected him to an unending stream of
testimony and excitement and hauled him to church with me; twice one Sunday to two different churches. I continued in my
new spiritual life and they continued to monitor me with check up phone calls and letters. Soon afterward I married for the
second time and we moved to Florida. We made plans to visit them in Texas at Thanksgiving and made the journey.
My brother and my brother-in-law were anxious to find out what had happened to me. Because of the changes they saw in me,
they wanted to get whatever it was I had. My sister was also drawn but had reservations about what she might have to give
up in the way of creature comforts and lifestyle. Nevertheless, after two days they had decided to take the steps into eternal life.
We sat in a circle on the floor in their family room. As we prepared to pray, their teenage daughter came in and asked if she could join in
and of course she was most welcome.
My new spouse and I began by telling the Lord why we were gathered and what we wished to do and asked for His blessing and
guidance. Then, each in their turn, four people prayed in repentance and invited Jesus into their hearts. They were filled with
a elation and wonder which was only the beginning. In our prayer we asked God to confirm to them that
they were saved and show Himself to them in some form.
Back in Florida, their phone calls came every couple of days. "Guess what the Lord did today!" Or, "You're not going to
believe what the Lord showed me today !" Of course that was a figure of speech. They knew I would believe He was very
present in their lives and helping them become fully convicted in the faith.
More than thirty years later they are stronger than ever in their faith and have helped others find the same peace, joy, and
abundant life in Christ that they enjoy. Since then I have seen each of my adult children become firm believers in
Jesus Christ and living the life to which He calls them. Salvation has spread to their children and hopefully it will continue
on into future generations. [ Exodus 20:6 ].
This kind of happening has been going on for about two thousand years.
One person tells another who tells another. Now you have an opportunity to share you happiness and gratitude with others. But how ?
How YOU can evangelize
Sharing the Good News IS evangelism.
You can share it with anyone. It is usually called 'witnessing'. When you share your experience of coming to the
Lord, you are giving witness to His love and power which is very good news indeed. Your most powerful witness will
be the evident joy which shines forth from you. When someone asks you why you are happy or what is different about
you, you can tell them.
There are a great many forms of organized evangelism: books, television, radio, concerts, meetings, conventions,
church services, revivals, billboards and signs, newsletters, media advertising. The list seems endless. It is truly
wonderful that the Good News is broadcast to the world. A small percentage of people will pick up and read a tract or
call a toll free number for more information or a free gift. Some will respond to an 'altar call' at a service or event.
Ultimately, I believe more people are effectively reached by personal evangelism, especially when the one who
shared Christ with them is available to help them begin the walk and provide spiritual support to bolster their faith
until it hardens against the clamors of the world and the onslaughts from the enemy. Satan knows if he can nip it in the
bud, the new believer will not follow through. The seed will never grow into what it can be.
Each conversion is like a stone dropped into a pond; the ripples spread outward and outward. But evangelizing should be
done intelligently with guidance from the Holy Spirit, otherwise it may be 'casting pearls before swine'. There are people who
seem to be called to shout out the Good News on street corners. Do they lead anyone to repentance? I don't know. When I
have seen them doing it, passersby avoided them.
In my new believer's zeal I waited impatiently for God to show me what I should do to spread the Word. I thought, what if
he calls me to be a missionary in China ? Later in life I realized that God does not work that way. He does not set people to tasks
they cannot perform. He doesn't demand from them actions without providing the gifts they need to do what it is. I was not
and am not suited to the life of a missionary in China or anyplace else. Aside from sharing my testimony with people I
meet who are open to hear it, this web site may be as close as I ever will get to spreading the Gospel. So be it. I am at
the Lord's disposal and will attempt to do what I believe He calls me to do. We each have our limitations in the
physical world.
What can you do to help build God's Kingdom ?
What do you WANT to do about it ?
It may be too early in your new life to deal with this question but if not, you can watch for doors opening on your path ...
doors of opportunity to share the Good News.
Every believer can help with some part of the plowing, sowing, planting and reaping. There is no one who is unable to do
something. Are you a midget or dwarf? Who better than you to witness to people with your unique life challenges ?
Are you unsighted or visually impaired ? Unless you are also a deaf mute you can talk by telephone or write letters
in Braille so others can be blessed. Are you confined to a wheelchair ? You can be a credible witness to others in a
like situation. Do you have a high income and heavy time commitments ? You can support ministries which deliver
the Gospel to others.
I personally am terrified of confined spaces. I can not bear the thought of entering a prison facility. But my brother and
several friends have been deeply involved in going into Florida prisons to meet with inmates, counsel them, pray with
them, give them spiritual support, and lead them into the Kingdom of God.
If I go into a nursing home filled with helpless aged people, I become frightened and can hardly wait to get out. But I
know people who visit the sick and elderly and minister to them joyfully in service to our Lord. So China and lots of
other things are not for me. I simply do what I can do when I can do it and the opportunity is there. I concentrate my
efforts on being the sort of person that makes other people want to know how I became like I am and when they ask,
I tell them as much as they will hear. I offer to pray with people who express a need. By pray with, I mean then and
there with their permission. If they decline that, I ask permission to pray for them on my own.
I encourage you, whoever you are and no matter your situation, to ask God to let you help Him in the work of saving
those who will be saved. He will not overburden you. Just be patient and follow the leading of the Spirit. If you are humble
and willing, He will use you to sow or to reap or to nurture the seed of the Word in someone. To have even a tiny part in
helping an unsaved person become a brother of Christ and child of God for eternity is an awesome thing. If it happens
for you and you discover it has happened because you did your part, you will never forget it and you will know the
joy of God smiling upon you.
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Then Jesus told them this parable:
"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.
Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
[ Luke 15:3-7 New International Version ]
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Angels in heaven are rejoicing over your coming into the Kingdom.
They will rejoice all the more when someone else comes in because of your help.
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