Category: Evangelism

In recent decades, cultural trends toward secularization have served to marginalize believers and their faith. Church membership and attendance has decreased dramatically. How have most denominations sought to reverse this negative trend? By becoming relevant. Oh, the siren song of relevancy! In effect, there is a need to appeal to the carnal man, because a spiritual approach will not get them in the door! Has the Lord’s church been trending in the same direction? If so, how? And what is the proper response to a world that shows no interest in God?

The author of Hebrews writes, “Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing unto him; for he that comes to God must believe that…

I recently came across an internet article listing the 5 most hated YouTube videos in internet history. This list was based upon the number of…

Paul was perhaps the greatest evangelist of all time, but his success is not a secret. He was busy taking advantage of every opportunity to declare the whole counsel of God to everyone, calling upon them to obey the gospel. His care for the souls of men is shown in the fact that he was willing to suffer personally for their salvation. We must do the same.

In 2 Timothy 4:5, the Apostle Paul exhorted young Timothy, “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,…

We are so thankful for the message of the cross. You will notice that each gospel sermon recorded in the book of Acts, leading to the conversion of men, dealt with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus our Lord. Now, going back to Romans we noted that the gospel is God’s power to salvation. And, as those who have benefited from that message, we feel compelled to share it with others.

A very excellent fact to know is that all of the cases of conversion are very conveniently found in the Book of Acts. Added to this is the fact that all of these cases of conversion mention baptism. The prevailing denominational views of course minimize or eliminate the need for actual baptism over variations of grace only salvation.

Just think of it: India is rapidly advancing in technology and commerce; her people prospering as never before. I instantly fell in love with these kindhearted, hard working and very intelligent people. They are as fine a people as any in the world. India (Bharat, which is Hindi for “The Republic of India”) has about one billion people and this incomprehensible number makes me think of the Lord’s confident urging to believers in John 4:35, where he said, “..behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.“ If we claim to love Him, how can we resist this opportunity?

The soil tester turns up his nose at the man with tattoos and the coworker who is trying to quit smoking. He judges everyone under the age of 30 to be too wild and everyone over the age of 30 to be too old to change their ways. At the end of the day, the soil tester has not sown a single seed, but he feels justified because it is the soil’s inadequacies that are to blame. When Jesus returns, however, he is found to have wasted his opportunities as a poor steward of the seeds and he is cast into outer darkness as an unprofitable servant.

I fear that some brethren’s reticence to hear good, strong doctrinal lessons on topics such as the nature of God and Christ, why the Bible was written, apologetics, etc., will pay terrible dividends in the form of our children leaving the faith for these false, Eastern “notions.”

While I can not say that the work in India is more important than any other, it surely has a special place in my heart. These are good and faithful Christians, and the potential for the salvation of many souls is very clear. As is always the case, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (cf. Matthew 9:37).

May we all be careful and honest in both reporting our work and seeking support. Let us concentrate on the blessings God has promised the faithful and let nothing deter us from living in such a way as to reach our heavenly home (Col. 3:2; 2 Tim. 4:7-8).

May we get back to respecting and observing God’s order or pattern in all things. If you are a preacher, does your support come to you direct from a contributing church? Or does it come from a church that has been used to collect funds from other churches and then send those funds on to you? Are you worshiping with a church that is involved in such a sponsoring church arrangement? If so, that church is not following the divine pattern. Think about it.

The churches of Christ are probably taught all they can receive about mission work already; what they need is for more preachers to ‘lead out’ by going to some needy field and practicing what has been preached. If, now, these Western opportunities are to be slighted, how are we to frame an answer to our judge for not having embraced them? They are waiting, they are calling, they are dying – unheeded!”

Remember that every appeal to Christians to give of their financial means was accompanied with the work for which the money would be used. All giving in the New Testament was done for a work. None was ever given to accumulate and hold a large fund! May we all learn the lesson and do likewise!

Jesus saw the straying multitudes and was moved to compassion for them (Matt. 9:35-38). Their need compelled Him to work. Likewise, He calls upon us to be conscious of the condition of the people around us (they are lost in sin); to have compassion for them (be distressed to the point of action); and to be committed laborers in His harvest (praying and working). The work is before us. The call to labor is clear. With Isaiah, will we say (as we often sing), “Here am I, send me” (Isa. 6:8)?

Faithful churches of Christ are actively preaching the Great Commission and are reaching out to the community around them with its saving message. We are attempting to communicate the “good news” (gospel) of Christ today, just as it was delivered in the first century.

Because the poor will always be with us, we will come into contact with them from time to time. Good judgment should govern our conduct towards them. If it does not, there is a very real danger that any given preaching effort might be detoured away from its true purpose.

In less than a month I will have preached the Glorious Gospel of our Lord for fifty years. My only regret is that I don’t have another fifty to give. I know there is much work to be done yet in the Pacific Northwest as well as other places and I want to encourage men to rise to meet the challenge. Indeed, “the fields are white indeed unto harvest and the laborers are few”.

On January 3rd, 1997, JoAnn (my wife) and I left our home in Duncanville Texas and spent eleven months on an extended preaching trip, at least half of it in the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wisconsin and the province of Alberta Canada. The rest of the time was spent in my holding meetings in Ohio, Mississippi, W. Virginia and the south Texas area.