THE NEED FOR BOLD EVANGELISM

Christian Today  11 February 2024 | 7:53 AM,/(Photo: Getty/iStock)

Counties UK has published a new book on how the Gospel can be shared well in difficult Twenty-First Century Britain, when many churches are closing and it is difficult to attract young people.

Martin Erwin, CEO of Counties, spoke to Christian Today about making Jesus known today and tomorrow and how Christians and churches can confidently share the Gospel.

How was the book made?

Martin: faith in the Gospel has declined. We wanted to offer something that would encourage Christians to spread the good news because the Evangelical Church in the UK is going through difficulties and shrinking back. This is because they are still "the power of salvation to all who believe" (Romans 1: 16). Our hope is that Christians and church leaders will not only read the book themselves but also consider giving copies of the book to bless others.

Does the post-Covid environment and secularism challenge evangelism?

Martin: secularism presents some problems, but I think we are better off seizing the opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ than spending time and energy fighting it. It has to do with returning to having faith in the Gospel because the Gospel can stand on its own and the spirit of God can use what we say. The rise of secularism can make us think that we no longer have a foothold. However, I believe we should look at it in a different way.

In terms of COVID-19, some interesting data emerged in the first few months of this year showing that around 25% of Britons seek spiritual information online, mostly on Christian themes. We also know that courses like Alpha and Christianity Explored are seeing an increase in online engagement.

What is clear is that people crave meaning and purpose below the surface. Therefore, I encourage Covid to encourage people to trust more.

Since the Pandemic, there may be a decrease in the number of people attending Sunday services in churches. However, it has definitely opened people's hearts to learn the Gospel in a way we never saw before COVID-19. This should give us new hope.

What advice would you give to Christians who have trouble sharing their faith?

Martin: I remember a golfer in my church. After arriving at the county conference, he felt inspired to bear witness to what he saw, so he invited his golf friends to our Christmas carols with candles service. About six of them came with their spouses. He doesn't use all firearms because he's not a professional evangelist! He just thought, "What can I do?"and invited them to our carol service, where the Gospel was shared and invitations to the next Alpha Course were given.

I would advise you to take subtle initial steps and work with your local church to offer opportunities and events to invite others to where the Gospel is shared. After that, invite your friends.

It seems like the partnership between the individual and the church is essential for evangelism?

Martin: This is very important for church leaders. My evangelist friend said that one of the problems in the UK is that although there are many evangelical churches, they are not Evangelistic churches.

For evangelism, we must create spaces and stepping stones. Although parent and toddler groups have high attendance rates, many churches fail to facilitate the next steps for these families.

The church may consider whether simple events can encourage people to research Jesus.

I really encourage church leaders to think about disciple making and what we call the "discipleship pathway". How can the church make it easy for ordinary Christians to bring their friends there?

I would really encourage those who are Christians to pray the prayer found in the New Testament Church in Acts, which is, "God give us courage and boldness."Faith is the belief that the time will come, and the Holy Spirit will give us the courage to tell the truth and be witnesses where we are now.

What about the work environment?

Martin: in my opinion, the same principle applies. Even though I had served as governor of a local school whose environment was rather secular, there were still some opportunities, even in this place, because people would tell me that I was a Christian, and that gave me the opportunity to offer myself to pray for them.

Some people may be afraid of rejection, but I never was. You just need a little courage to put God in that place believing that he was already there and has come before us.

We must also bear in mind that there are individuals who are constantly in search. Gain the courage to talk to God and use the opportunities he gives them gently. Believe in what God has done and that he only asks us to join him.

What methods should we use to interact with adolescents?

Martin: young people in general, especially teenagers, are very fond of honesty and compassion. Although we may not agree with all their perspectives, we must recognize that it comes from a compassionate heart and wanting the best for others. That means we have to be genuine; don't try to be someone else. We don't need to hide our identity; instead, we should be grateful for the way we spread the good news.

Martin: even though the pandemic is over, I would encourage churches to continue doing services online. Don't just go back to where you were; take digital opportunities to engage with others, build community, and cultivate curiosity about the Gospel.

ChatNow.org is one of the very effective online resources for people who need someone to talk to or want to know more about Jesus. The Platform allows Christian visitors and volunteers to talk online, generating thousands of chats each month.

Despite the fact that technology does not fit your region, try to consult with experts and establish relationships with ministries or organizations that already have capabilities that your congregation members may not have.

What would you say to a smaller church that feels that they do not have enough funds or human resources to hold evangelism?

Martin: there may be a significant difference in mindset between the once large and now small churches, which are struggling on the one hand, and the churches that have just been planted on the other.

Small churches that were once large often experience feelings of loss and crisis. This mindset is perhaps the biggest obstacle to effective evangelism.

We collaborate extensively with church planters, and the majority of our church planting teams initially consisted of a small group of individuals, without any congregation or with congregations of approximately twelve people. However, their mindset is very different.

They differ in their view of God's action potential. However, my motivation for any small church, in any situation, is that smaller churches have better statistics for reaching people than larger churches. They may be the only Christians living in the city or nearby.

It is very important to ask God for courage and clarity and faithfully continue what God has given them. Like Moses, he did the same when God told him to use the staff in his hand. It seemed like it was just an insignificant Shepherd's staff, but when it was given to God, it became a source of miracles and change for the Children of Israel. Therefore, a seemingly small church, which can easily be viewed negatively due to setbacks and losses, actually has a much greater value than it seems.

A small church in Somerset Levels, which I visited recently, is an excellent example. When they asked for support from the district a few years ago, they almost closed. They are now starting a second home group. They don't think about how small they are or that they can't do anything. Instead, they consider different perspectives and consider the consequences they can generate for their community in a rational way. So do not be sad; God starts small things with big things, and that is always true in the Kingdom.

Where is the best place to start evangelizing, and who can do it?

Martin: I think it's clear that some people have a special calling to be evangelists. In Ephesians 4 it is told us that God gives evangelists to the church to equip God's people for their ministerial work.

However, as Jesus said in Acts 1: 8, all his followers were called to be witnesses. Are we good witnesses? Are we influencing witnesses? What kind of actions do we do?

Everyone can get better at doing the work of evangelism, and there are some simple things we can do to do so, such as reading books about evangelism that will challenge and inspire us. Canon J John's This Is a Good Question is a good question, and 10ofThose.com provide some good books on the subject. Read inspiring books, learn, and do something.

Asking a colleague a question at work is an easy way to do it. If you know someone who is having a hard time, you can tell them, "I've been praying for you, and I found this and thought it might help."

Learn the first few simple, small steps, then do them, and see what God will do. For example, give a child two loaves of bread and five fish, and see what he can do.

So, to answer that question, not everyone can be an evangelist; however, everyone has the ability to evangelize, and everyone is called to be a witness wherever they are.

Are you more optimistic or pessimistic about our current Gospel witness when looking at the Church of England today?

Martin: There are Christians in our country who know and love Jesus and want to know how to share the good news with their friends. The Gospel is still strong. The church is shrinking and breaking down as that challenge and our dependence on God increases.

If you believe the prophecy, The Church is unlikely to exist in 2050 or later. However, we realize that prophecy is wrong because it ignores the power and work of God. We are desperate and must kneel for the state of our church and country, and we must also pray for those who are lost and do not know Jesus.

However, in this case, I am more optimistic than pessimistic because we will arrive at the day when Jesus comes back and takes us home, which may not be too far away, or we will see more outpouring of God's Holy Spirit upon our nation.

The Lord listens to the prayers of the faithful, and I believe that the opportunities to spread the Gospel are greater than ever in these difficult times. And I ask Christians to stand up and boldly spread the good news about Jesus more than ever before. If we do, the fields will be ready for harvest.

God has Results waiting for us; we just have to be brave and go. The point of our book is to tell people that the Gospel is still relevant; Jesus remains Lord and hope for all nations. As a result, I am optimistic. Therefore we remain and continue to encourage people to share the Gospel.

News Sources : https://www.christiantoday.com/article/the.need.for.bold.evangelism/141367.htm