|
 Dear
Saints:
I've
been thinking about evangelism lately.
Actually,
I think about it frequently. One can't read the Bible (particularly
the New Testament) without noticing its importance to the early church.
We
may read about the fledgling community of faith in Acts, which, by
its intentional display of unity in life and worship, attracted many
of the curious.
We
may read the mystical prologue to John's Gospel that captivated its
first century readers with otherworldly language concerning "the Word."
We
may read the more analytically minded Paul who in his famous letter
to the Roman church provided them with a compendium of his theology
of justification by grace.
We
may read the parables of Jesus, himself—so
richly conveyed by Matthew, Mark, and Luke—that
were designed to shatter the perceptual world of his audience. Or,
we may read the stories of those in the Scriptures (like Mary
Magdalene or Zacchaeus) whose lives were radically altered by their
encounter with the rabbi from Nazareth.
Each
of these illustrations shows how significant evangelism was to the
early church. Nor have I even mentioned the direct references to the
subject! Two of the most well known would be Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:18-20.
The
first of these, Jesus says to his disciples, "But you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be
my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
ends of the earth." In the second, we hear Jesus say again
in what is commonly known as the "Great Commission" to the
church, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given
to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you."
Soon
we'll be celebrating the Festival of Pentecost. On this day, we'll
recall the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on the first century
church and pray that God will bless and empower us in similar
fashion. With this, and what has been previously said, in mind, I
would like to jot down just a few thoughts concerning evangelism and
our congregation.
First,
evangelism is not relegated to a committee, but is the calling of
the church—both
as a whole and in its parts. God calls us corporately to tell the
good news of Jesus. We might do this in any number of ways. As did
the church in Acts 2, we may choose to intentionally display the
unity we have in Christ as a congregation, with our synod, and with
the larger church—nationally
and internationally—(and
also with other denominations as we have with the Episcopal church
and certain Reformed churches). God also calls us to share the gospel
individually. There is no substitute for the person who says to
another concerning Jesus, "Come and see." (cf. John 1:43-51) Apparently,
nearly 80 percent of those who visit a church do so at the
invitation of another person. When did you last invite someone to St. Matthew?
Second,
evangelism happens in as may ways as there are people. We saw this
from the various illustrations I gave above. Methods may be helpful,
but nothing can replace genuine enthusiasm.
Third,
evangelism takes places under the authority of Jesus and in the
power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "All authority...has
been given to me...Go therefore...." He also said, "But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you."
We may do many things in the church that look like evangelism, but
unless they're done by his authority and in the power of the Spirit,
they're only cheap imitations.
Fourth,
evangelism isn't about increasing church membership, but about
introducing others to Jesus. It just so happens that people come to
know him best in the context of the believing community where the
gospel and the sacraments are rightly proclaimed and administered.
So,
that's what I have been thinking about lately. I have a vision for
this congregation. I imagine each and every one of us passionately
involved in ministry, the first and last order of business being, as
I perceive it—evangelism.
I am convinced, too, that we'll see that vision realized when we're
able to transcend the old, antiquated perception of evangelism as
being done by a committee only and, in the power of God's Spirit,
become proactive in sharing the good news of Jesus with others.
Therefore,
I invite you to join me in prayerfully considering how God might
creatively use us to be his witnesses to Jerusalem (Columbus), Judea
and Samaria (Georgia), and to the ends of the earth.
Grace
and peace,
Pastor
Larry |
