TJC eLibrary Item

(Personal Evangelism)

The Greatest Mission of Christians

Drill on Personal Evangelism

Foreword

I. Evangelism—the Greatest Mission of Christians

A. Before the ascension of Jesus, He commanded the disciples to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk 16:15, 16).

B. The Lord chose the believers by His grace, and they should give freely what they have received freely (Mt 10:8; 1 Pet 2:9; cf. Mk 5:18, 19).

C. The disciples received the fullness of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and preached the gospel to the end of the earth. The True Church of the last days should preach the gospel even more to all the world (Lk 4:18, 19; Acts 1:8; Rom 10:15; Jn 20: 21, 22; Mal 4: 5, 6).

D. The gospel possesses God’s mighty power, having the ability to save all who believe. It is the way of life in which souls are saved, and is the word of eternal life and heavenly kingdom (Rom 1:16; Acts 5:20; Jas 1:21; Eph 1:13; Mt 24:14). It has the blessing of double promises for this life and the life to come.

II. The Urgency for Evangelism—Calls of Distress from Every Corner of the World

A. God said, “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” (Isa 6:8)

B. The Lord Jesus saw that the crowds were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. And He said, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Mt 9:36, 37).

C. A man of Macedonia stood beseeching Paul and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9).

D. The rich man cried out in Hades, “I am tormented in this flame.” He also said: “...I beg you… that you would send [Lazarus] to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment” (Lk 16:23-24, 27-28).

III. Methods of Evangelism—Casting the Net or Fishing with a Rod

A. Mass evangelism: using chapels, meeting/conference rooms, factories, prisons, retirement homes, hospitals, and other locations (Acts 5:19, 20; Lk 12:1; 5:5-7).

B. Personal evangelism: having no fixed time or location, appropriate for anyone (Jn 1:40-46). Some advantages are as follows:

1. May be performed at any time or location

2. Inexpensive; anyone is suitable for the work

3. Ease of catering to personal needs, more realistic results

IV. Examples from Jesus and the Apostles

A. Jesus preached to the Samaritan woman (Jn 4:7-42).

B. The Lord’s discussion with Nicodemus (Jn 3:1-15; 7:45-52; 19:39).

C. The Lord called Zacchaeus (Lk 19:1-10; Mt 9:9).

D. Andrew brought Simon to Jesus (Jn 1:35-42; Gal 2:7-9).

E. Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus (Jn 1:43-51).

F. Philip preached to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40).

G. Paul’s work (Acts 20:20).