Dear Members and Friends of IBCZ,
As a young man starting at Bible college I was challenge by a question posed in one of my classes, “When have you ever shared the gospel?” The truth was that I was very ignorant about what to share and how to go about it. That question bothered me and I set about finding out how to share my faith with people who did not know Christ. In fact, in the end I graduated with a major in evangelism. A book that was of great help to me was, “How to give away your faith” by Paul Little. It has been updated and is still in print.
“Even if utterly selfish, and had no care for anything, but my own happiness, I would choose, if I might, under God, to be a soul winner; for never did I know perfect, overflowing, and unutterable happiness of the purest and most ennobling order till I first heard of one who had sought and found the Saviour through my means. No young mother, ever so rejoiced over her firstborn child.” These are the words of one who was a great winner of souls, Charles H. Spurgeon. This seems an extravagant statement but to those who have shared the gospel it is real. The fact is that this “perfect, overflowing, and unutterable happiness” is within the reach of every believer, no matter how inadequate they may feel.
When Jesus Christ looked on the multitudes “he had compassion for them” (Matthew 9:36). The word compassion is made up of two words. Passion means “to suffer” and “com” means “with”; so, the compound simply means “to suffer with”. Do we know what it is to suffer with those around us? Henry Jowett in his book, A Passion for Souls, notes that “the gospel of a broken heart demands the ministry of a bleeding heart”. He adds, “We can never heal the needs that we do not feel”.
Paul had a gospel passion. “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” (Romans 9:3). What does he mean? Paul meant that he would rather have surrendered his own salvation if, by doing so, his people the Jews could have been saved. That’s gospel passion – the kind that moved Scotsman John Knox to agonize “Give me Scotland or I die!”
God’s purpose for our lives here on earth include worship, being a disciple, serving, fellowship, and evangelism. Sharing the gospel is the only one we will not do in heaven, and therefore must be given urgency now.
Have you ever thought…?
- Why did God choose me?
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit” John 15:16.
- How can one be a true disciple?
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” John 15:5.
- How can I prove that I truly love Christ?
“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me…” John 14:21.
- What was the first command that Christ’s gave?
“Follow me.” John 1:43
- What was Christ’s last command?
“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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20
- Is this really the correct thing to do?
“…he that wins souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30
- What will be the final outcome of all this?
“And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:2, 3
What influences people to find Christ?
1% – ‘cold canvassing’
2% – a special need
3% – church program
5% – Sunday School
79% – a friend/relative
- Institute for American Church Growth
This Sunday:
09:15 An inter-active study on “Sharing your faith”. Please join us as we learn how to introduce a gospel conversation, make a biblical gospel presentation, and disciple a new believer.
10:00 Church Prayer Meeting
10:30 Worship Service: sermon, “What God Wants”, Romans 12:1-6; followed by a time of fellowship.
Your friend and pastor,
Bruce