By Aleena Denison
We see everything with new eyes when we put our trust in Jesus Christ, and we want everyone we know to see things as we see them. As we share the truths of God's Word, the Bible, and tell others about Jesus, we try to make ourselves clear, and often seek help from people we look upon as experienced. But what should we do when we find out that two people we sought to follow strongly disagree on approach? Should we just flip a coin and to choose one and reject the other for the rest of our lives?
Rather than using the Bible as the foundation in teaching us how to approach evangelism, we sometimes have a propensity to follow the teachings of people, either because they seem to present a clear case, or because we feel we can relate personally. There is nothing wrong with following or relating to certain people, as long as they are following the truths of God's Word. God sets the standard for relationship with Him and others. Every evangelism approach and idea must be viewed in light of the Bible's principles. So what is the basic look of evangelism according to the Bible?
• Well, first of all, way back in the Old Testament, Got selected a certain nation to be a representation of the relationship between God and all humankind. This nation was Israel. By agreeing to be God's chosen people, they were showing the world who God is, what He's like, how He connects with people, and what He requires for anyone to come to Him. The nations surrounding this small group of people saw the true God through the lives and worship of Israel. The evangelism principle for us? "In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
• The life of Jesus Christ is probably one of the first places we go when we want to know how we ought to act in any given situation, because He was God in the flesh, doing everything according to the will of the Father. How did He approach evangelism? The first thing that should jump out at us is that He was never too busy to spend time in prayer. In fact, it was a priority for Him, the basis around which everything else was accomplished. In the pages of Scripture we see Him drawing away to be alone in prayer, and getting up early, before it was light outside, to be in the presence of the One whom He served. For an Old Testament example, we can look at Daniel. Many people saw Daniel's God because of his faithfulness to prayer.
• Seen in the actions of Jesus choosing 12 to learn from Him, we learn from the Bible that evangelism goes hand in hand with discipleship. He built relationships for the express purpose of bringing people to Himself. If we look back in the Old Testament, we can see that this approach in discipleship was around for a long time. Moses was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of slavery, and in the background we see a young man learning from Moses not only how to lead, but Who he was serving as he led. That man was Joshua, and he was able to see up close what God's relationship with mankind was through Moses.
• Another look of evangelism comes in the form of sacrifice. From sacrificing time, money, popularity, etc., or giving our very lives, we can allow many people to see the true God whom we serve, often without even realizing it. In a world where priorities are self-focused and everyone is trying to obtain or become the best, those who continually give of themselves for the glory of God will be noticed, and doors will be opened. The Bible speaks very clearly about what it takes to serve Christ. "If anyone wants to be my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me." (Mark 8:34) See also Luke 14:26. We must see as infinitely more important than anything our love and service to God.
Don't stop with these few looks at evangelism! Delve into God's Word and see what more He has to say about reaching people for His glory! Be careful not to look only to other people, but study His Word first, then look to see who is following Him.
Aleena Denison has a heart for seeing the message of the Bible presented in a clear way,and is dedicated to sharing Jesus with the lost and helping believers see their responsibilities in evangelism, discipleship, and Bible study.
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