Evangelism and discipleship are two of the essential priorities of the church. During Jesus’s last encounter with his disciples, he commissioned them to go into the world and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). Instead of keeping God to ourselves, we share him with others. The sharing of our faith helps grow our relationship with God.
As we continue to share our faith, the reality of all that belongs to us because of Jesus sinks in more and more. We grow in the knowledge of who God is and who he says we are, and our witness becomes even more effective. We grow as we give God away; it’s a beautiful cycle. It’s also what Paul prayed for his friend Philemon. In his letter to Philemon, Paul prays that as Philemon shares his faith with others, he would continue to grow and be an effective witness for Jesus (Philemon 1:6).
Through the Gospels, we see how much Jesus loved people. We see it in his compassionate healings, his championing of outcasts, and his involvement in restoring sinners to God. Now that Jesus is in heaven, he has entrusted us with this work of reconciliation by sharing his good news with others (2 Corinthians 5:19). We are now his representatives on earth, inviting people to join God’s kingdom and enjoy Jesus forever.
As we grow in our relationship with God, our love for people grows also. Evangelism looks like more than preaching a sermon or sharing a brochure or even participating in a short-term mission trip. While words are necessary to communicating the gospel, evangelism is also about what we do. We share God every day by the way we live, letting our God-influenced actions mark us as his children. God gives us opportunities to display his character among people who don’t yet share our faith. We maintain our composure in front of a boss who flies off the handle. We cook food and run errands for a sick neighbor. We apologize when we have offended someone.
We model what it means to be a disciple and show others how Jesus’s presence affects every part of our lives. As we continue to mature on our spiritual journey, we make more room for God and have a great capacity to reflect Jesus. And as our neighbors see us living out our salvation, we pray that it creates a longing for him in their hearts.
I have a list of people who I pray for all the time. I think actions speak louder than words sometimes, so I tend to help many of my friends and neighbors. I also think people see how you live your life and how you put God first in your life speaks volumes.
My sister needs Jesus. She isn’t a follower and has been hurt by the church. I see her suffer so much in life trying to live it on her own. I share Jesus with her through showing her my constant surrender to God. That it’s impossible to do this life on your own. Though we share troubles and stress and complicated life events I pray my faith in God of being able to walk with me through tough times shows her there is another way. I liked today’s message about evangelism being more than words. It’s not my strongest spiritual gift to evangelize but now that I see it as something that can also happen through actions, I am looking at it through a new lens.
During this time of COVID 19 bible study together and praying together Would and could help so much more
Agree. We really have to be intentional in all our relationships, including our relationship with the Lord and the community of believers. It was so much easier before…
I’ve been sharing the things of the LORD with a dear young friend. She’s very interested and asking lots of questions especially regarding the things going on in our society right now. We talk alot of end times prophecy. I’m learning as she asks questions.
What a blessing to have a person to mentor and to learn from in the process.
I have one brother and 2 sisters-in-law that need Jesus. While my brother says he believes in God I am not sure he has a relationship with Jesus. I don’t think his wife does and although my other sister-in-law talks about God her beliefs seem to not have the assurance of eternal life with Christ. I regularly text to maintain contact and call when I get responses back. I was encouraged that this brother did FaceTime and my other brother called me. Please join me in prayers for discernment on how to approach boldly and with love.
Father, brother, ex husband… Acts 4:29
I need to be bold and try again, even when/if I’m rebuffed.
Well, first of all, the one who needs MORE JESUS is ME. I am a sinner and ask for God’s forgiveness. Lord, please give me the capacity to want you more, to love and seek you more…and that by doing so let my heart for you grow. Let that light shine. I PRAY for my husband to find his way back to you…he had a tenuous relationship with God many years back but he turned away because of some painful things in his life. He felt God had let him down…it was just the opposite, but my husband did not see that. Pray for him that he will find God and maybe in the process find himself. He is so lost and so sad. My heart breaks for him..and for us. I pray for our daughter…mid20’s…help her to know God. Lord, please put pure and loving people in her path, followers of Jesus. Help her to seek Him. I stumbled thru most of my life, until at the age of 59, I FINALLY believed. I pray for her that she does not go thru her whole life like I did….I feel like I missed so many years not having God in my life
Help me, Lord to shine your loving light. I feel you dwelling in me and it brings me such joy. Help me to share that joy with those around me. I try.