Evangelism: Building Bridges Of Love

Building Bridges of Love

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Matthew 9:37-38

Fulfilling the Great Commission has never been easy. As Christ’s ambassadors, we are commanded to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

We believe the Good Shepherd can rescue anyone—yet we wrestle with questions of discernment:

Who has been given over to a reprobate mind? (Romans 1:28)

Who has been chosen by God for redemption? (Ephesians 1:4–5)

Still, we press on, “giving reason for the hope we have in Christ” (1 Peter 3:15), trusting that our labor in the Lord will never be in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). We pray that our feet might be called “beautiful” (Romans 10:15) as we bring the gospel to those who do not yet know that while we were still enemies, Christ died for us (John 3:16).

As we look upon the vastness and complexity of our world, it’s easy to feel intimidated by the task before us. Many resist giving their hearts to Jesus—some on intellectual grounds, others for emotional reasons, still others for moral or cultural ones. They avoid the Light because it exposes their sin (John 3:19). The god of this age has blinded their minds (2 Corinthians 4:4), dulling spiritual hunger and stirring fear of what others might think.

And yet, despite the challenges, we continue the mission—planting and watering seeds in hope that some may come to know Jesus as Lord.

________________________________________

Big Idea

We build bridges of love by listening like Philip, repenting like Peter, pausing like Paul, and believing like Barnabas.

________________________________________

Listen Before You Speak

(Acts 8:26–40)

Before we can reach hearts, we must first take time to understand them—and no story illustrates this better than Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch.

An angel of the Lord directed Philip to travel along the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza. There he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a high-ranking official serving the queen of Ethiopia, returning home after worshiping in Jerusalem. As he rode in his chariot, reading from Isaiah, the Holy Spirit prompted Philip to approach. When the eunuch admitted he didn’t understand the passage, Philip joined him and explained that it spoke of Jesus Christ. The eunuch believed, asked to be baptized, and went on his way rejoicing.

From Philip we learn much about effective evangelism. The eunuch’s achievements were great, but his heart was empty. He sought God but was turned away by religious exclusion (Deuteronomy 23:1). Yet God saw his heart and sent Philip—not to argue, but to listen, understand, and share the gospel.

Philip looked beyond the man’s past and obeyed the Spirit, showing us that no one is beyond redemption. When God sends us to witness, we are not casting pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6); we are extending grace to those He is already drawing to Himself. “The Father of compassion and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4) calls us to pass that same comfort on. For “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

________________________________________

Practical Ways to Listen Well

1. Listen with genuine curiosity—not to argue, but to love.

2. Listen for the heart beneath the words. Pain, guilt, or fear often reveal where the gospel must heal.

3. Listen with the Holy Spirit’s help. Ask Him to show what lies beneath the surface.

4. Listen without judgment. Create safe space for honesty. Christ did not come to condemn but to save (John 3:17).

5. Listen for gospel bridges. Look for moments where grace meets need.

“I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22)

________________________________________

Refrain:

Bridge builders listen, repent, pause, and believe the best.

________________________________________

Look Within Before You Go

(Acts 10:1–48)

Before we can effectively reach others, we must let the Holy Spirit confront our own assumptions and prepare our hearts to love as Christ loves.

In Acts 10, a devout Roman centurion named Cornelius—generous and prayerful—received a vision instructing him to send for Peter. Meanwhile, Peter, praying on a rooftop, saw a sheet filled with animals and heard a voice: “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” (Acts 10:13). Then God declared, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

When Cornelius’s messengers arrived, the Spirit told Peter to go. At Cornelius’s home, Peter preached Christ’s death and resurrection, and while he spoke, the Holy Spirit fell on all who listened. The wall between Jew and Gentile crumbled.

Peter had learned that salvation was for all—but still, God needed to clear his heart of prejudice. He gave Peter a vision three times, matching the three denials and restorations, until Peter fully surrendered to God’s inclusive grace.