Our Month Of Evangelism

With great delight and praise to God in the name of Jesus I wholeheartedly welcome you to the month of our Evangelism. It is my prayer that as you embrace this spiritual activity afresh God whom you are working for will compensate you in a big way.

The Church, Ecclesia, you and I have been given the Great Commission, the 'Go Ye' Commission, the process which is now called Evangelism, Soul Winning and preaching the good news. This month I want to encourage you to revisit the issue of evangelism individually, family- wise, as a denomination, ministry, fellowship and para- fellowship. Let us not just talk about it, let us share the good news of Jesus willingness to save the greatest sinner.

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18.

I like the watchword for Christ Apostolic Church worldwide this year- "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom 10:13

Our job this month is to encourage someone to call on the name of the Lord. God promises to handle the rest. Let us stop complaining about Islamization (God has given us the antidote to any evil agenda) let us carry out and propagate Jesuslization or if you prefer Christianization! Our God is able to save to the uppermost. Meaning we are on the winning side.

What is evangelism? Evangelism is the spreading of the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness. The English word "evangelism" comes from the Greek word euaggelion. Most literally translated in the noun form, euaggelion means: "gospel" or "good news." Evangelism is sharing the Good News. Evangelism, the communication of the gospel message, includes a warning, an explanation, and a call. Evangelism includes warning people about sin and the consequences of sin (John 16:8; Acts 24:25; Revelation 20:11-15) The Good News for Jesus was the radical, world-turning-upside-down nature of the Kingdom of God; for the apostles it was that Jesus is risen from the dead; and for Paul it was that salvation is open to anyone, Jew or otherwise.

Evangelism is the act of witnessing, telling the story of your life encounter with Jesus to other people in a way to help them know more about Jesus so that they can make an informed decision as to whether to accept Jesus. Conversion is God's in-breaking into a person's life such that that person becomes a Christian; salvation is what we believe happens when people put their trust and faith in God; baptism is the act of welcoming someone into God's family; proselytism is forceful evangelism.

A young member of our church sent this dream to me. "I saw four people sitting in a place and a spirit descended upon two like a dove, they flew and landed in another place. Two others were still in same place and there was confusion everywhere, people started shouting, it's the rapture! It's the rapture!! it's the rapture !!!" From that revelation, I believe evangelism is also warning the people about rapture!

Why must we evangelize? Why should we go to people and offer them the Gospel? As we look at Scripture and the example of Jesus, an online website offers five compelling reasons.

1. Jesus took the initiative to come to us. Jesus came to "seek and save" the lost We do not seek God according to Romans 3:10-12. God has always been the one pursuing us. During His life, Jesus was continually pursuing people and speaking with them about the Kingdom. Jesus also sent His disciples out two-by- two, from village to village to proclaim the kingdom. (Luke 9:1-6 & Luke 10: 1-11)

2. Jesus commanded us to go and take the gospel to all peoples. Read Mark 16:15 and John 20:21 - just as the Father sent Jesus into the world to pursue people, so He has sent us.

3. The example of the apostles and the early church. As you read through the book of Acts, it is quite clear that the apostles and other leaders in the church were continually going to people and not waiting for people to come to them - some of the many examples in Acts: Acts 5:42 in the temple and from house to house. Acts 8:4-13 Phillip to Samaria .Acts 10 Peter to the Gentiles. Acts 13-21 Paul's third missionary journey.

4. People cannot and will not hear unless we go to them. Read Romans 10:13-15. Some people do not have an existing relationship with someone who can explain to them the gospel. The Gospel cannot spread relationally for some, because there is no relationship unless someone goes and establishes one.

5. God is preparing the hearts of people to hear the Good news. There are some who are ready and want to know, and all we have to do is be willing to be used.