Know: You are an Evangelist
Do: Get to know your neighbors
You are inadvertently sharing something or evangelizing for something all the time. (Motorcycles, Camping, Cynicism, DWTS,)
Gospel = Good News
"You were courageous and honest and you got the goods for confessing! Way to go!!"
-a young woman who was angry with her brother for leaving her due to a drug addiction
-a young woman who binge drinks and dates men from other faiths
-a woman who felt she had broken up a marriage and drank too much
-a woman who confessed being self-centered
-a woman who was angry with her Ex for the sexual abuse of her children
-a woman who felt alcohol had “gotten” her
-a woman who was angry with her fiancée
-a man who drank too much
-a man who felt he had to perform for love
-a man who admitted sexual addiction
I heard from others who received confessions of marital infidelity, a woman who had the secrecy of an abortion 16 years earlier and had never told anyone, eating disorders, …
I will remember the depth of the pain people were sharing was overwhelming. They weren't confessing that they gossiped a little or stole something from the candy store when they were 8 (although those are valid confessions!). I had confessions of men lusting after women who weren't their wives, women having eating disorders trying to fill themselves with food and not God, drug addicts who neglected their children. Heavy, heavy stuff. I think what I remember is looking into each person's eyes when I told them they were forgiven and seeing the tears well up in each one of them and the weight physically be lifted off of them. I will be honest when I say, I didn't know if our community would take the challenge to confess and they did and it FREED them! Right before my eyes. It was amazing.
John 1:29
…he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Decking of America
Evangel or evangelon: Good news or news that brings joy. This was a normal word which meant history, life-making news. There is an ancient roman inscription, which starts “The beginning of the gospel of Caesar Augustus.” It is the story of his birth and coronation. Caesar changed everything.
Another example of how gospel or “evangelist” is seen is in the ancient war between Greece and Persia. When the Greeks won the sea battle of salamis and the battle of marathon. After the Greeks won the battle of marathon legend says they sent a runner to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping and burst into the Senate, exclaiming, “We have won.” He immediately collapsed and died of a heart attack. Other heralds or evangelists were also sent throughout the land proclaiming the good news of freedom.
The Battle of Salamis has been described by many historians as the single most significant battle in human history. Many historians argue that Greece's ensuing independence laid the foundations for Western civilization, most notably from the preservation of Athenian democracy, the concept of individual rights, relative freedom of the person, true philosophy, and art and architecture. Had the Persians won at Salamis, it is very likely that Xerxes would have succeeded in conquering all the Greek nations and passing to the European continent, thus preventing Western civilization's growth (and even existence). Given the influence of Western civilization on world history, as well as the achievements of Western culture itself, a failure of the Greeks to win at Salamis would almost certainly have had seriously important effects on the course of human history
They sent heralds (evangelists) who went to all the cities who proclaimed, “We have fought for you and you are free.” That is a gospel. That is The gospel. Something has been done for you in history that changes your status forever. This is different from your religion or spirituality, which gives you advice.
It isn’t about behaving better. It is about believing better.
Colossians 1:5-7
Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,
John previously said, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
John 1:35-42
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
Andrew was touched deeply and he couldn’t help but share it. We do this with everything. Those of us who have iPhones were rabid evangelists. I switched insurance carriers and saved 30%. I’m a rabid evangelist for that company whenever car insurance comes up.
Nothing has effected my life more than Jesus on a day in day out basis. It isn’t that I have fire insurance that keeps me from burning when I die… though that is nice. It is that on a day in day out basis I experience His good news. So I’m still acting like Andrew in normal environments like where I work out…
If you can’t see it you can’t do it. --Albert Einstein
Our “backyard” doesn’t mean having people in the literal back yard of your home. It means wherever you naturally reside, interacting with people in meaningful and verbal ways.
Philemon 6
And I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ
This isn’t about getting more people to come to Crossroads. This isn’t about having you fulfill some Biblical duty. It is about experiencing in increasingly fresh ways the amazing Character of God.
“If sinners be damned at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. If they will perish let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarranted and unprayed for.” -- Charles Spurgeon
The Gospel Spreads Through Three Intentional Practices…
PERSON
The greatest evangelists are always those who are freshest with Jesus. They are the ones who have just experienced something and they need it to with others…
There was an organization that did a study years ago. I’m not sure if these numbers still hold true today but I know that it is definitely the trend. 90% of all new followers of Christ have no significant friends 6 months later. That is sad. Stay in your relational spheres that you were in when you came to know Christ.
He has planted you there to be his evangelist. His messenger. If you are doing beers on the back deck keep doing that. If you are in a golf club, keep doing that. If you go to vegas once a year with your College friends, keep doing that. I would stop the lap dances but you know what I’m talking about.
Those who received Jesus are going to be the ones who are talking about Him. I’ve never talked about God because it was my duty. I talk about Him and what others to experience Him because He has effected my very being. He is how I’ve received grace. He is why…
PLACE
You must be intentional. It doesn’t naturally happen anymore.
Romance your friends. You would listen to anything that the person you are infatuated with has to say. You would pray about them. You would bless them. You would learn how to talk to them. You would do things with them physically that they like to do. You would eat together. You would tell them your personal story/journey. You would pop the question.
I Thessalonians 2:8-10
being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
This is what is so harmful about God billboards on the side of the road,and signs that are held on the corner. The come outside of a person to person interaction and customized perspective.
PITCH
(Pick up softball and pitch it)
We aren’t talking about throwing fastball or trick pitches. I’m talking about the kind of pitch you want your kid to hit. It is easy, simple and undramatic.
(Give Model Gospel Explanation)
4 Windows
1) You aren’t crazy. I believe you… (Validate)
2) I too have had…. (Identify)
3) Did you….?... (Clarifying Questions)
4) I believe that… (Bring In Your Brand)
Jesus wanted to establish a permanent revolution not a civil religion.
