Reaching the World
By: Pastor Kent Wise
Introduction
The primary text for developing my theological perspective on Evangelism is found in the Gospel of Matthew 28:16-20.
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV)
This pericope is commonly known as the Great Commission. For the purposes of this paper, this text will serve as the primary text with other scriptures in support. Scriptures supporting evangelism are found in both the Old and New Testament. Making disciples for Christ should be our primary focus as believers.
In the Matthew text, Jesus gives his disciples one last command. “Go and teach all nations” is the assignment that Jesus gives them. It is the same assignment that Jesus gives to us today. An assignment that is not being carried out in most mainline churches today. Making disciples is such a foreign concept in many churches that generations are missing among the members. No denomination appears to be exempt from this opportunity of lost membership and generations.
The United Methodist Church has suffered membership declines for three successive years. Last year, the church realized a net decrease of 69,141 members. Only one conference in the United States realized a net gain of membership. Frantically, the Bishops and Evangelism Board are trying to solve the problem. However, in my opinion, they are trying the wrong thing. Planting new churches is not the answer. Especially when, you have so many established churches that are in need of capturing the initial energy that started the church. Lyle Schaller states, “It is easier to start a new church than to change an old one.”(Schaller, 109) Many reasons are given, but primarily it deals with churches focusing inwardly on self instead of outwardly on others. No one wants to be rejected. Rejection is one of the primary fears that keeps believers from practicing evangelism.
Most of us are intimidated by the word EVANGELISM. Evangelism takes us out of our comfort zones. We look at evangelism as a win-lose situation forgetting that evangelism is a two step process of sowing and reaping. The parable of the sower found in Mark 4:1-9 offers us an inside look at the four hearts found in the church.
4Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”9 Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (NIB)
Billie Friel describes the four hearts as the Wayside Heart, the Stony Heart, the Thorny Heart, and the Good Heart. (Friel, 36-41) The Wayside Heart is the person whose heart has become hardened. Seeds sown on this person will not take hold. The seeds simply lay by the wayside only to be eaten by the birds. The Stony Heart person is one who has no spiritual root. Enthusiasm for Christ is short-lived when trials and suffering creep back into their life. This person is characterized by what I term an “attitude of scarcity”. The Thorny Heart is a person who is more occupied with materialism than with Jesus. This person would rather play golf than go to church. This person is living for the moment. Finally, we have the Good Heart person. This is the person that we all want to meet. This person is the “wildfire” from the divine spark. However, we can not pick and choose where we sow seeds. We are commanded to sow the seeds everywhere. We must be cautious not to develop the attitude that we can save someone. Salvation is not up to us. Salvation is from God through Christ. Our job is to sow.
Most of us want to do the reaping and forget about the sowing because we think it is too hard or we are too busy. After all, sowing is not as “glamorous” as reaping. We can come up with many different excuses but the fact is people in churches today are more worried about running churches like a business, fundraising, or making the building aesthetically pleasing. The lost, the least, and the disenfranchised are not even addressed.
Membership will continue to decline until we get serious about making disciples for Jesus Christ. We need to realize that God wants to make all of us spiritual farmers. We are called, no commanded by Jesus.
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (NIB)
The church must make every effort to reach the lost. Carrying out the Great Commission by sowing and reaping is everyone’s concern. The relevant questions we must answer are: How do we evangelize? How do we live out the Great Commission in our church?
Great Commission
The disciples have an appointment with Jesus in the text. We, also, have an appointment with Jesus. It is during this appointment with Jesus that three things about the Great Commission are revealed to the disciples and to us. Our response to what is revealed will assist us in carrying out the assignment set before us. Our response will determine our commitment to making disciples.
First, in verse 18, we are being commanded by a Savior who has all power in heaven and on earth. We’re not dealing with just anyone here. We’re dealing with something greater than ourselves. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6) This is the Good News to share with people. In this statement, we see Jesus and the way to God, Jesus as the source of truth and Jesus as the life that continues in heaven. In this passage, the promise of eternal life is revealed.
The dimensions of the Great Commission have both earthly and heavenly properties. We deal with earthly properties through the sharing of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Often times it is in our sharing that Jesus becomes real to people. Each of us has our own very unique testimony that God has given us to share. The person or persons that we share it with may be the very ones that God has willed.
Because we share our stories, others find the hope that is found in Christ Jesus. People realize that their sins are forgiven and the promise of eternal life can be theirs. Jesus truly becomes the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. People, who have lived in despair, now live in hope. People, who have lived with hate, now begin to love. People, who have lived with fear, now live with faith. All because the power of the Great Commission was revealed in Jesus.
Secondly, in verse 19, the Great Commission reveals a Savior that is for all people. Sadly, this is often where our evangelism efforts break down. Too often, we take our model of what a church is from the culture around us. We think of the church as we would the YMCA. We join, pay our dues, and in return we expect a fresh towel, clean bathrooms, a hair dryer and scented soaps to be at our disposal. Such inwardness, such a view of the church leads to a closed church, not at all the kingdom model Jesus talks about. The kingdom model is outward, inclusive, welcoming, beckoning, inviting and open. It is also about service, not about being served.
It is here that we need to be reminded of what Jesus’ ministry looked like. Jesus did not go to those who were well. Instead he went to those who were lost, hurting, and sick. Today, we want everyone to be like us in church. Maybe this is why that most church growth is realized because of people changing churches.
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe in him would not perish, but have everlasting life.” In this passage the most important word is WHOSOEVER. Salvation is for all people. No one has sinned too much. No one is too lost. Salvation is open to all. Therefore, as the church we must be willing to go to all people; the economically deprived, the socially deprived, those in prison. John Wesley said “The world is my parish”. Likewise, the world should be our parish as well.
However, we can’t stop here. The second part of the verse reveals to us the need to teach. Chris Adsit, the director of Disciplemakers International, observes that the church today is like a "mighty river" - a mile wide and an inch deep. We need to rethink the discipleship river. We need to deepen the shallows and speed up the current. We must remember that we are now dealing with spiritual infants. In order to sustain their faith, they need to be nurtured to allow their relationship with Christ to grow.
We can be helped in this by the late Richard Halverson, the former chaplain of the United States Senate, who offers a fresh take on the command of Jesus to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (v. 19). Digging into the Greek of the New Testament, he discovered that what Jesus was really saying in this verse was, "As you go, make learners everywhere."
“Don’t make disciples”, Halverson insists – “make learners.” We should not try to drag people into Sunday school, or into youth programs, or into the sanctuary. Don’t try to lure them into church at all. Instead, try to show them something of the power of Christ in your own life. Monday through Friday, show them some of what you have personally experienced of Jesus, and help them to learn about Christ through the joy and the hope and the love you are feeling.
Then, as the people around you are influenced by your faith, they will find their way into a community of believers somewhere. It may be at one of my churches or it may be someplace else. Territorial arrogance has no place in evangelism efforts. After all, everywhere is God’s territory. Sowing seeds should not only be for our purposes. Rather, it is for the building up of the Kingdom of God. We must be willing to go to the elite neighborhoods and the poverty stricken hoods. As Christians we have a story that people need to hear.
The Great Commission reveals to us a Savior who is with us always. The assurance that Jesus will watch over us as we carry out our discipleship duties. The assurance that Jesus will be with us in our times of persecution. The assurance that Jesus is sufficient for all temptations and trials. The assurance that the power of the Holy Spirit will be with us as we go forth. A message that all need to hear.
I close this paper with some thoughts from Psalm 126:5-6 which states:
“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.” (NIV)
It is easier to do almost anything else in church. It is easier to serve on a committee. It is easier give money. But Jesus called us to make disciples. As Christians, we must have a genuine concern for souls. Evangelism is one of the most rewarding ministries in the church. Winning souls brings about present rejoicing and future joy. (Luke 15:10) Soul winning is about loving others as God loves us. Through this love barriers are broken down. Persons are born again. Lives are transformed.
Conclusion
We must get back to the basics of church growth. We must be willing to go to all people, regardless of their socio-economic status, race, gender, age and any other identifiers we can name. Jesus came for all people. Not just the one’s like us. We can’t afford to leave reaching the lost to others. One day we will be held accountable for what we did and didn’t do.
