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Taking the Fear and Mystery Out of Evangelism

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Sharing your faith isn’t as complicated or scary as we tend to make it.

The word evangelism can conjure up a variety of images and thoughts, ranging from world missions to flashy televangelists. Many faithful church members would answer, “Evangelism? Oh, that’s something our preacher does on Sunday morning.” Well, yes . . . and no.

Many years ago, I heard one of the greatest definitions of evangelism, and to this day it has stuck with me:

“Evangelism is nothing more than mouth-to-ear resuscitation!”

What a great yet simple description. The Gospel of Jesus comes from your mouth to someone else’s ear—and brings life to a spirit who, without Christ, is dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1).

With typical mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or CPR, you don’t have to be a doctor or medical expert to administer it. You can consider taking a certificate course on First Aid Waterloo to act in case of emergency. Anyone can do it with the proper training. It’s the same with sharing the Gospel! You don’t have to be a preacher or possess a master’s degree from a Bible college. Any believer can share the Good News—effectively—with the proper training.

I’ve written a book called Compelled: The Irresistible Call to Share Your Faith, to reassure you that evangelism doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating—and you can participate in it every single day of your life once you have the right tools, motivation, and game plan. In Compelled, I also share inspiring stories of men and women, young and old, who have responded obediently to the biblical command to share the Good News (Matthew 28:19; Jude3; 1 Peter 3:15). After all, leading another person to a saving relationship in Jesus Christ is one of the most rewarding experiences a Christian can have.

Think about where you were and who you were before you met Jesus. Many of us were going through life, fulfilling our own selfish desires and completely unconcerned about spiritual matters. And all of a sudden, God—who is loving beyond our wildest imagination—graciously places eternal salvation in our hands. Most likely, He used another person to bring us this life-changing message. What do we do next with this incredible gift? Do we hand it to the next person who needs it, or do we hold on to it? Are we so overcome with joy and gratitude that we can’t help but share it with others, or do we keep it to ourselves?

According to a recent Barna study, only 64 percent of Christian respondents agreed with the statement “Every Christian has the responsibility to share their faith,” compared to 89 percent of Christians just 25 years ago. What has changed? Sadly, the current culture of secularism and relativism has influenced some believers to become apathetic toward the spiritual needs of others, and it has intimidated others into staying quiet. What hasn’t changed is that there are people all around us who are lonely and broken. There are people who are depressed, hurting, and hopeless. There are people who are in bondage to sin and need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As Romans 10:14 puts it, “How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?”

So, how do we become burdened for the lost and to muster the courage to tell them about what Christ has done for our souls? We start by studying God’s Word to discover the heart of Jesus. We walk closely with Jesus and allow Him to open our eyes to see people as He does. In Matthew 9:35–36, we get a glimpse into how Jesus viewed mankind:

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them.

Now, let’s be honest. Seeing huge crowds of people usually doesn’t spark compassion within us. If you are like me—living in a large, metropolitan community like Los Angeles, California—you are constantly surrounded by large numbers of people. Sitting on the freeway with thousands of cars crawling in front of you usually produces more frustration than compassion!

We’re more likely to think, I wish these people would get out of my way! And not, Gee, I wish I could tell all these people how much Jesus loves them!

But when we examine what Jesus taught and how He lived (1 John 2:5–6), we will see people as He sees them—even large crowds of people. For the Christian, the greater number of people we encounter ought to equal greater compassion and awareness of the deep, spiritual needs of mankind. We should become compelled to tell them about the hope we have found in Jesus.

You have a once-in-lifetime opportunity to change someone’s life with the Gospel. No one is out of God’s reach, and He uses Christ followers like you to carry His message of truth. What an incredible honor! Starting today, may you look around and truly see those around you, asking the Lord for the courage and the opportunity to share the Good News with them.

Three Ways the Holy Spirit Enables You to Share Your Faith

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Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you want to share the hope of Jesus with someone but you feel afraid or unsure of what to say? As Christians, we have a helper available to us at all times, and that helper is called the Holy Spirit. Here are four important ways the Holy Spirit works and give us courage to face our fears:

1. He Prepares

Right now, wherever you are, God is stirring the hearts of those who are looking for answers and searching for hope. The Holy Spirit is preparing them for the truth of God’s Word. The question is, are you letting the Spirit prepare you as well? Are you seeking the Spirit in prayer? Are you diving into God’s Word to see how you can grow? Are you allowing the Spirit to work as a refining fire within you?

If you allow Him, the Spirit will mold you and form you in order to bear His message without fear. Ephesians 2:10 declares,

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

God has not only prepared works in advance for us to do, but He also prepares us for that good work. This is wonderful news—and there’s more! When admonishing Christians to put on the full armor of God, the King James Version of the Bible says the feet of Christians are to be “shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). You see, the Gospel has already been prepared! This part of the armor covers our feet because we are supposed to go, to walk, to move, to travel with the Good News, taking it to others who need it. It’s ready for the sharing, and the Holy Spirit is readying you!

2. He Positions

Has a friend ever called you out of the blue and encouraged you when you really needed it? Has a stranger ever shown you kindness or given you much-needed advice? Maybe you received something you needed but hadn’t asked for?

The world calls that a “coincidence,” but I believe that when a specific incident has spiritual and/or eternal implications, it’s a divine appointment. It’s the coming together of the right people, at the right time, in the right place, for the right reason. On a larger scale, we gain insight into this topic from Acts 17:26–27. In an impassioned speech to the people of Athens who had been following after false gods, Paul said this:

“From one man [God] made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”

Throughout history, God appoints our “when” and He positions our “where.” We can find biblical examples of when the Lord does this in more specific ways: David, as the chosen king of Israel; Esther saving her people; Jonah’s mission to Nineveh; the prophets of the Old Testament; Ananias healing Saul and proclaiming Jesus as Lord; Paul and the Philippian jailer; Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch—the list goes on and on. So, we see that the Holy Spirit not only prepares us to be used of God and to share His message, but also places us in a position to do just that!

3. He Empowers

What do you think of when you hear the word dynamite? Perhaps a bundle of red sticks and a ticking clock, like in the old cartoons? The word usually carries images of explosion, force, and strength. Everything about dynamite is connected to power. In the book of Acts, Jesus made an incredible promise right before He was taken up to Heaven. He said,

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (1:8).

The word power in this verse comes from the Greek word dunamis. You’ve probably guessed by now that dunamis is translated into “dynamite” in English. The very last thing Jesus said on earth was that the Holy Spirit was going to infuse believers with “dynamic power.” In other words, we have dynamite in us! That dynamite is just waiting to be released—resulting in you telling someone about Jesus. When you accepted Jesus as your Savior, you were filled with the Holy Spirit. And at that very moment, you were filled with spiritual power. You became walking dynamite!

The Holy Spirit is preparing, positioning, and empowering you for a specific purpose: to be a witness for Christ in the world! He is the dynamic spiritual force that enables you to push past your fear and share your faith—even when you feel you can’t. All believers, not just pastors, have the responsibility to unleash this power from God!

4. He Comforts

This last point has to do with who the Holy Spirit is. I understand that even among Christians there’s a lot of mystery concerning the Holy Spirit, but Jesus didn’t leave us wondering. He explained very clearly the identity of the Holy Spirit in John 14:26.

“But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.” (AMP)

As a believer in Christ, when you witness to others and in everything you do, you have a highly capable and qualified helper with you at all times. Whether someone rejects or disappoints you, and whether you encounter sorrows or hardships, the Holy Spirit will comfort you.

He is also your advocate and intercessor, which means He defends you and speaks on your behalf. He is your strengthener and your standby, which means He is a reliable support always. How many times have you been able to recall a Bible verse at just the right time? That’s the Holy Spirit, too. Jesus said He would help us remember everything He told His followers. What a wonderful friend we have in Him.

To learn more about how the Holy Spirit and prayer equip you to share your faith, visit our Compelled page here.

 

A Mother’s Faith

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When my grandmother met my grandfather, he was a lawyer for the United States government, working in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When they met and fell in love, he did what every respectable young man in that day would do: he took her home to meet his mother. But my grandfather had to warn my grandmother about something.

“Millie, I’m taking you home to introduce you to my mom,” he said. “As soon as you walk in the door, she’s gonna tell you, ‘My son Jimmy is gonna be a preacher one day.’”

After my grandmother recovered from the initial shock—after all, lawyers are not often compelled to become preachers—my grandfather began to explain how, as a little boy, he became deathly ill. This was back before the days of modern medicine, so when a child got sick it could be a very hopeless situation. His mother prayed, “God, if You take my little boy, I will understand. But if You would somehow heal little Jimmy, he will grow up and be a great preacher and a great man of God one day.”

And God answered her prayers.

My grandfather began to get better instantly and within a few days was completely healed. Staying true to her promise, his mother soon began to introduce her boy by saying, “This is my son Jimmy. He’s gonna be a preacher one day.”

It didn’t make any difference whom he was being introduced to; my grandfather’s mother would always say the same thing over, and over, and over again. During his elementary and junior high years, my grandfather was afraid to bring anyone home from school because he knew what his mom would announce right as his guest walked in the door! Now in his thirties and bringing home his wife-to-be, it would be no different. The same scenario. Nothing had changed. The greeting was going to be what it had been for the last twenty-five years. My grandmother told me that when they walked through that door, just like clockwork, the first words she heard were:

“Hi, Millie. Nice to meet you. Did you know that Jimmy’s gonna be a preacher one day?”

After they were married, my grandfather and grandmother attended a very small church that probably had no more than thirty people on their best Sunday. The pastor left suddenly, and they were without a preacher. The elders approached my grandfather and asked him if he would be interested in doing some of the preaching. Of course his response was, “I’m in the law business, and I know nothing, absolutely nothing, about preaching.”

But my grandmother had another reaction. She said, “James, let’s pray about this,” and then told the elders, “Give us two weeks to pray, and then we will let you know.”

I can only imagine the reaction of my grandfather at that moment! After what I’m sure seemed like the longest two weeks in his life, my grandfather went to the elders and committed to preach for two weeks. My grandmother said his exact words were: “Two weeks. I will preach two weeks only. That will be it, and don’t ever ask me again.”

He did, in fact, preach those two weeks . . . and the next week . . . and the next week . . . and the next week. By the time it was all said and done, my grandfather was the pastor of that church for almost thirty years! He built the largest Christian church in Oklahoma at that time. Even though he became a great soul winner for his generation, his greatest legacy is found in his three children who became preachers, including my father, who preached for close to seventy years. And here I am, a grandson, a third-generation preacher whose three children are also serving the Lord. All because of the faithful prayers of one woman—a great-grandmother I never met, but whose prayers changed four generations!

A mother’s love is one thing. A mother’s faith—and prayers—are another thing altogether. Thank God for mothers, and Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas everywhere.

“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’” – Proverbs 31: 25-29

Excerpt from “Compelled: The Irresistible Call to Share Your Faith” (available on Amazon and every where books are sold online) by Pastor Dudley Rutherford, senior pastor of Shepherd Church in Porter Ranch, California, which has three campuses in the Greater Los Angeles area.

What Happens When You Pray?

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Is there someone in your life you hope will come to know Jesus and be saved? Pray for that person! God hears your prayers. Pray boldly. Pray consistently. It could make an eternal difference in a person’s life—even if it takes years and years for you to see the results. Let’s take a look at four spectacular things that happen when the component of prayer begins to be activated in your life:

1. Prayer Will Shift Your Heart

Complacency and apathy have no place in the hearts of those whose lives have been radically transformed by Jesus. We must carry a deep concern for those who are lost and spend time in prayer for them. When you pray earnestly for people who need salvation, something begins to shift inside your heart—just as it did, literally, for John Hyde the Christian missionary to India who prayed such passionate prayers for souls to be saved that his heart shifted in his chest.

Paul was also very passionate about prayer. In Romans 10:1, he wrote, “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” In Romans 9:3–4, he made a stunning statement that he was willing to be cursed and go to hell forever if through that one decision, his entire brethren would come to know Jesus Christ. Later, we learn in Ephesians 3:8–9 and Galatians 2:9 that God appointed Paul to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles (everyone who is not Jewish by birth). And in 1 Timothy 2:1–4, Paul urged believers to pray to God on behalf of all people—whether they are in high positions or low.

John Hyde and the apostle Paul teach us that prayer nurtures, develops, and increases the burden in our heart for lost people. Today, would you say this prayer? “God, please forgive me because I have been indifferent to the lost people around me. Please shift my heart to be like Yours, deeply concerned for those who need salvation. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.”

2. Prayer Opens the Door of Opportunities

Have you ever wanted to share your faith with someone but you felt as though there was a wall standing between you and that person? Or perhaps you’ve tried, and you end up feeling as though a door was slammed in your face. (Or maybe a door was literally slammed in your face!) I’m sure many Christians have experienced this, and it’s easy to become discouraged or lose hope that you can make a difference. But let’s examine for a moment a key in Colossians 4:3. Toward the end of his letter to the believers living in Colossae, Paul wrote, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ . . .”

Prayer is the key to opening new doors of opportunity to share the Gospel. We know that God opened the door for Paul to share the Good News with both Jews and Gentiles, women, men, prison guards, and kings. I believe that it pleases the Lord when we pray and ask Him to open the door for His message of truth. We demonstrate our willingness to be used as His vessels. I also believe God will respond in a powerful way by opening doors, moving things around behind the scenes, and providing a way where no way seemed possible before.

3. Prayer Gives You Boldness

When doors of opportunity open, not everyone is ready to charge through them. Some people wouldn’t hesitate to move forward at the sight of a divine appointment unfolding before their eyes. But others could find themselves in a Jonah type of response—hightailing it in the opposite direction! We discussed in the last chapter that the number one thing that keeps people from sharing their faith is fear. But the good news is, not only does a life of prayer open doors, but it also gives you a supernatural dose of boldness to carpe diem—seize the day!

This is exactly what happened to the disciples right after Jesus was taken up to heaven. The Bible says in Acts 4:31, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

In Ephesians 6:19, Paul urged the church at Ephesus to pray for him that he would boldly fearlessly preach the Gospel. Like a fresh, bubbling spring of water, boldness to speak God’s Word will flow from the inside of you when you pray. Then those divine intersections become a lot less scary and much more inviting!

4. Prayer Will Give You the Words to Say

Okay, so now you’ve got a heart that’s burdened for the lost. God has opened the door of opportunity to share His message, and He’s given you boldness through prayer. What are you going to say to someone who needs Christ? We find one of the greatest encouragements with regard to this question in Isaiah 50:4: “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.”

God will instruct your tongue to speak exactly the right words to those who are weary and weak in spirit! What an incredible promise! This type of divine instruction comes by two actions. First, by spending time in God’s Word. Second, by praying and asking God to give you the right words to say. Like Isaiah, morning by morning may you wake up with the desire to hear from the Lord as He instructs your tongue what to say.

Learn more about the power of prayer in evangelism through Pastor Dudley’s new book, Compelled: The Irresistible Call to Share Your Faith!

 

Three Ways to Overcome Your Fear of Sharing Your Faith

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Fear is the biggest reason why we don’t get out of our comfort zone and tell others about Jesus. Maybe you envision something going horribly wrong once you speak up about what you believe. Perhaps you’re afraid you’ll fail. Or look foolish. Or do more harm than good.

It’s true that any time we choose to share Jesus with others we risk being rejected. However, we cannot let fear rule over us because it will stand in the way of the work God has called us to do. His plan and purpose often reach far beyond what we can see.

Fear is the biggest reason why someone who isn’t apathetic toward the lost, and actually wants to tell them about Jesus, won’t. It is the number one thing that keeps us from God’s work. It is what paralyzes us from telling the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Fear is the best attack that the devil can launch against you and the primary arrow in his quiver. But the interesting thing is that fear is mostly an illusion. I’ve heard it described as “(F)alse (E)vidence (A)ppearing (R)eal.” It’s smoke and mirrors. The devil is a master magician, and fear is his best prop. That’s because 90 percent of the things we worry about never happen.

And yet fear stops us from moving forward with so many adventures and countless opportunities that God has set before us. It’s the source of the excuses we give for not sharing our faith:

I’m shy.

I’m scared.

I don’t know what to say.

It’s difficult.

I’m not gifted enough.

So how do we get past our fear of sharing the Gospel? How do we disarm that which tries desperately to prevent us from seeing the great blessing of valuable souls won to Christ? Allow me to share three ways you can fight fear for good:

#1 and #2—Prayer and the Holy Spirit

First, we must know as believers that we cannot accomplish anything worthwhile without prayer and the Holy Spirit—and evangelism is no exception to this rule. I call it “The Dynamic Duo.” The next chapter is dedicated to studying how prayer and the Holy Spirit are essential to sharing your faith. Both are truly your secret weapons in the battle for lost souls. When you are faithful in prayer, with the Holy Spirit’s help, you will find strength and boldness you never imagined. Fear won’t have a foothold! As a result, you will see lives transformed for Christ and His glory.

#3—Adopt God’s Appraisal

Understanding the value of one soul is a huge motivator in helping us push past our fear—just like my father was able to spring into action that day and rescue my sister from drowning. If we could begin to see every person we come across as an invaluable soul with an eternal destiny, it would change everything. Billy Graham wrote,

The soul longs for God. Down deep inside every person’s heart is a cry for something, but he doesn’t quite know what it is. Man is a worshiping creature. He instinctively knows that there is something out there somewhere, and he longs to know that something or someone. Your soul longs for vital contact with God. Your soul is valuable because it is eternal—it is forever.

The lost are of inestimable worth to God. This becomes astonishingly clear as we read through Luke 15, where Jesus shared the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law disdained the fact that Jesus welcomed tax collectors and sinners. Knowing this, Jesus told three stories to help them understand God’s heart for people whom the Pharisees didn’t think were worthy. In each story, Jesus told of the great lengths to which each person went in order to find that which was lost! A shepherd left 99 of his sheep to look for one that was lost. A woman combed her house looking for one lost coin even though she had nine other coins. And a father throws a celebration for a son who returned home after the son left, wasted his entire inheritance, and was living with pigs. Over and over again in these parables we see rejoicing and celebration, signifying the great mercy of our God toward sinners—and His unbridled joy when they repent. The lost are valuable to Him.

I hope that you will study these three points and pray for greater courage to share your faith! I discuss four more helpful tools to overcoming your fear of sharing Jesus with others in Chapter 5 of my new book, Compelled: The Irresistible Call to Share Your Faith. May you begin to value the lost as much as God does, and join with Him in His awesome plan to lead many to salvation!

 

 

What Will Heaven Be Like?

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Heaven is not a figment of someone’s imagination or a mystical fairy tale. It is as real as the world you and I live in right now. When you try to imagine this glorious city, what do you think of? Fluffy clouds? Angels strumming harps? Philadelphia Cream Cheese? No, no, no. Forget about what you’ve seen in commercials, movies, and television. Let’s look to God’s Word, the Bible, for the truth about Heaven. Here are three important things we learn:

No Expense Spared

In Revelation 21:18–21, John described the most precious elements known to man as comprising the very foundations of this majestic metropolis:

“The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, as pure as transparent glass.”

[Photo by Alicia Lee on Flickr.]

Here on earth, we would never dream of walking on gold—gold so pure that it’s like transparent glass, no less! But the God of the universe reserved the choicest materials to build a heavenly city for those who love Him. Even the material under our feet will be made from the same stuff that we today scrimp and save for just to buy a small ring or a delicate necklace. This tells me that nothing this world has to offer—not even the very best things here on earth—can ever come close to what God intended for us at creation, which will one day be fully restored in Heaven.

He is Preparing a Place for You

Just before Jesus was betrayed, He comforted His disciples with these words: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:1–2)

What a mind-blowing promise for everyone who believes in Jesus Christ! This very moment Jesus is in the heavenly realm laying foundations, framing walls, tiling floors, hanging pictures, building cabinets, and planting gardens . . . just for us. Here’s the thing I can’t comprehend: Jesus loves us so much that He humbled Himself as a man and died for our sins more than 2,000 years ago. The work He did on the cross was more than enough. And yet—He continues to love, give, and provide for us. He continues to work on our behalf by preparing our heavenly home. How astounding is the love of Christ!

No More Tears

Heaven is our home. This earth, with all its troubles and tragedies, is not our permanent dwelling. Revelation 21:3 tells us that in Heaven, God will be with us. He will make His dwelling among us, just as He walked in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8–9). Verses four and five of Revelation 21 go on to reveal: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

These are words we can trust in: that in Heaven there will be no more sorrow, disease, pain, crime, or death because Almighty God will make all things new. Oh, I can’t wait for that day! How about you?

Tell the World!

Heaven is that place we long for. It is where our friends and family who believed in the Lord and have died are right now. It is the blessed hope that drives us to share the Gospel. After all, what is the best way to invest in Heaven? Isn’t our best investment the people with whom we’ve shared the Good News? I don’t know about you, but when I get there, I want it to be filled with people. I want to get there and see billions of people there, from every tribe and from every nation, all together worshiping the Lord in our heavenly home. The only way that will happen is if you and I are compelled to tell the present world about our wonderful Savior and the truth of His Gospel.

**Excerpt from the book, Compelled: The Irresistible Call to Share Your Faith by Pastor Dudley Rutherford, available at Amazon and wherever books are sold.