Mark 16:15 ~ He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Sharing the gospel and being part of a gospel centric church are two different things, even though they are interconnected. To evangelize is to take the good news of Jesus Christ that you as a believer have known and liked, to others who have not heard it.
Knowing the Gospel vs sharing the Gospel
A church can teach the Gospel, and the body can be nurtured by the truth of the Gospel but if there is no desire to preach the Gospel outside of the walls of the church then that church has neglected something fundamental and essential to the message itself.
On the other hand, many churches have huge evangelism ministries, but the message is vague or watered down to be more appealing, because the people of the church do not live by or even understand the core truths that form the Gospel message.
Evangelism at the heart of the church
This is what we read in Mark 16:15; the Lord commissioning His disciples to preach the Gospel to all the world. To every person regardless of background, age, race, or gender. A daunting task lays before every church that takes these words to heart because it must be at the heart of every local church if we are to fulfil our biblical mandate.
Supporting church plants is a wonderful way that a church can be involved in the broader evangelism efforts no matter how small you are. Contribute to missions’ organizations or individual pastors’ financials and in prayer.
Equip the people of the church to not only know and understand their own salvation but give them a yearning to share this truth with others. Evangelism happens most effectively when one person shares the Gospel with another, one on one.
As a church organize missions projects into your local community such as tract drives. It might lead someone to church who otherwise would have never considered it or at least sowing seeds that the Lord can use to bring someone to salvation.
Comments