Evangelism is a very important mark of a healthy church, it concerns the
growth of the church, it is also the command that Christ gave to all that would
be His disciples. Evangelism is more complex than most think it requires
sacrifice. It will be costly but it will also be worth it, the evangelist has to be
honest about the change choosing Christ brings. Evangelism also requires
interaction with the Bible and being vulnerable with others. The most important
thing the evangelist needs to understand is it’s God’s plan that they commit to
the great commission. This means they take God with them everywhere they
go, to work, to the grocery store, to the sporting event you have planned this
weekend. “If God's plan is that the whole world should know about this good
news, and if he's committed the task of telling others into our hands (Matt.
28:18-20), then we must send (Rom 10:15) and we must go (Rom 10:14)!”[1] It
is every believer's job to evangelize others for the kingdom of God, therefore,
believers must take the gospel to the whole world so everyone has the
opportunity to repent and be saved. Sharing the word of God is an important
task in the believer's life. Those that have been set free due to evangelism
should want to evangelize others and share what they have found. Thank you
for reminding us all of this with your post.
Let me preface by saying that I will be keeping you and your situation in my
prayers. I understand the importance of securing and maintaining employment
and the dilemma you are encountering. However, and I think you realize this
point, what is more, important to you, evangelizing or conforming to the world?
Mark Dever states, "We should recall as well the admonition of Peter: "Always
be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason
for the hope that you have" (1 Pet. 3:15). Peter wrote this to the whole church,
not just to its leaders. All Christians, not just the professional clergy, are to
spread the good news."1 Understandably, I do not know your work environment
or job description, but I believe that God has placed you in this position for a
purpose. Dever, further, states, "Obedience typifies true Christians. The
legitimacy of our claim to follow Jesus appears in our obeying him. He has
instructed his disciples to bring the good news about him to all, so we are in
sinful disobedience if we are not evangelizing."2
Mark Dever devotes a whole section on biblical and church discipline. One area
of discipline speaks about how it is a corporate witness of the church.
However, it is equally a personal witness of the Christian. Mark Dever states,
"When churches [or Christians] are seen as conforming to the world, our
evangelistic task becomes all the more difficult. We become so like the
unbelievers they have no questions they want to ask us. May we so live that
people are made constructively curious."3 It can be a daunting experience,
especially with job security and family support concerns. However, it is
comforting to know that no matter how difficult the situation that we are not
alone in our evangelistic endeavors. Christ told his disciples, "But ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and
unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)4
You state that you have been provided with a wake-up call. Seek God's
counsel through prayer and depend upon His will and purpose for your life, not
the world's will and purpose. I will be praying for you.
God bless,
Brian C. Corn
f f 1 Mark Dever, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, 3rd ed. (Wheaton:
Crossway, 2013), 137.
f f 2 Ibid., 139.
f f 3 Ibid., 202.
f f 4 Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the King
James Version (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 1994).
Bibliography
Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church. Wheaton, IL: Crossway
Publishers, 2015.
[1] f Mark Dever. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church. Wheaton, IL: Crossway
Publishers, 2015, 148.
