Evangelism

Fly fishing in North Carolina

Jesus last command was to evangelize…. 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, (Matthew 28:19).  Jesus also told his disciples…."The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38).  Paul in his letter to Philemon encouraged him to share his faith…. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith,…... (Philemon 1:6).  Peter instructed Christians to not only share their faith but to be prepared…. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (1 Peter 3:15).  Being prepared means knowing the gospel, knowing how to effectively communicate it to others and, as Peter says, do it with gentleness and respect.  Such ministries as Evangelism Explosion (EE) teach effective ways to present the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Knowing the gospel and knowing how to present it properly are two totally different things.  The EE evangelism ministry always asks permission before sharing.  It avoids arguments.  It affirms the truth of the gospel without being confrontational.  It keeps the gospel message from being side tracked and it precludes objections.  The Apostle Paul used similar techniques…. Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious (Acts 17:22).  To be successful in fly fishing it takes knowledge, planning, preparation, and discipline.  It is no different in evangelism.  The EE ministry depends on an outline that breaks the gospel into five parts: Grace, man, God, Jesus Christ, and faith.