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5G Evangelism Connection
Likely, you are familiar with 4G networks, the latest and fastest way to communicate electronically. But, you may be unaware of the 5G evangelism connection, the most effective and biblical way to communicate the gospel. 5G evangelism involves:
1. Godly Presence
A Godly presence is the necessary foundation and framework of evangelism. There is no substitute for “being there,” connecting with people where they are – where they live, work, and play. Jesus provided our pattern when He became flesh and dwelt among us. Now, He has sent us to flesh out the great commission among others. Being missional requires an incarnational, relational, and sacrificial presence. Christians must be good news as well as share good news. The Christian life is a daily show and tell experience, in which good works must be a normal and vital part.
2. Grounded Proclamation
If a Godly presence is the foundation and framework of evangelism, proclaiming the gospel is like doors and windows. The sinless life of Jesus, His sacrificial death, certain resurrection, and gracious offer of salvation at His own expense, is like light shining into a dark room, and provides the way of entrance into God’s eternal family.
Proclaiming the way of salvation, whether verbal, written, sung, or signed, must be grounded in scriptural authority. Our witness must align with God’s word. It is the truth that sets people free, not wishful thinking, or worldly opinion. But, our proclamation should also be grounded in cultural sensitivity. When properly understood, culture offers common ground and a conduit for the good news of God’s life changing love.
3. Gracious Persuasion
Often, a person is unresponsive to a straightforward, and even heartfelt, gospel presentation. Prevailing spiritual blindness and a cultural hostility toward Christianity usually requires a persuasive element of evangelism.
Persuasion sounds like arm-twisting, but gracious persuasion is a Christ-like way of leading someone out of darkness and into the light. The Apostle Paul exerted great time and energy persuading Jews, Gentiles, governors, kings, and queens to receive Christ. With speech seasoned with salt, and lives reflecting the light of Christ, we can persuade others to cross the line from death to life. Just as a beggar who has found bread persuades another beggar that it is true, we can convince someone to act on the truth.
Gracious persuasion demands personal authenticity as a Christ-follower, and patient understanding of another’s spiritual condition and journey, ever mindful that we persuade others because they matter to God.
4. God’s Providence
Lest we think evangelism is all about us, God’s providence is the one indispensable key to the process. God removes the scales of spiritual blindness, and readies human hearts for the gospel seed. A sovereign God providentially connects those needing the gospel with those willing to share it. Winning the world to Christ is a spiritual enterprise, and is possible only when Spirit-filled believers on mission for God learn to trust and obey Him completely.
5. Gateway Prayer
Since evangelism is the work and mission of God, we look to Him for the means to succeed as evangelists. Prayer is the gateway to advancing the kingdom of God. Fervent and faithful prayer reduces strongholds, removes obstacles, and releases those held captive by the enemy.A blanket of prayer can warm a person or people group to the gospel. Persistent prayer can open closed doors and closed minds. Prayer produces boldness in the witness and brings power to the witnessing process.
Gateway prayer asks for God’s blessings, seeks God’s guidance and timing, and knocks on heaven’s door for divine resources necessary for eternal and supernatural transformation of souls and communities.
Bob Beike
Associational Missionary/Church Planting Catalyst
Muskingum Valley Baptist Assn.
BETWEEN TRAPEZES
Reaching for an effective future
Life in the kingdom of God is a lot like flying from one trapeze bar to another. To paraphrase the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians, it’s about continually releasing the past and reaching for the future in order to accomplish our God given mission and become mature in Christ. Today, it’s more critical than ever that we properly negotiate the precarious but thrilling life between trapezes. If we are to lay hold of God’s preferable future we need to let go of some things in the past. Not only the bad, but even good things that served us well may need to be “forgotten,” so we can focus on the best possible future. So, as we release the trapeze bar of the past, along with its reassuring familiarity, and catapult forward into an exciting, yet unknown future, allow me to describe what I believe is an effective future for a “high flying” association.
1. Focused. Life between trapezes requires a clear focus on what the association is about, not about, and where it’s headed. Values and vision must align with the purposes of God, and these become both filter and fuel for what it does. Therefore, MVA is a network of churches advancing God’s kingdom together @ “light speed” through churches that are healthy, trained servant leaders, starting new congregations, and being on mission for God (ACTS 1:8 On Mission).
2. Fast. Effective associations will need to respond quickly to challenges and opportunities. Timely decision making and on time resourcing will have to be the norm. “Light Speed” is a term borrowed from Erwin McManus, that defines “light” as the revealed will of God, and “Speed” as the immediate obedience of God’s people. It describes the life of a Christ follower, and characterizes the on mission association. Structures will need to be streamlined, the organization becoming lean and not layered.
Future associations can ill afford operating like a snake that has swallowed a large meal; just laying there, doing nothing while the issue works its way through the system.
3. Flexible. Rapid change will require increased flexibility. Leith Anderson, in speaking on “mapping the future,” compared the changing nature of various maps. Topographical maps, rarely, if ever, change. Mountains, rivers, streams, etc. exist for generations. Road maps change, but, slowly, over years. However, weather maps change, almost hourly. Our hyper changing world is more like a weather map, and we will need to adapt accordingly.
Our documents and structures will need to remain pliable if we are to ride the chaos of change to an effective future. The challenge will be to anchor ourselves in Biblical values while being animated by bold vision. Like the children of Israel, who were instructed to dress for travel, and wear their sandals as they ate the Passover meal, we must live in the ready position, anticipating the next move of God.
4. Friendly. Maintaining a friendly posture will be the hallmark of an effective association in the future. Friendly relationships with one another, and other entities will allow for productive cooperation and collaborative ministry opportunities. Staying user friendly and people friendly will enhance the resourcing and fellowship capabilities of the association.
5. Fruitful. Without question, effectiveness requires fruitfulness. The association exists to make a difference; to see people, churches, and communities transformed. Measuring that fruitfulness, however, may necessitate more creative approaches. Our reaching, keeping, and growing effectiveness will still be measured by baptisms, new churches, attendance, and giving. But, tracking fruitfulness in sending, engaging, and partnering will become a challenging, but non-negotiable means of determining missional living on the frontiers of the future.
Living between trapezes demands a high level of trust. At the crucial moment of release from one bar, there is nothing left to do but surrender and trust that the catcher on the other bar will grasp you securely. Fear not, as we reach for the future, we rely on a flawless catcher, just as Paul discovered as he focused on the prize that lay ahead, “I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12).
Bob Beike
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