Six ways to keep your evangelistic vigor hot while we’re all apart
The Great Commission continues to be our marching orders despite these ongoing weeks of social distancing. Here are some ways for us to continue to do personal evangelism—or perhaps begin to do evangelism—in these days.
1. Start with those who live with you. Now that we’re isolated with our families, we have unexpected opportunities to make sure we’re sharing the gospel with our spouses, our kids, and our parents. It’s often hard to engage in such conversations with our loved ones, so maybe these online resources will help you:
• The 3 Circles
• Lifeway Kids at Home free resources
• Leading Your Child to Authentic Faith
• Two Ways to Live online tract
2. Write your testimony, and send it via email or handwritten notes to friends and loved ones. My guess is that many people in our lives—including our own children and grandchildren—don’t even know how God saved us. Why not write your story for the sake of posterity? If you have pictures of your baptism, include them. I’m almost certain some member of your family will be pleased to have them. If you need some guidance, check out this CRU website.
3. Check to see what your church is doing to share stories on their Facebook page or website. Some churches are asking members to record their testimonies, and they’re sharing them via electronic means. They’re often finding, in fact, that folks who don’t normally speak much in person are using this opportunity to share about God’s grace! Recording something can be both intimidating and freeing.
4. Text friends and family members to ask how you might pray for them. Many people are facing unique challenges these days, and they might welcome prayer like they wouldn’t have six months ago. If you engage somebody with a conversation about prayer, you might discover a way to transition to the gospel, too.
5. Use the phone, and call people to tell them what Jesus means to you. Set a goal even—perhaps 1–2 phone calls per week. Be upfront and honest about the reason for your call so it doesn’t feel like you’re looking for a “gospel back door”: “During these times that we’re isolated, I’ve been reminded that I need to tell others how much Jesus means to me. May I take five minutes and tell you my story?” Some folks won’t give you the time, but somebody might—and you’ll have been obedient either way.
6. Don’t forget the world—spend some time at least weekly reviewing needs of the nations and praying for missionaries. Doing so won’t be the equivalent of doing evangelism, but it will burden your heart for lostness—and that’s a step in the right direction toward evangelizing. Check out these sites to learn about needs:
• International Mission Board
• North American Mission Board
• Joshua Project
Blessings on your efforts!
Read more from Chuck Lawless »
This article originally appeared on ChuckLawless.com and is reposted here by permission.
