Evangelism is Not to be SIlenced by Fear (The Soul-Winning Motivator #17)

Our soul winning verse from the Word of God today is 2 Corinthians 5:20 which reads: "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

Our soul winning quote today is from Thom Rainer: "Christians have nothing to fear. The gates of hell will not prevail against us. We have nothing to fear, but in Christ's name, we have much to offer."

Our soul winning devotional today is part 5 of our series titled "What Evangelism Is Not" from Dave Earley and David Wheeler's fine book, "Evangelism Is...".

Evangelism is not acting arrogant or superior. 1 Peter 5:6 says, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." The key to effective evangelism is a well-prepared, obedient, loving, and humble heart for God. A "know it all" and "cocky" attitude will always hinder the effectiveness of evangelism.

Evangelism is not meant to be silenced by fear. In 2 Timothy 1:7-8, the apostle Paul states, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God." While appropriate fear is rational in certain situations, according to Scripture, this should not apply to the task of evangelism.

Evangelism is not a theological dilemma. Some people try to use theological constructs to ignore the Great Commission. Because of extreme viewpoints related to the doctrine of election, more contemporary ministers are ignoring their responsibility to be active in evangelism. The same is true when liberal theologians compromise the authority of Scripture.