A question that should be close to every evangelical pastor's heart is "What is the most effective method of evangelism?" There are many answers--friendship evangelism, apologetics, contemporary Christian music, small groups, drama productions--and the list goes on! While I heartily support active evangelism and effective methods for winning the lost, we dare not forget the priority of prayer and holy living.
Over the past few months, I have had the joy of experiencing this first hand in my life and in lives of Christian brothers and sisters in Lesotho. We have been focusing on prayer and completely surrendering our lives to the Lord. Secret sins have been confessed and brought into God's light. Believers have been sanctified. We have spent hours in prayer and fasting. We have also been developing friendships with unsaved people and sharing the Gospel with our neighbors.
But the most important thing is that God has come down! No earthly method could possibly account for what God has been doing. People have been coming to church without being invited. Sick people have been asking us to come and pray with them. Demon possessed people have found deliverance through confession and belief in Christ. Two Fridays ago there was an all-night prayer meeting for the young men in one of the churches. It was not intended to be an "evangelistic event," but seven village shepherd boys showed up uninvited. God moved on them in a powerful way, and all of them found themselves seeking the Lord before the sun rose the next morning. At least three of them show signs of true conversion. God came down!
We must seek effective methods. We must realize that society is changing faster than any other time in history. We must adapt. We must get out of our stained glass sanctuaries and reach the lost. But most of all, we need God's presence in our lives. Have we made the mistake of disconnecting Pentecost and church growth? Do we no longer recognize the relationship between continuing "with one accord in prayer and supplication" and the fullness of the Spirit?
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 [NKJV]
Over the past few months, I have had the joy of experiencing this first hand in my life and in lives of Christian brothers and sisters in Lesotho. We have been focusing on prayer and completely surrendering our lives to the Lord. Secret sins have been confessed and brought into God's light. Believers have been sanctified. We have spent hours in prayer and fasting. We have also been developing friendships with unsaved people and sharing the Gospel with our neighbors.
But the most important thing is that God has come down! No earthly method could possibly account for what God has been doing. People have been coming to church without being invited. Sick people have been asking us to come and pray with them. Demon possessed people have found deliverance through confession and belief in Christ. Two Fridays ago there was an all-night prayer meeting for the young men in one of the churches. It was not intended to be an "evangelistic event," but seven village shepherd boys showed up uninvited. God moved on them in a powerful way, and all of them found themselves seeking the Lord before the sun rose the next morning. At least three of them show signs of true conversion. God came down!
We must seek effective methods. We must realize that society is changing faster than any other time in history. We must adapt. We must get out of our stained glass sanctuaries and reach the lost. But most of all, we need God's presence in our lives. Have we made the mistake of disconnecting Pentecost and church growth? Do we no longer recognize the relationship between continuing "with one accord in prayer and supplication" and the fullness of the Spirit?
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 [NKJV]
1 comment:
I love this post! There is simply no substitute for the presence of the Holy One in our lives! Praising God with you for His mighty work!
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