Last Sunday I told you that evangelism is primarily the work of the many, the Church at large. It is not just the work of the few trained professionals and clergy. All of us have the responsibility of influencing our friends, neighbors, family members, work associates, and others to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Last week Dwain graciously took our church staff out for lunch. As we waited for our order, Jay (pastor) whipped out a napkin and started to share the gospel. From memory Dwain quoted the verse that we discussed last week. And I thought sure that Jason (our worship pastor) was going to give his life to Christ. Maybe next time. Seriously, we have a responsibility of influencing others for Christ. But our little secret is that we haven't been as faithful to our calling as we'd like. Our track record of influencing people for Jesus Christ has been less than desirable.
Most churches today are in decline.
George Barna recently published some alarming observations about this very thing. Most of the perceived evangelism, or church growth that we see in churches, is nothing more than good old fashioned cherry picking. Church A courts a nice Christian family from Church B. Nice family leaves Church B and joins Church A. Church A chalks up a victory for the kingdom, pats itself on the back, and everyone feels really good. Except Church B of course. But what has really happened in this scenario? Has the kingdom grown? Or has Church A just reshuffled the deck at the expense of Church B? Has Church A truly done evangelism or have they rearranged the seating chart in God's kingdom?
Barna observes that churches are not really doing evangelism. They are merely growing their attendance at the expense of other congregations. Big churches are getting bigger, small churches are getting smaller, and the overall net gain for the kingdom is declining!
Quick fact: The Church in America has been in steady decline for over ten years. The average size congregation in 1991 was one hundred two people. By 2001,the average size shrunk to ninety people.
Quick fact: Eighty percent of churches have stopped growing, have plateaued, or are declining.
Quick fact: It takes one hundred Christians to win 1.7 people to Christ each year.
I heard someone say that last year that not one county in the United States experienced a net increase in the number of Christians. Barna concludes that we haven't even been successful in influencing our own children to embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Okay, so what's the problem? Is our culture becoming more resistant? Is it us? Have we lost our zeal? Have we stopped caring? What is it? I would simply say that none of the previous facts is true. People are as hungry as ever for the lifesaving message of Jesus Christ, and we haven't lost our zeal! I think it is just a matter of coaching. No one has ever showed most of us how to naturally influence others for Christ. We haven't been trained to share the gospel clearly, to build redeeming relationships, or to pray effectively.
Christianity should be contagious.
Some time ago I bought a book called Becoming a Contagious Christian. The title instantly resonated with me as I thought, "Yeah, that sounds really neat. That's what I've always wanted to be and do!" But then without even reading the book, I put the book on my bookshelf with all the other evangelism books I had at the time. On the one hand, I wanted to be a contagious Christian. But on the other hand, I sort of resigned myself to the fact that I couldn't do it very effectively.
Whenever I tried to share my faith, my blood pressure would rise. My knees would shake. My palms would get sweaty. My voice would quiver. I'd become robotic. And nothing I'd tried seemed to be working. I wasn't being very successful! And do you want to hear the really grotesque part? I was a preacher. Every week I preached to the saved and sanctified, but the baptistry remained bone dry.
But eventually I picked that book back up. And am I ever glad I did! In Becoming a Contagious Christian Bill Hybels dispels some common misconceptions about evangelism like, "Influencing others for Christ is an unnatural activity. We have to be someone or something we are not in order to be effective for Christ." Hybels points out that there are many different styles or techniques people use to influence others for Christ and that these different styles have been in use since the very beginning of Church history. As I summarize these different styles, try to identity which style best fits your personality and temperament and giftedness. Are you ready?
The confrontational style.
The confrontational style is for those individuals who are confident, bold, and direct. It is for those who like to skip the small talk and get right to the point. It is for those who like to express their strong convictions and opinions. Do you know anyone like that in your family? Okay, we won't go there. I was waiting to see if any wives would smack their husbands.
In the New Testament the apostle Peter frequently used the confrontational style. He was the guy who in Acts 2 boldly stood up on the day of Pentecost in the midst of the angry mob that had just crucified Jesus, and said, "Way to go gang [clap]. You just murdered the Son of God. His blood is on your hands." Actually, this is what he said in Acts 2:36 (NIV)."Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
Peter didn't pull any punches. He played with all his cards turned up. He looked people in the eyes and challenged them to get their spiritual houses in order, to repent, to be baptized, and to live in obedience to God.
And Peter experienced tremendous success with this confrontational approach. It fit his personality. People respected his passion and sincerity. In Acts 2:37-39 (NIV) we read, "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off— for all whom the Lord our God will call.' "
Of course, Peter couldn't stop with a simple answer. In Acts 2:40-41 (NIV) we read, "With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation .'Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."
I have a good friend named Mike who has this confrontational style. I've seen him just walk up to men and say, "You need to get things together. You're supposed to be the spiritual leader in your family. Get with the program." He can get away with that because it fits his personality. He doesn't act like a jerk. He says it with a smile on his face while letting his sincerity shine through. People respect him and respond. He's led many people to the Lord.
The intellectual style.
The intellectual style is for those who are analytical, logical, and inquisitive. It is for those who like to debate ideas and who are concerned with what people think. Perhaps the apostle Paul comes to mind. This was definitely his primary style.
Throughout the New Testament we find Paul logically presenting the gospel, defending the faith, proving Christ's resurrection, and answering skeptics. In Acts 17 he marches right into the middle of the philosophical stronghold in Athens. He presents a compelling case for Christ and challenges the Athenians to a point of commitment. The Athenians wouldn't have tolerated Peter's confrontational "turn or burn" approach, but Paul's intellectual style hit the spot. They didn't want to believe for belief's sake. They wanted solid facts and logical argumentation.
Of course, not everyone in Athens responded to Paul's intellectual approach. In Acts 17:32-34 (NIV) we read, "When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, 'We want to hear you again on this subject .'At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others."
It takes a special person to patiently accomplish what Paul accomplished. It takes careful preparation and it involves a significant time commitment. And there are no guarantees. Not everyone will respond favorably.
The testimonial style.
The testimonial style is for those who are clear communicators. It is for those who are good listeners, who don't mind being transparent about their ups and downs, who are overwhelmed with how God reached them, and who like to connect their story to the experiences of others. The neat thing about the testimonial style is that it is straightforward and easy. You don't have to have a towering intellect. You don't have to be superhero. You only have to talk about what you have experienced.
One of the best examples of the testimonial style in the New Testament is the story of the blind man in John 9. He had seen something worth talking about. He had spent his entire life being blind. He regularly begged in the temple. Everyone knew him for what he was. But then Jesus restored his sight. Suddenly he found himself before a hostile audience. They had theological questions. They wanted to know who Jesus was. They wanted to know why God would do anything good for a sinner. They wanted to know how the whole healing went down.
But the blind man was just a simple guy. He kept repeating over and over, "Here is what I know. I was blind but now I can see. I was blind but now I can see." They asked him a hundred different questions. "I was blind but now I can see." They threatened to expel him from the temple. "I was blind but now I can see." And they couldn't refute his simple testimony because it was factual and true. "This is what I was and this is what I am now. Respond however you like."
This style is appealing because it can be used by any of us, anytime. Judith Reagan has a television program on FOX each night. One night she offered this quotation. "Tell me a fact and I will learn. Tell me a truth and I will believe. Tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever."
Personal testimonies and personal stories grab people's hearts. Can you tell your story?
The interpersonal style.
The interpersonal style is for those who are conversational, compassionate, sensitive, and friendship-oriented. It is for those who can focus on people and their needs. Matthew the tax collector in Luke 5:29 used this style. He was hospitable. He relied on the relationships that he had already established. He invited all of his tax-collecting buddies to a banquet so that they could meet Jesus. He cashed in the trust and respect he had built with his peers and basically said to them, "Come learn about the one who has forever changed my life."
Many of you are very well known in the community. You are respected and trusted. You have built solid relationships with people in this community. You are a respected businessman or woman. You are a competent professional. You are a parent who is interconnected with broad network of families through sports, school activities, common interests, and hobbies. Like Matthew, you have the opportunity to reach out to others. You have the opportunity to redeem those relationships for Christ's kingdom and to share Christ with others.
The service style.
The service style is for those who are others-centered. It is for those who see a need and find joy in meeting that need. It's for those who show love through action. In Acts 9:36 (NIV) we read about a lady named Dorcas who was, "always doing good and helping the poor." She was like the only person who would volunteer to serve in children's church, or set up chairs on Sunday morning, or scrub the gym floor. You know.
In Acts 9 Dorcas had actually passed away. The entire community was deeply distressed because she was such a committed servant. There was big void. And so in Acts 9 Peter says, "We can't live without Dorcas! Let's resurrect her!" Poor Dorcas, she graciously made a lifetime commitment to serve in the church thinking, "The only way I'll get out of this is to die and go to heaven." But then after she dies, Peter and the church people resurrect her and put her back in the nursery or in whatever role she was serving in! Is it any wonder it's so hard to find good workers? Who knows, we may end up like Dorcas. Hey! Some of you aren't laughing.
The service style is actually a pretty powerful way to influence someone for Christ. In my experience those who use this style often don't realize the impact they're making. One of the best elders I have ever known was a man named Don. He is a quiet man. Always under the radar. Not a good speaker. Not real personable. But he is a servant through and through. He was always there for people. He brought meals to their homes when they were sick. He lent money when people were in distress. He visited people when they went to the hospitals. He mowed lawns. He shared vegetables. He exhausted himself in service to others. I would ask people what interested them in Christ and they'd say, "Don's life."
The invitational style.
I want to end by talking about one last style this morning. The invitational style. The invitational style is the least intrusive and the most simple of all styles. Little children and adults alike can use this style to influence others for Christ. Non-Christians, new Christians, and mature Christians can use this style effectively. In John 4:28-29 (NIV) after an encounter with Jesus, we're told how the Samaritan woman left her water jar and, "went back to the town and said to the people, 'Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?' "
In John 4:30 (NIV) we read how people responded to her simple invitation, "They came out of the town and made their way toward him (Jesus)."
Later in John 4:39-42 (NIV) we read, "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, 'He told me everything I ever did. 'So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, 'We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.' "
George Barna recently reported that twenty-five percent of non-Christians he surveyed said they would come to church if someone would simply invite them. People love receiving invitations. People respond to invitations.
A few weeks ago you some of you saw Doris Miller get baptized during the first service. I don't want to embarrass anyone, but part of the reason she got baptized was because her friend, Joyce, invited her to church and Bible study multiple times over a long period of time. For years, if I remember correctly. And Doris finally went to Bible study and then came to church and saw for herself what Jesus Christ could do in her life and she got baptized!
I would say that most everyone here today is here because of a simple invitation. I said last week that I was going to give you a new tool for evangelism. This week's tool is a card that you can use to write a personal invitation to someone you know. You are going to invite him to an upcoming event. There is an insert in your bulletin detailing upcoming events, dates, and times. I would like you to sit down sometime today and write a nice invitation to someone to, "Come, and see..."
Our desire must be to influence others for Jesus Christ. This is a natural activity. You can do this. Pick a style and stick with it. Don't underestimate the power of a simple invitation or a personal testimony. Don't ever give up or sell yourself short.