Evangelism according to the Book of Acts:
- Proclaim the judgment of God on all mankind.
- Proclaim the Gospel truth, which is that Christ has fulfilled the Scriptures.
- Baptize the many who, convicted of their sin and of the truth of the Gospel, cry out in belief, throwing themselves upon God's mercy in Christ.
Why can't we do it that simply? If the Word of God is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe, why can't its simple proclamation (in the whole counsel thereof) be sufficient for us? God cannot be marketed. The Truth simply must be proclaimed, and the results left to God.
2 comments:
Rick,
I have thought about this issue a lot.
What differentiates today from then is that no one had heard the message back then. No one; it was entirely new. Today, most everyone has heard the message, and sadly, it's become part of the background noise we've learned to filter out.
What people today are dying to see is a Church that can still deliver that message but in a way that shows that Christians actually care about the people hearing the message as much as they do about the message itself. Sadly, that is not being communicated.
The day of the streetcorner preacher is long past. What works today is the Christian neighbor who continues to love his neighbor in visible ways and deliver the message, even when the neighbor is struggling with the message in a way that did not hamper the 1st century unbeliever.
Excellent perspective Dan. I'd say that adds a fourth point without negating the other three. And then the only place I'm different than you is that this fourth point is just as applicable then as now.
This fourth point would be some sharp wording of Paul's point in Eph 3.7-13, that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might be made known. And this mystery is found in v. 6, "that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel." Meaning that we (who used to be enemies) need to demonstrate unity (implying love) as one body under Christ.
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