Cultivating a Culture of Evangelism - Part 11

1. Wisely Utilize Social Media – This is basically still a new human experiment. We don’t know the full effects all of this will have upon humanity. However, we can at least see there are tremendous benefits that can be gained by these modes of social networking. If a church doesn’t have some sort of social media presence at this point in the game, then they are basically communicating they are closed for business. Use it but use it carefully. Encourage people for doing great things. Promote others but not yourself. Publicize church events and special activities in the community. No need to brag about your attendance and baptism numbers. Shine the light of the gospel with your posts. Don’t engage in foolish disputes that only generate strife. Go the extra keystrokes to be nice and kind with every response. Offer thoughtful posts that may help people think about things they otherwise may not. Some people will still get angry but we must always be respectful. Don’t be a jerk while thinking you are the great defender of truth. Share personal details carefully. Be cautious in how you expose your family. Let this be a tool for evangelism while speaking the truth in love. This is not the best platform for hubris agenda-driven communication. Be extremely careful with politics and especially candidates. Praise Jesus and the good work He is doing. Celebrate the kind deeds of the people. Remember, its all about the gospel.

2. Keep an Evangelistic Prayer List – pray for people’s souls to be saved. E.M. Bounds said we should not only talk to men for God but we should talk to God for men. This should be our first response to the lostness of humanity. Keep a list of friends, co-workers, family members, and acquaintances that need Jesus. Ask God to give you special moments of divine intervention in which you may share the gospel and be a loving friend. Keep praying for them. This is not easy work. Encourage everyone in the church to be keeping an evangelistic prayer list. Start in small groups. Let the group keep a list specifically dedicated for such a purpose. Health concerns are important but let’s be especially focused on the eternal souls of people. This is the difference between Heaven and Hell and sometimes your prayers are that powerful weapon that God is using to rescue the perishing. Three different times Paul spoke of the Lord opening a door for the preaching of the gospel (1 Cor. 16:9; 2 Cor. 2:12; Col. 4:3). Each time he expected prayer to be the key God would use to open the door. Prayer is the most powerful weapon in the Christian arsenal. Let us use it well for the sake of eternal salvation. A church that is praying for people to be saved is a church through whom God will save people.