Why Not?

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”  Isaiah 6:8

There is very little evangelism going on today in American churches. Only 6% of all growth in U.S. churches is new believers. 94% is people moving from church to church, or getting married and having kids. In fact, 80% of all churches in the U.S. are dying.

The reality is if we want to see our family, our friends, and our neighborhoods come into a relationship with Jesus, we have to do something different than what we are collectively doing right now. Most of us think sharing our faith is risky, or worse, terrifying. Because the truth is that we have grown to believe that people outside of Christianity don’t like us.

First, realize that not everyone has been called to preach - to stand up in front of big groups and proclaim the Gospel. But each one of us has been called to proclaim—to take time to begin conversations about Jesus with those we come into contact with. You can use a simple tool, like a tract. At our church, we developed a tool called the “Good News Card” (www.yourbestnews.org). It is a reminder of the basic elements of the Gospel. Often Christians say, “I don’t have any training in sharing my faith. I won’t know what to say.” But training in the Gospel is something that must be practiced. That means, if you want to be trained, there’s no better way than to take a simple tool, and go out and use it as God brings you opportunities each day.

A weakness often seen in Christians who go to church is that they have a tough time defining the benefits of being a Christ-follower. Have you ever thought about that? Why do you follow Jesus? How has He changed your life, and what is different in your life as a result of trusting in Him? Take time to think about that and write it down. Congratulations, you have just written out your “testimony”—the story of what the Gospel has done in your own life. It’s possible to find people who are more excited about what “essential oils” have done in their lives, or the football team that they cheer for than the Person of Jesus Christ. Don’t let this be you!

Evangelism is the responsibility of every Christ follower. Ask yourself what is keeping you from proclaiming your faith to those around you, and how you can move from one who hears the Word of God to one who responds to the Word as Isaiah did —“Here am I. Send me!”

God, my prayer today is that I will not passively sit by while my friends and neighbors who don’t know You keep living without hearing the Gospel. Open up opportunities for me to begin conversations, to proclaim my faith in You, and to lead others toward Jesus. Then give me the courage to seize those opportunities. In Jesus’ name, amen.