Methods Of Evangelism
2 Corinthians 5:11
"Knowing therefore the terror of the
Lord, we persuade men." The object of evangelism is the conversion of
chosen, redeemed sinners for the glory of God. Knowing that all Adam's fallen
race is under the wrath of God and must soon stand before the bar of God's
justice in judgment, we persuade sinners to flee from the wrath of God and
trust the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. What is the method of our
persuasion? How do we persuade men to come to Christ?
Some use the PITY JESUS METHOD. When I was
a boy, preachers used to try to get everybody feeling so sorry for poor Jesus
who suffered so horribly because men rejected him and would not let him be
their king. Out of sheer pity for poor Jesus, they got large numbers of people
to take sides with him. The pity is that the Jesus they preached was not the
Christ of God and their faith was a false faith. The Christ os God did not die
as a helpless victim of circumstances!
Others use the SCARE WITH JUDGMENT METHOD.
Shortly after I came to
Many use these and other methods too
numerous to mention without real regard to the glory of God. In the eyes of
men, who count noses, they appear very successful. But no sinner has ever been
saved by them, only deceived. The only method of persuasion, either in personal
witnessing or in public preaching, that is effectual in producing true
repentance and faith is the TALK ABOUT GRACE METHOD. All conversions that are
the results of pity, emotionalism, and fear will in time prove to be sham
conversions. True repentance and faith are the result of gospel persuasion,and
that persuasion is based upon the accomplishment of redemption by the Lord
Jesus Christ. Read II Corinthians 5:14-21 and you will see that this was Paul's
method.
Don Fortner