Category Archives: Evangelism

Power at Bellingrath Road

Church, Evangelism, ,

A dozen Christians from Eastern Shore made the 30 mile jaunt over to the Bellingrath Road church of Christ last night to support the evangelism efforts and their current Gospel Meeting. Preaching last night was Bill Davis, a former ordained minister in the Assemblies of God church. Davis left the AOG in February of this year and is now attending the North West Florida School of Biblical Studies in Milestone.

Bill’s message was entitled, “The church of Christ is the church that Jesus built.” He carefully set forth the defining characteristics of Christ’s church and then made precise application to the religious world today. In my view, his reasoning was unassailable.

Thanks to the Bellingrath preacher, Cade Sommers, and all t he good people there for making us feel welcomed.

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7 Opportunities for the Gospel

Church, Church Bulletin, Evangelism

Change is certain and often unexpected. Most like the stable daily lives that we lead and are perfectly happy to avoid any change. However we should notice that change very often represents and opportunity for growth. Change is constant and may prove helpful to us. Change also brings opportunities to teach the gospel.  Paul and Barnabas said the Lord had opened a “door of faith” in their preaching (Acts 14:27). Jesus told the Christians in Philadelphia that he had opened a “door which no one can shut” (Revelation 3:8). Consider the following opened doors for evangelism: Continue reading 7 Opportunities for the Gospel →

Saving Souls Everywhere

Eastern Shore church of Christ, Evangelism

Evangelism occurs in many ways. Sometimes a teacher and student sit across from one another with an open Bible between them. Sometimes people listen to recordings or watch videos which teach the Gospel.

Phylis Gill and Karen Dees grade Bible Courses
Phylis Gill and Karen Dees grade Bible Courses

At Eastern Shore, we have an active Bible Correspondence Course program. Well over 1,000 people have studied the Bible through the courses we offer. Most enter the program through our website or through personal requests from students.

When courses are returned, they are graded and questions answered. It represents a significant work and expense but it is well worth it.

Evangelism is essential to serving our Lord. His whole reason in coming to earth was to save men from their sins. He has instructed us to tell that beautiful story and we must use every tool in our arsenal to do so.

We appreciate our Bible Correspondence course teachers and are thankful for the good work they are doing!

Discipleship Revisted II

Culture, Evangelism

Yesterday I wrote in a [cref 31 post] that we need to keep two things in mind always. We need to check if our deeds are always in line with what Christ wants and to constantly examine how we evangelize to see if we are doing the best we can. Since that post talked about conforming to Christ’s command to evangelize, I though I would talk now about how we accomplish effective evangelism. As always, your comments are welcomed.

Our world is changing and we must be prepared to meet those changes. In the past, we sought to teach and convert people from the denominations. We ought continue to reach out to those with the plea of genuine New Testament Christianity.

But we ought not overlook what used to be a great minority: the non-believers. Today, even small towns are filled with Muslims, Buddhists, wiccans and the agnostic/atheists.

Peter said we are to always be ready to give an answer to those who ask about our faith (1 Peter 3:15). That group surely includes our non-believing neighbors. We no longer have the luxury of teaching people who already know and believe in Jesus Christ. We must be prepared to start from nothing and teach them of God’s love.

Paul discovered a similar situation in Athens when he spoke at Mars Hill. Paul observed that the people of Athens were very religious although they knew nothing of Jesus Christ (Acts 17:22). Paul’s lesson to Athenians began with Creation and resulted in conversions to Jesus Christ (Acts 17:24; Acts 17:34).

Like Paul, we ought be ready to seek out and teach the non-believers. Jesus died to all, let us take the Gospel even to those who do not believe.

Discipleship Revisited

Church, Evangelism, ,

It’s useful to regularly look at what we are doing as the body of Christ and ask two important questions.

  1. Are we absolutely faithful to our Lord in both our teaching and in our deeds?
  2. Are we employing the best methods possible to expand the body and reach the lost?

Let’s first ask if we are absolutely faithful to the Lord.

A man once asked what would be expected of him if he became a faithful member of the Lord’s church. I guess he was “counting the cost” (Luke 14:25-33) which is good. But my answer was a jumbled mess of talking about regular attendance and participation, which is important, but misses the bigger  picture. The correct answer was very simple. What is expected of a man when he enters the body of Christ? His entire life! Jesus himself said:

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Matthew 16:24-25

It may be that we have lost sight of the total nature of our commitment to Christ and have, instead, relegated our faith to a couple of hours most Sundays. The Bible teaches that once in Christ, we cease to exist – we die. As Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). My interests, my desires become suppressed as I seek to serve the Lord. Whatever he says, I do. Whatever he wants, I want. I must be completely subservient to Jesus. If there is any area of life that we withhold from him, we cannot claim to be his servant.

One area that we are woefully lacking in is personal evangelism. Although Jesus said “Go ye into all nations and preach the gospel…” (Mark 16:15), we do not. Evangelism is no more optional than prayer. It is no more to be set aside than the confession of faith in Jesus as the son of God. Nevertheless we ignore evangelism and rationalize it away.

How many years since you engaged someone in a planned, systematic method of Bible study? Too long? Some think we can indirectly evangelize by paying a preacher and by supporting a missionary in a foreign work but the Bible knows no such plan.

Every Christian must be seeking to make disciples as it is the only way the church will grow!

Essential Evangelism

Eastern Shore church of Christ, Evangelism

Jesus did not instruct his followers to “hold the fort” until he returns. Jesus told us to take the offense and expand the kingdom on earth. The Great Commission makes clear that we are to

“Go…and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19, 20

We are losing ground. Continue reading Essential Evangelism →