Jesus sent out 70 disciples to evangelise from village to village and from house to house.
He gave them a method of evangelism in the form of clear instructions.
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.
Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ Lk 10:5, 8-9 NIV
Probably you are not an elder and certainly you are not a Jew in New Testament times. So how can we apply the general principles behind this method of evangelism in our culture today?
In his excellent book on Prayer Evangelism, Ed Silvoso summarises the instructions of Jesus in four brief points.
- Speak peace to them.
- Fellowship with them.
- Take care of their needs.
- Proclaim the good news.
Speak peace. Have fellowship.
Approach neighbours and workmates with an open, friendly attitude. Don’t be religious or preachy.
Paul said he tried to be all things to all men, to meet and accept people as they are.
Tony Campolo is an American preacher who wanted to reach out to teenage prostitutes. He invited a group of them to his room, paid for their time and entertained them with milkshakes and kind conversation, loving them as a father.
Take care of their needs.
If a homeless beggar asks for money, I sometimes buy them some food, and if possible, have a friendly conversation.
My wife had a lot of contact with Muslim immigrants through her work. She often made friends with them and when they told her about their needs, she prayed for them. Sometimes she would see wonderful answers to prayer.
Proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom.
My wife and I make friends with our neighbours. Often they have serious health problems and we pray for them. In situations like this, I often share my testimony of answered prayers for healing.
I am 76. When I talk to people of my generation, I tell them we are approaching the end of our lives. I tell them I believe in Jesus and I am not afraid of dying, because I will go to heaven with Jesus.
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