Visitation Evangelism (2)
1 Visitation evangelism is the God-appointed task of the whole church
There is a purpose for everything created by God: the sun to shine, the eye to see, the foot to walk. The purpose of the church is evangelism. We have theaters for entertainment, schools for education, mines to produce coal, factories to manufacture machinery. The church has a soul-saving ministry; it is not a social club with the minister as master of ceremonies, nor a university with the pastor as tutor. Above all else the church is an evangelizing agency, with every member engaged in the great task of making Christ known.
The fire station still exercises its ministry of putting out fires. Hospitals still try to cure those who are ill. Libraries still lend out books. But few churches are true to their divinely-given task of saving the lost.
Some say, “But I don’t feel called to this work.” An overseas missionary was once asked to describe his call. He replied, “I looked at the plight of India and the need constituted the call.” So as we survey our godless neighborhoods, the need of the people will constitute our call.
2 Visitation evangelism has God’s promise of his presence and power
We are to “compel” people to come. The idea is that of “constraint” (necessity and intensity). J.B. Phillips’ translation says, “Make them come inside.” How can we unless we know God’s presence and power as we walk the streets and knock on doors? We may have attended lectures showing us the methods and techniques to use (going out two by two like the first disciples—for moral support; “building a bridge” or offering friendship before asking, “Are you saved?”), but without God’s presence and power we will fail. His presence and power make up for all our shyness and reticence.
3 Visitation evangelism cannot be done without preparation through prayer
The church is full of prayerless and therefore careless Christians. One church conducted an opinion poll as to whether the weekly prayer meeting should be cancelled. Over 90 percent voted for its continuance. They did not “vote with their feet,” however, for the next week only 10 percent attended!
“Watch and pray.” “Pray without ceasing.” “Prayer and fasting.” These are the challenges of being a Christian.
We need prevailing prayer like Abraham’s for Sodom. We need importunate prayer like that of the widow beseeching the judge (Luke 18).
As the thermometer tells the doctor about the physical condition of the patient, so prayer is the thermometer that indicates the spiritual condition of the church.
“Lord, teach us to pray” is as much-needed a request today as when the disciples asked it of the Lord.
4 Visitation evangelism demands our personal response
Looking around our church and neighborhood, are we going to be content with belonging to a ship becalmed in a dead sea of inactivity? Are we going to stand before the judgment seat one day and hear the accusations of the damned that we never went to them, never invited them to hear the gospel?
This is what a proper response entails:
1. Greater love for the Lord who looked over Jerusalem and cried for it.
2. Greater loyalty to his church, remembering that it was “purchased with his blood.”
3. Greater faith in the gospel, believing that it is still “the power of God unto salvation.”
4. Greater dedication to our God-ordained task, “redeeming the time,” stressing that the church to which we belong is a fellowship of caring, sharing, born-again believers.