Evangelism

Romans 1:8–15 CEB

First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because the news about your faithfulness is being spread throughout the whole world. I serve God in my spirit by preaching the good news about God’s Son, and God is my witness that I continually mention you in all my prayers. I’m always asking that somehow, by God’s will, I might succeed in visiting you at last. I really want to see you to pass along some spiritual gift to you so that you can be strengthened. What I mean is that we can mutually encourage each other while I am with you. We can be encouraged by the faithfulness we find in each other, both your faithfulness and mine. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I planned to visit you many times, although I have been prevented from coming until now. I want to harvest some fruit among you, just as I have done among the other Gentiles. I have a responsibility both to Greeks and to those who don’t speak Greek, both to the wise and to the foolish. That’s why I’m ready to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

I’m going to convince you to Run 100 Miles!

You almost believed you could do it… yep some of you still think I’m a bit touched but with 100 people I could share this and convince 8-12 of you that you could run it.

Now, if you came out and participated in it with me, I could get you to go 50 -100 next year without much work at all!

I have proof of that… My Dad, My Uncle, Matt and 6 people from my team who signed up.

This is an example of evangelism.

I am excited by this, I have found a part of life in this, it has transformed me and now I bring others along and build them up in their hope for that sport like this can do for their lives.

Evangelism has a bad impression in the church and to the outside world.

Evangelical has stopped meaning someone who is so passionate about the gospel of Jesus Christ and it has been overtaken to mean, Conservative White Republican and usually male.

I have been accused of being all those things and at times I agree with being those things and at other times I have disagreed and I am not here today to have a political affiliation argument. But I say this because it is the current reality we have to face as the church. If we want to be a church that says Evangelism is vital to our identity then we must own our definition of it while knowing the assumed definition that at times will be insufficient or a stumbling block.

Why did Paul want to be with the Romans?

They were faithful and that witness strengthen his ministry

They were open to receiving more spiritual gifts offered from Paul

They were fruitful in offering Jesus to those who didn’t know Jesus before.

Paul’s passion was for proclaiming what he found life most in, Jesus!

Our Focus as a Congregation in 2018

Evangelism, for sharing what we find most powerfully in life, Jesus!

This does not mean we will have to have it all right to be a participant in this good news

This doesn’t mean it’s all we will talk about… I’m still running and you are still doing what you love, but we will be unafraid of owning our passion for the ministry.

For our ability to share our story well.

For our ability to live out our faith in actions with others who believe and those who do not yet believe.

For our ability to build the Kingdom of God and change the kingdom of Rome