Fuel for prayer. Culture of Evangelism...

When I make this statement: “I long for a culture of evangelism in the church!”, I’m not sure we really need to define that. It’s sort of something that we understand automatically. We all yearn for this!

We long for our church to be a loving community committed to sharing the gospel as part of an ongoing way of life, not by the occasional evangelistic event (revival or fair).

Today, let’s pray for our church to have a healthy culture of evangelism:

1. A Culture Motivated by Love for Jesus and His Gospel.

— For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If one died for all, then all died. And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.

Here’s an example: Here are some friends who were encouraged about some believers and how they were growing spiritually.

Fred turned to Steve and said: “Steve, I’ve got to hand it to you. Jim, your neighbor, was so hard-hearted to the gospel that most people would have given up, but you pursued him with amazing love, both for Jim and for Jesus. You didn’t stop, and God used you. It’s astounding now to see how the gospel has changed Jim’s life.”

As you listen to Fred encourage Steve, you are encouraged to remember the love you have for Jesus and His gospel, and are reminded how much you want to share the gospel faithfully with others. The world, the flesh, and the Devil always oppose us in evangelism. But in a culture of evangelism, rooted in hearts of love for Jesus and His gospel, it feels as if the mountain tilts down a bit and we begin chasing the ball.

Stiles, J. M. (2014). Evangelism: how the whole church speaks of jesus (pp. 48–49). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

Pray that evangelism would NOT feel like pushing a ball uphill but that we’d be a people whose motivation springs from a love for Jesus!

Pray that evangelism is becomes our way of thinking and something that we all long to do so that the feeling of being badgered to share our faith evaporates.

2. A Culture That is Confident in the Gospel.

— For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...

Pray that we will not lose our confidence in the gospel and lean towards lukewarmness falling into gimmicks and worldly methods rather than the plain message of the gospel.

Pray that we will not fall prey to the many voices that say that the gospel is relevent to the modern world anymore.

Pray that we will be a church that builds each other up and remind one another to put aside non-biblical evangelism and place our full confidence in the power of the plain message of the gospel.

3. A Culture that Understands the Danger of Entertainment.

— “As for you, son of man, your people are talking about you near the city walls and in the doorways of their houses. One person speaks to another, each saying to his brother, ‘Come and hear what the message is that comes from the Lord!’ So my people come to you in crowds, sit in front of you, and hear your words, but they don’t obey them. Their mouths go on passionately, but their hearts pursue dishonest profit. Yes, to them you are like a singer of passionate songs who has a beautiful voice and plays skillfully on an instrument. They hear your words, but they don’t obey them.

People talked about the ancient Israelite prophet Ezekiel in the social network of his day (by the walls and doors) and called to one another, “Hey, let’s go hear the hot new show in town: Ezekiel’s preaching!” They went to hear him as if he were a “lusty singer” or a great musical performer. They saw Ezekiel not as a prophet speaking to them about their salvation but as an entertainer. For all their enthusiasm about the performance, what was on their minds was sex and money, not obedience to God.

Doesn’t that sound like a modern problem? Look at what churches have to do to get people to come!

Pray that we wouldn’t mistake entertainment for ministry or ministry for entertainment.

Pray that we would be a people whose soul passion is to declare the wonderful truths of God. To tell one another of His great salvation, His glory among the nations, and His marvelous works ().

Pray that we would be a people whose soul passion is to declare the wonderful truths of God. To tell one another of His great salvation, His glory among the nations, and His marvelous works ().

Pray that we’d see entertainment for what it is: a lion crouching at the evangelical door, ready to devour us!

4. A Culture that Sees People Clearly.

— From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective...

How easy it is to adopt the culture of the world and regard people based on sexist, racist, or other superficial views. We tend to forget that those around us are flesh-and-blood people with real hurts, dreams, struggles, and loves. But Paul speaks of how our vision of people changes when we know Christ. We don’t see them through the eyes of the world, as we once did, but through the eyes of God.

Pray that we’d have a gospel view of all people:

They are valuable and beautiful creatures made in the image of God.

To see each one as carrying God’s mark, causing all people to have dignity, worth, and value.

Pray, that at the same time, we see them as:

Fallen, sinful, and separated from God.

People that have twisted the image of God into horrible shapes.

People that have twisted the image of God into horrible shapes.

Pray that we’d be most mindful of what people can become:

New creations in Christ, renewed and restored by the transforming power of God ().