The overarching mission of everything that we do should be to seek out the lost. All of us have a story and we all have a testimony as well. Jesus cleaned us up and set us on a path and His entire focus is that humanity would know Him personally. Jesus said that all authority had been given to Him on earth and in heaven and that we should go and make disciples of all men (Matthew 28:18). He said to the disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).
One of the foundational missions of New Dimensions Ministries is that every partner and friend be equipped with the necessary ammunition to disband the bands of wickedness in Barbados and around the world. We are connected to a passionate God and these next few weeks we want to stir up that passion. We have been settled in the satisfaction of the power of God as a church, but God is about to supercharge our lives. We are going to be fueled to do more and we will ultimately be doing more to see the kingdom of darkness destroyed in Barbados and around the world. The prophetic mantle on our lives is about to be activated. Our unsaved loved ones are about to be touched through us and they will come into the Kingdom of God. Neighborhoods that we live in, the guys on the block, the ladies at the corner- God has said that they are about to be saved. God is raising up harvesters who understand the mandate that He has given to the Church of Jesus Christ.
God said that there is such an urgency on the Church of Jesus Christ because of those things that are ripped and are not picked, rot. So we must pick while the sun is still shining and therefore we must go. If we miss the heartbeat of God, we miss the essence of what God has brought us here for. God is going to stir on some of our hearts now and in the years to come, a weeping and wailing for those who are lost. God has not forgotten those who do not know Him. He has put the key in our hands and has asked us to go to them. Obedience is the key that God will use to get us to bring the lost in. God is saying that if we are going to see the harvest reached, we must preach the harvest of Jesus Christ. He is downloading in us once again a new passion and love for souls. As the time gets hotter and the world gets stronger, we must prevail with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We have understood the sensitivity of what God is doing and He is stirring up His Spirit around the world. Those who do not know Him will be lost, so it cannot be an inconvenience to share the gospel with them. What would be terrible, would be to watch our family and friends, and men and women go to hell. Our motto is bringing transformation and purpose to lives. This is not just the mandate for the church to look at on Sundays, but it must be something that we do everyday, where ever we go. This is our personal mission and assignment.
Evangelism is the sharing of the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection in the power of the Holy Spirit. People then respond by placing their trust in Jesus and Saviour through the act of discipleship. Evangelism is the announcement of the good news of Jesus and His love to those who have not yet accepted Him.
Evangelism has to do with the following:
1) Presentation
This means that we have to speak, that we have something to say. We are the vessels that God uses to get His message across to the world. In sharing the gospel we are not about winning arguments. This is one of the sure ways to lose a soul. We are here instead, to win souls. So we present the gospel with tact and diplomacy because too many people have been turned away.
2) The Gospel
Apostle Paul said that the necessity was placed on Him to preach the gospel. As we preach the gospel, we must understand that it cannot be twisted and tainted to accommodate the itching ears of men, thereby losing some to heresy.
3) The Holy Spirit
Evangelism would be very different if the Holy Spirit’s presence and power were not active, since it is He who convicts men and draws them unto Christ. We have our part to play but the Holy Spirit is the Superintendent and He is the one who governs the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every time the Spirit asks us to witness to someone and we do not do it, then we are dropping a life. We must therefore respond when the Holy Spirit speaks. For He is not only a guide, but an enabler who assists us in witnessing. As we step forward to speak, God will move in us in ways that He never expected us to.
What Evangelism Is Not
Evangelism is not any of the following:
1) Imposition
Do not hit people over the head with the gospel. We go in love and compassion
2) A Personal Testimony
We all have a personal testimony. However the testimony is a tool that we use in the process of evangelism. The testimony needs to be blended with the power of the gospel. The gospel is therefore our primary foundation for the gospel of evangelism.
3) Social Action
Meeting the need is great but ministering the gospel is greater. We, as the body of Christ must be careful that we do not fall into the trap of thinking that we have given to the poor and this is enough. For the gospel must be shared at some point.
4) Apologetics
This means defending the faith by stating that it is what we believe and why we believe without giving them the opportunity to believe. Defending the faith is commendable but presenting it, is our responsibility as the Church of Jesus Christ.
5) Initial Response
This means that just because we just got saved, we can go and evangelise. Many have given their life to the Lord and have not grown. Walking them through the process of discipleship, is therefore very important.
God’s intention from the beginning was to equip the saints (Ephesians 4:11-12). This is why He gave us evangelists as this is their job. Additionally, His desire was for us to become fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). Jesus used an analogy of fishing which the disciples could identify with. Jesus said that the harvest was plentiful but the labourers, few (Matthew 9:35-38). He gave the disciples power to heal and cast out demons and then He sent them out (Matthew 10:1).
2 Timothy 4:5 requests that we be watchful in all things, do the work of an evangelist and be faithful in all things. It is an exhortation to keep the gospel at the forefront of all things that we do. We ignore the very heartbeat of God if we ignore the evangelistic mandate of Christ.
How can we share the gospel? We can share the gospel
- from door to door
- in our own area e.g. we can give a gift to someone as an act of evangelism. It says “I love you and Jesus loves you.”
- through acts of service such as cutting their lawn
- inviting someone to care group.
- through friendship, by sharing with those who were our friends before we were saved.
- through tracts
- through mass evangelism.
- in the workplace
Wherever you are planted, share the gospel! God will use us in a powerful way if we just avail ourselves to Him.
