Lifestyle Evangelism or Lifestyle Discipleship?

Lifestyle evangelism is exactly what it sounds like – as you live the life of Christ, you share the Christ of your life. It has always seemed strange to me that we only associate this concept to evangelism. Why don’t we call it “lifestyle discipleship”? We don’t because it is assumed that our lifestyle is showing the life of Christ in us. In other words, what we learn about Christ, we live out in our daily lives. The same should then be said of evangelism. What we learn about Christ we share with others in our daily lives.

James 1:22 says that we are to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves.” A strong statement that should be a motivation for every believer. James is sounding the warning loud and clear that plagues evangelism today – we love to hear and learn about evangelism tools techniques, and resources, but if we don’t do something with them, our lost friends remain just that – lost.

That’s the idea behind lifestyle evangelism. Like discipleship, evangelism becomes so much a part of your life that it is a natural extension of who you are as a believer. As you live the life of a follower of Christ, so you share the life of Christ with others. Yes, through your actions, but through your words as well. For if they see Christ in us but never hear about Christ, then they don’t know who it is that has given us this life and they don’t know how to find Him.

The emphasis in James is not on being the hearer, which is the easy part, but on being the doer of what we hear. One way to “do” is to develop lifestyle evangelism… a life that not only lives Christ, but shares Christ.

by: Mark Rae

Non-Christians Have Cause to Listen to Someone Whose Pattern Follows His Preaching

Ask non-Christians to verbalize one of their complaints about believers and they will sometimes say, “Christians are hypocrites. They preach one thing, then practice another.” Sometimes such a complaint is unfounded. It is simply an excuse behind which the unbeliever is trying to hide. All too many times though, they do see those whose lips say one thing and whose lives say another.

Paul the apostle could have been referred to as a single-minded person. His daily focus was to be more Christlike and to attain maturity in Christ. Therefore, as an individual sincerely seeking to follow Christ, he could exhort others, “Brethren, join in following my example.” In so saying, Paul was not being conceited or playing the self-righteous game “I live better than you do.” Nor did he feel he had spiritually arrived where he needed to be.

Instead, he was simply expressing what everybody knew. In his earnest effort to become like Christ, he had so consistently lived that he could say, “Follow me, because I’m following Christ.” He recognized there are other believers who could echo the same invitation and adds, “And note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.” Timothy and Epaphroditus are undoubtedly two he had in mind. To follow those examples was to follow those who practiced consistent Christlike conduct - conduct not dictated by a set of human regulations but by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Imagine a non-Christian living next to Paul the apostle or an unbeliever he labored alongside of in secular work. What could anyone have pointed to that was not consistent with Christian character or conduct? Imagine, too, the opportunities and boldness Paul could have had because his life supported his lips. Non-Christians have cause to listen to someone whose pattern follows his preaching.

The question every believer ought to ask and answer as he lives and works around non-Christians is, “Is my life an attraction or distraction to Christ?” Ask God to show you any area of your life that is inconsistent with Christian testimony.

“Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.” Philippians 3:17

Dr. Larry Moyer - Stonebriar Community Church

Dr. Larry Moyer serves as the Evangelist-at-Large to Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. Recently, pastor Chuck Swindoll invited Dr. Moyer to speak to the congregation during the Sunday morning service. In his message Dr. Moyer clearly communicated his burden to see a church that grows by conversion, introducing people to Christ, and not simply by transfer - from one church to another. This requires that each person in the congregation begins to cultivate an evangelistic lifestyle. This begs the question: What kind of person do you need to be to introduce someone to Jesus Christ? According to Dr. Moyer one needs a simple message, an obedient spirit, and the right perspective. God never says bring the lost to Christ - he says bring Christ to the lost. Listen to this message and your thoughts about evangelism will change. You will see it as a privilege and not a pain. As a result, you will begin to share Christ out of grace and not guilt.

A Welcome From Dr. Larry Moyer

God never meant evangelism to be a pain. He meant it to be a privilege. It is to be a delight, not a dread. Evangelism is not always seen as a privilege we do not deserve. One reason is that people say things in evangelism as though they are biblical when in fact they are not. Paul admonished Timothy to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). God begs the same of us. Too often verses are taken out of context and used to say something they are not saying. As a result, believers feel guilty about their evangelistic efforts. Christians are sometimes motivated to evangelize out of fear and shame, a defeating motivation God does not use. These misconceptions have decreased clarity in presenting the gospel.

This blog attempts to correct these misconceptions. A correct and biblical approach to evangelism enhances clarity. The message that is clear in His mind becomes clear in ours. Believers also begin to understand how God has given them an undeserved privilege - the privilege of making a difference in where people spend their eternal destiny. They can then evangelize the same way they are saved - out of grace not guilt.

May God use this blog to help you approach evangelism from a biblical perspective. May it excite you about what excites the heart of God - reaching the lost for Christ!

Dr. R. Larry Moyer

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