How Do I Reach My Relatives with the Gospel?

Few things are more distressing to a Christian than the realization that, unless something happens, those who are part of their family on earth will not be part of their family in heaven. Out of concern and compassion and often discouragement and distress, individuals ask, “How do I reach my own relatives with the Gospel?” Several things must be kept in mind. First and foremost recognize that you, in and of yourself, cannot bring your relatives to Christ. Christians often take responsibility upon their shoulders in this area. This concern for their salvation is healthy, but the inner frustration is not. You must recognize that unless the Spirit of God dispels the darkness from their minds and eyes and causes them to see their need, they will never come to Christ.

Another thing to consider is that relatives who will not listen to what you have to say may instead look at the way you live. Live the kind of consistent Christian life that attracts non-Christian family members to the Savior. The God who brought you to Christ can save any non-Christian relative. God has never met a person His heart did not love or His arm could not reach. If you do your part, God will do His. Sooner than you may think, as they trust the Savior they may say, “Thanks for not giving up on me,” as you welcome them into the forever family.

What is Boldness in Evangelism?

Many Christians have asked, “How can I get rid of my fear in evangelism? What do you have to do to stop being afraid?” The New Testament responds to the problem of fear by talking about boldness. For example, when the prominent men of Jerusalem “saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled” (Acts 4:13). When contemplating our need to be bold as Peter and John were, we must first define boldness in this context.

Boldness in evangelism is the courage to speak with freedom, plainness, and confidence about the Lord. This side of heaven, we will likely never escape moments of fear. But God has an abundant supply of boldness for those who ask for it. As God answers those requests, we need to reflect on the truth of our message and develop a concern for those who need to hear. As we then obey Him instead of our fears, we will find ourselves speaking up in situations where previously we may have been silent. He gives the courage that enables us to speak with freedom, plainness, and confidence about the Lord.

As one experiences boldness as it is stressed in Scripture, it then becomes obvious that boldness in evangelism is related to our walk with the Lord, confidence in the Gospel, and concern for the lost. When these areas are as they should be, fear is often present, but so is the boldness needed to overcome it. As much as we might like to separate the spiritual life from evangelism, we cannot do so. The more intimate we are with the Lord, the bolder we will be in evangelism.

How Do I Model Evangelism to my Children?

Ask any Christian parent if they want their children to be concerned about lost people, and most will answer, “Yes!” To encourage our children to grow in this area, what can we do as parents to influence them? How do we model evangelism to our children?

As a family, ask “How often do we pray for the salvation of a particular lost person?” Few things impact a child more than when the consistent prayers on behalf of others are answered. If you want your children to talk to the lost about God, as a family you need to talk to God about the lost; an unbelieving neighbor, a relative or even one of their own non-Christian classmates. As God answers those prayers, the impact is beyond measure.

We can also invite those we are praying for into our homes; share a meal together, or perhaps an evening around the table playing games. By having non-Christian’s in frequently, and you announce you are having guests, you are providing an opportunity for our kids to ask an important question, “Are they a believer or a non-believer?” By having non-Christians into our homes, we are increasing the likelihood they are going to be on our children’s hearts.

You can also do business with non-Christians. Select a hairdresser who is lost, a mechanic who doesn’t know the Lord or a plumber who needs Christ. Let your children know why – so there might be opportunity for the gospel. Let them see you be a “friend of sinners”.

Look at your family devotions and choose an evangelism topic. One family Bible study topic could be, “How does God feel about lost people?” Memorize verses together such as Matthew 4:19, “Then he said to them, ‘Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men’.”

Another way to train in evangelism is to role play. Think about questions non-Christians might have and teach your children how they can respond. Most importantly teach them a method of sharing the gospel, something easy for them to recall. Remember, they are just like you – scared.

Now let them watch you in action as you witness to a lost neighbor, hand a tract to a department store employee, choose a non-Christian mechanic with the view of leading them to Christ, or turn the conversation to spiritual things as you visit with the home repairman. If the conversation about the lost does not result in conversation with the lost, few things will happen.

Implement these ideas and watch what occurs. You will know you have impacted your child forever whenever she runs into the house one day and says, “Mom, guess what I saw dad do at the store? He spoke to this man about Christ and he was really interested in what dad was telling him about Jesus. They are going to have coffee tomorrow.”

What Does the Resurrection Prove?

Jesus Christ claimed He was the Messiah. But over 60 other people have done the same thing. How do we know He was not a phony or some kind of lunatic deceiving Himself?

First, Jesus was pre-announced. All the others who claim to be Messiah just show up. Over three hundred prophecies in the Old Testament in essence said, “He’s coming and here is what He will look like.” When He came, Christ fit the Messiah that had been foretold. He fulfilled these prophecies on every account.

Secondly, Romans 1:4 of the Bible says concerning Christ, “He was declared to be the Son of God.” And then it says, “By the resurrection from the dead.” No other claimed “Messiah” has an empty tomb.

Some years ago, a British agnostic, referring to the other miracles of the Bible laid out the challenge when he said, “Let’s not discuss the other miracles. Let’s discuss the resurrection. If the resurrection is true, the other miracles are easy to explain. If the resurrection is not true, the other miracles do not matter.”

The resurrection is a pivotal point in Christian history. This is a central element that unites the Christian church. Why is that resurrection so important? Jesus Christ offers the gift of eternal life to those who will simply receive it. No one has the ability to save someone else, unless he has conquered the grave himself. Jesus Christ is the only one who had an empty tomb the third day. This truth no atheist has ever been able to disprove.

As sinners, we deserve to be separated from God forever. Because of Jesus Christ’s love for us, He became our substitute and took the punishment for our sins, died and rose again. He now extends the gift of life eternal to all who will trust Him as their personal Savior. To those who trust Him He says, “Because I live, you will live also. (John 14:19)

Makes sense, doesn’t it? If the resurrection is true, the other miracles are easy to explain. If the resurrection is not true, the other miracles do not matter.

Therefore, if someone questions whether Christ was who He said He was, lovingly challenge them to examine fulfilled prophecy about Christ and investigate the resurrection. I’ve never met anyone who studied the resurrection objectively that did not eventually become a believer. And this week, remember – one way to thank God for the empty tomb is by telling your neighbor about it!

What is Saving Faith?

It has two elements. The first is knowledge. It is self-evident that to believe in a person, you must know about the person. The fact that saving faith includes knowledge is not only evident from common sense. It is also plainly taught in Scripture. As Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (John 4:10). Similarly, Jesus told a crowd in Jerusalem, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life” (John 5:24). Other writers of the New Testament also told individuals’ hearing before they believed (Acts 18:8; Eph. 1:13). Saving faith is not without content or substance. Before one can believe in Him, one must know about Him.

The second element of saving faith is appropriation. Passages such as the ones studied earlier show that personal response is demanded. That response in essence is, “Believing that you have the gift of eternal life and You alone are able to give it , I willingly take what You have to offer.” To convey this idea in introducing others to Christ, many use the word “trust.” Not only is this consistent with what is meant by the Greek word translated “believe,” it also readily identifies in a lost person’s mind what God is asking him to do. Having heard the Good News of Christ’s substitutionary death and His resurrection, the sinner is asked by God to trust Christ as his only means of salvation. When people trust Christ for salvation, they are relying on Christ’s sacrificial work as their only means of right standing with God. It is then that the benefits of Christ’s death are applied to sinners they are saved by the grace of God. Some people “believe” in our English sense of the word. The mentally assent to the fact that Christ died and arose, while depending on their good works to save them. “Believe” in the biblical sense of the word means that if one mentally assents to the fact that Christ died for his or her sins and arose, they trust in Christ alone to save them.

A person is saved when he or she understands the ability Christ has to save and acts on that knowledge by trusting Christ. That is saving faith. One is not saved by simply understanding that Christ died and arose or even mentally assenting to that being a fact of history while depending on one’s good life for salvation. One is saved when as a sinner deserving of hell, on has trusted Christ alone for salvation.

What is the Gospel?

The Gospel - the Good News of Christ - is that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. Paul defines the Gospel in I Corinthians 15:3-5: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.” The facts concerning Christ are conveyed by four prominent verbs.

Christ Died
Paul said, “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (I Cor. 15:3). Christ died as our substitute. Had he not taken our punishment, we would all bear it ourselves. Christ died as my substitute and yours. Isaiah, seven hundred years before Christ, prophesied His death when he said, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isa. 53:5).

Christ Was Buried
The second verb Paul used concerning Christ is that ” He was buried” (I Cor. 15:4). Since Paul did not repeat the phrase “according to the Scriptures,” it is likely that he mentioned Christ’s burial simply as a proof that HE died. The proof of death is burial.

Christ Rose
The third verb Paul used is that “He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (I Cor. 15:4). This is the second time Paul used the phrase “according to the Scriptures.” He wanted his readers to know that, just as Christ’s crucifixion was not a surprise, neither was His resurrection. David predicted the resurrection of Christ when he said, “For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption: (Ps. 16:10).

Christ Was Seen
The fourth verb Paul used is “seen”: “he was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve” (I Cor. 15:5). Notice again that Paul did not repeat the phrase “according to the Scriptures.” It is likely that just as Paul mentioned Christ’s burial as proof that He died, he mentioned that Christ was seen as proof that He arose.

The Gospel - the Good News of Christ - is that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. His burial is proof that he died. The fact that He was seen is proof that he arose. The clearest way to present the Gospel is to give the historical facts as they are given in the New Testament. The Good News we are privileged to announce is that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead.

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