Successful Evangelism

[HankD]

I do make the connection between the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of the harvest.

Without the love of God in our heart we are nothing, we are powerless (1 Corinthians 13)
Saved? IMO yes, but powerless.

This was Jesus complaint concerning the church at Ephesus in the Revelation, they had left their first love.

Probably because of the cares of this world and fear of the enemy.

Luke 10:3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

Jesus gave this warning promise and it is still valid today.
Without the love from heaven in one's heart we are powerless against the wolves.

Not all are called to go to the far reaches of the earth, to give up native culture, the affluent life, the social gatherings of family and friends, etc...

It is necessary for others to "stay by the stuff" (Give, pray) in the battle for the souls of men.

Homeland Pastors often find themselves in similar situations as those who traverse the earth to evangelize the lost not only having to do battle with the wolves but do it with limited resources and brethren who are misguided, overly critical and not joyful givers.

Without this agape love the battle with the wolves (and yes, the misguided brethren) will overwhelm us, cripple us and perhaps even wound us so greatly that we can no longer function. If we turn bitter and judgmental, no souls will be won even if we attempt to participate in the harvest.

1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all that you do be done with love


HankD

 

[Revmitchell]

In the light of that post and your view, please interpret John 15:8 for me. In particular, what is "fruit" in John 15?

The fruit spoken of in v.8 is in the general context of all that Jesus was saying beginning as far back as chapter 13. The fruit is the results of abiding in Christ. If we abide in Him we will have fruit that shows we are abiding in Him. If we are abiding in Him we will want to engage in those actions that are the fruit of our abiding in Him. As the Moravians cried out "May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!"

 

[evangelist6589]

In the light of that post and your view, please interpret John 15:8 for me. In particular, what is "fruit" in John 15?

Let me get back with you

 

[evangelist6589]

You know, I've been wondering the same thing. If Evan is truly called to be an evangelist, perhaps we could expect some Philip-type activity.... Just sayin'.

I am not a professional evangelist I am just called like all believers to be out witnessing Mark 16:15.

 

[JonShaff]

Just a thought from a spectator in this thread...

I appreciate all the dialogue...this is very helpful. My soul is enjoying the biblical exhortation as well as conviction...Am i doing ALL things IN/WITH LOVE??? Am i controlled by the Spirit of God? Filled? My God and my Savior, How i Need your grace every hour, every moment!

 

[Don]

I am not a professional evangelist I am just called like all believers to be out witnessing Mark 16:15.

General question to everyone here (thus, why I didn't attribute the quote to its original author): What's a "professional" evangelist?

 

[HankD]

General question to everyone here (thus, why I didn't attribute the quote to its original author): What's a "professional" evangelist?

Billy Graham.

HankD

 

[John of Japan]

Let me get back with you

All right, I'll wait until tomorrow before pontificating.

 

[John of Japan]

The fruit spoken of in v.8 is in the general context of all that Jesus was saying beginning as far back as chapter 13. The fruit is the results of abiding in Christ. If we abide in Him we will have fruit that shows we are abiding in Him. If we are abiding in Him we will want to engage in those actions that are the fruit of our abiding in Him. As the Moravians cried out "May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!"

Thanks for the input. I'll give my view tomorrow. I believe it's a simple interpretation, a very basic metaphor if you will.

 

[John of Japan]

I am not a professional evangelist I am just called like all believers to be out witnessing Mark 16:15.

Even an "amateur" evangelist is gifted by God and ought to see someone saved. You really must get on your knees before God for hours or as long as it takes until He begins to use you to see souls saved.

 

[Salty]

Even an "amateur" evangelist is gifted by God and ought to see someone saved. You really must get on your knees before God for hours or as long as it takes until He begins to use you to see souls saved.

John, our local rec center is having a gathering of kids this weekend - we will be there with things to give away (including toothbrushes - courtsey of our DOM) and of course with Bible tracks - ect ) after we finished getting everything together - we had a time of prayer - asking the Lord to bless this outreach - and as I was praying - I was shedding tears -
Please pray for us this Saturday that we will see people come to Christ -
as we are Weeping for Oneida.

 

[John of Japan]

John, our local rec center is having a gathering of kids this weekend - we will be there with things to give away (including toothbrushes - courtsey of our DOM) and of course with Bible tracks - ect ) after we finished getting everything together - we had a time of prayer - asking the Lord to bless this outreach - and as I was praying - I was shedding tears -
Please pray for us this Saturday that we will see people come to Christ -
as we are Weeping for Oneida.

All right, brother. May God richly bless your efforts.

 

[evangelist6589]

Even an "amateur" evangelist is gifted by God and ought to see someone saved. You really must get on your knees before God for hours or as long as it takes until He begins to use you to see souls saved.

So there must be lots of non evangelists out there roaming the streets. I have a friend who even has taught WOTM in a WOTM friendly church and not even he has seen someone saved. My other friend has not seen someone saved as well as many churches that do street evangelism.

In fact ran into a church doing open air Saturday. I asked how many have they seen come to faith and they told me not one person. To JOJ that church is not called to evangelism.



No! God blesses obedience but ultimately he chooses the elect and when to save them.

 

[annsni]

So there must be lots of non evangelists out there roaming the streets. I have a friend who even has taught WOTM in a WOTM friendly church and not even he has seen someone saved. My other friend has not seen someone saved as well as many churches that do street evangelism.

In fact ran into a church doing open air Saturday. I asked how many have they seen come to faith and they told me not one person. To JOJ that church is not called to evangelism.



No! God blesses obedience but ultimately he chooses the elect and when to save them.

Hmm - Interesting. Maybe open air isn't effective. In our little church, we've had about a dozen come to faith in the last 5 years as well as had a number of people renew their faith in the Lord and walk with Him. We don't do open air but we preach the gospel and faithfully disciple those who respond. Our very first convert is now singing on Sundays on our little worship team. I praise God every time I see her and her absolute unhindered joy in her Savior.

 

[John of Japan]

So there must be lots of non evangelists out there roaming the streets. I have a friend who even has taught WOTM in a WOTM friendly church and not even he has seen someone saved. My other friend has not seen someone saved as well as many churches that do street evangelism.

In fact ran into a church doing open air Saturday. I asked how many have they seen come to faith and they told me not one person. To JOJ that church is not called to evangelism.

Um, no, that is not at all what I said.

An evangelist is an individual, not a church. An evangelist is a man who God has especially equipped and gifted to fire up the church about winning the lost to Christ and to bring revival. Read The Evangelist, by John R. Rice, the best (and one of the only) books in print on the subject.

Have you ever actually studied the Bible teaching about the evangelist--Philip and Eph. 4--oh you who call yourself one?

No! God blesses obedience but ultimately he chooses the elect and when to save them.

There you go with the "elect" once again. That has nothing to do with the OP.

 

[John of Japan]

Okay, I've requested evangelist6589 three times to tell me what the fruit in John 15:8 is, and all I've gotten is "I'll get back to you on that." Really, folks, it's not that hard. Either you know it or you don't. If he had an answer--that is if he had studied and meditated on the passage at all--he would have had an answer right then.

Here's the verse again: "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." The word "fruit" occurs four other times in the chapter with the same meaning, vv. 2, 4, 5, 15.

Don't make it hard. It's simply a metaphor, not even a parable (which is an extended metaphor). A metaphor has a single meaning, so the fruit of the believer has a single meaning. Here's how I explain it: What is the fruit of an apple tree? Apples. What is the fruit of a pear tree? Pears. So what is the fruit of a Christian who is a tree? Christians.

For confirmation of this simple interpretation, look at this key phrase in v. 16: "and that your fruit should remain." The fruit has to be something permanent. When you win a soul to Christ (producing another Christian) through the power of God, that is a permanent result--fruit that remains.

So, if you are abiding in Christ, and thus receiving His power through the Holy Spirit, you will see people saved through your witness and personal evangelism. It's as simple as that. If you are not seeing God save people through you in the power of the Holy Spirit, you need to learn how to abide in Christ.

 

[John of Japan]

First off, I have seen people make professions of faith.
I will say though, that not seeing people saved does not necessarily mean you weren't successful.
I have shared the Gospel while filled with the Spirit and not seen them saved.

I assume, JoJ would agree with Jordan.

I never commented on this, but I think it deserves comment. Even when we are evangelizing while filled with the Spirit, we will not see everyone saved. People resist the Spirit (Acts 7:51), grieve Him (Eph. 4:30) and otherwise refuse to come to Christ as God desires them to (Luke 7:30). So, you cannot win everyone to Christ. However, as John R. Rice used to say, "You can't win everyone to Christ, but you can always win someone."

To say well, we're not seeing anyone saved but that's okay, because God will save the elect when He is good and ready, is to deny the Scripture which says, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest" (Matt. 9:37-38). So according to Jesus, the problem is not with the harvest, which is plenteous--people wanting to be saved--but with the reapers, those who evangelize.

 

[annsni]

To say well, we're not seeing anyone saved but that's okay, because God will save the elect when He is good and ready, is to deny the Scripture which says, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest" (Matt. 9:37-38). So according to Jesus, the problem is not with the harvest, which is plenteous--people wanting to be saved--but with the reapers, those who evangelize.

I think this is the time to look at our methods. What are we doing? Maybe it's not working and we need to change. What is our target? Have we earned the right to speak into their lives? A person just passing on the street has no knowledge of you or the work Christ has done in your life. But maybe sitting in the local Starbucks or other coffee shop and striking up a conversation with someone might work better. One on one. What is their perceived need in their life? They know they have a need but they don't realize that it is based in Christ. When we speak to them personally, we can see what of the Gospel they need to hear. My own mother was very Catholic. Trust me - she knew the law. She knew about sin and guilt and death. But she knew nothing of our Saviour's love for her. That He loved her so much that He died for her. THAT is what she needed to hear. Something clicked and she turned to Christ. In the first week, she read the whole New Testament and realized that her whole family was going to hell. That day, my younger brother and I were saved (at ages 7 and 4) and in the next 6 months, 18 members of our family were saved as well. My mom continued to be an outspoken evangelist in what you might call "lifestyle evangelism". She wore her faith on her sleeve and if someone came to her with a burden, she would stop right there and pray with them. She would ask them later about that struggle and they were open with her. SO many people will be with us in heaven thanks to the bold witness of my mom getting into people's lives. Sometimes we just need to know who we are introducing the gospel to in order to bring them the saving word.

 

[John of Japan]

I think this is the time to look at our methods. What are we doing? Maybe it's not working and we need to change. What is our target? Have we earned the right to speak into their lives? A person just passing on the street has no knowledge of you or the work Christ has done in your life. But maybe sitting in the local Starbucks or other coffee shop and striking up a conversation with someone might work better. One on one. What is their perceived need in their life? They know they have a need but they don't realize that it is based in Christ. When we speak to them personally, we can see what of the Gospel they need to hear. My own mother was very Catholic. Trust me - she knew the law. She knew about sin and guilt and death. But she knew nothing of our Saviour's love for her. That He loved her so much that He died for her. THAT is what she needed to hear. Something clicked and she turned to Christ. In the first week, she read the whole New Testament and realized that her whole family was going to hell. That day, my younger brother and I were saved (at ages 7 and 4) and in the next 6 months, 18 members of our family were saved as well. My mom continued to be an outspoken evangelist in what you might call "lifestyle evangelism". She wore her faith on her sleeve and if someone came to her with a burden, she would stop right there and pray with them. She would ask them later about that struggle and they were open with her. SO many people will be with us in heaven thanks to the bold witness of my mom getting into people's lives. Sometimes we just need to know who we are introducing the gospel to in order to bring them the saving word.

Excellent post and a real blessing. Thank you!

 

[John of Japan]

John R. Rice wrote about John 15:8 in his commentary on John, The Son of God:

"So, people may not know all about the doctrine of Holy Spirit power, but if one is really abundantly absorbed in Jesus and with all the concern Jesus has for sinners, and all the power Jesus has is given to us, that is just another way of saying Holy Spirit power" (p. 299).

"If you are not inviting people to Heaven you are not a servant of Christ. If you do not win souls you are not bearing fruit in the sense of this Scripture and the thing so dear to God" (ibid).