"Help! I'm Fearful and Dislike Evangelism..."

In the first part of our latest evangelism series 'How to Share Christ with Passion', Lindy addresses some our common fears and challenges on personal evangelism, and how to overcome them. This article has been adapted from one of her talks.

 

 

Evangelism is simply telling people the Gospel - the good news, or more specifically, the way in which one can be saved from future judgement and have eternal life with the Creator of this universe.

 

But we often see this as a burden and peer pressure from the church. Why is that so?

 

 

1 Corinthians 1:18 says "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

 

Is it because we care too much about what the world sees - the Gospel as folly - and forget the more important second part - the Gospel being the power of God?

 

 

 

Paul says that "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16)

 

Again, Paul reminds us that the Gospel is the power of God. Pray that we first recognise this!

Now, many people associate fear as a negative and unwanted thing. Naturally, we would think that we should cast aside our fears and be fearless when it comes to evangelism.  

But look at how Paul described his evangelism in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

 

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

 

Paul was fearful and even trembled before the Corinthians, and did not even use words of wisdom to support his evangelism. Let us follow in his example—to be resolved to tell the Gospel as it is, fearful as he was.

Secondly, although some may argue that there is no literal commandment for every Christian to evangelise, Paul wrote this in his letter to Timothy:

 

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 — 1 Timothy 2:1-4

 

 

The last line clearly indicates God's will.

Therefore, the bigger question we should be asking is this:

Are we doing the will of God?