First things first, everybody just calm down. I can already feel your blood pressure rising and see that vein in your temple bulging.

No, this isn’t clickbait. Yes, Jesus died for you. Yes, salvation still awaits the sinner at the feet of Jesus.

Don’t worry, this isn’t some heretical stance on any advanced theological concept.

It’s clarification for the typical “church person’s” intent in seeing the kingdom grow because it’s time to face the facts – Jesus didn’t die just for the church.

Breaking The Church-Wall Mindset

Now, if I were to tell you that Christ died for the church you’d sensibly agree.

Obviously, if you believe that Jesus gave his life to atone for our sin, purify our lives, impart the Holy Spirit in us, and deliver us to God then you’d assume that the majority of good ole’ “church-going” Christian folk have been saved by Christ.

The unfortunate fact is that you’d be believing in a half-truth.

Christ didn’t just die for the church. He died for the world.

Now, hearing that you probably feel an urge to say a big resounding “Duh!”, but Christ’s intent in salvation is far too often overlooked.

Evangelism is becoming an afterthought for Christians, so no wonder American churches are struggling to grow.

It’s time to break through the mindset that has us Christians huddling in our walls. It’s time to make evangelism a priority!

How Important Is Evangelism Really?

We get it. It’s a struggle to carve time out of busy schedules.

However, this can’t be an excuse for “why I can’t help the Kingdom of God”, and it’s our responsibility to God and ourselves to make outreach a part of our own personal ministries.

How important is it?

Well, for starters, the New Testament is FILLED with saints who dedicated their lives to evangelism!

Literally, just about every disciple, apostle, and teacher devoted their lives to building the church through evangelism and church exhortation.

Next, what better way to grow your church than by prioritizing evangelistic programs and events in your congregation!

While it’s important to build up your church and the health of your tribe’s believers there is no greater joy than seeing God’s name be spread throughout the world.

And, in doing so, you are able to bring non-believers into covenant with the Father and then into your church family.

It’s one of the best ways to focus on growing your church.

Third, it’s the most important duty as Christians that we can have – building the Kingdom of believers.

Time and time again the scriptures reference how Christ not only died for the world but that we should go out and evangelize.

9 Scriptures To Fuel Your Evangelism Fire

• 1 John 2:2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
• John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 
• John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
• Romans 10:9-10 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
• 2 Timothy 4:5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
• Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
• Ephesians 4:11-13 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
• Mark 16:14 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

You get the idea. We are called to preach the word of God to the lost and unsaved.

 

If Christ died for the world, then why do we try to keep him in the four walls of the church?

3 Practical Tips To Evangelize Today

1. Adopt A Heart Of Evangelism

This may seem like an obvious statement, but evangelism is not for the “faint of heart”.

You have to truly care about the salvation awaiting the lost. Be passionately stirred by it. Be fired up by it!

This passion is imperative because evangelism is not easy.

There will be people who ridicule you, mock you, curse at you, and try to crush your spirit with their response (or lack thereof).

How can you adopt a heart of evangelism? Pray.

Ask the Lord to start breaking your heart for people the way His heart breaks for people.

Ask the Lord to remind you of the depravity you experienced in your life before giving your life to Him.

Ask Him to remind you of the greatest moment in your life – the feeling of salvation and knowing you have a King who gave everything to save you.

Beg the Lord for the courage to help lead others into this glorious, life-changing moment.

You might not ever be the same after doing this. Your heart may be utterly broken to realize there are some people that will never taste the satisfaction of everlasting life.

But if this happens, you should know that you did everything right.

2. Incorporate It Into Your Routine

Evangelism does not always mean renting a 100,000 seat arena and preaching day in and day out.

It also does not always mean a two-week mission trip or moving to another country and standing in the streets declaring the Word of God.

Don’t get us wrong. Those are great ways to evangelize, but the easiest, most realistic way is to start where you are at.

How can you incorporate evangelism into your day-to-day routine?

Start your day out in prayer and ask God for just one encounter, one opportunity.

Maybe this is in the break room at work, by the copy machine, or even with your boss.

You can have divine appointments wherever you are, as long as you are open to them!

If you feel the urge to ask the Starbucks drive-thru worker if there is anything you can pray for them about, do it.

Small things like this rarely happen, but they have the power to lead someone to Christ!

What more of a reason could you want than that?

Sooner or later, those day-to-day, Godly encounters will become your new normal rather than the scary and awkward thing your pastor asks you to do every Sunday.

3. Practice Makes Perfect

It may seem weird to say you have to practice telling people about God, but you do!

Like anything you want to become good at, you have to practice.

The whole reason Christian apologetics exists is “in case you’re asked”, and Christian apologists practice day in and day out.

Evangelism exists “in case you ask”, so practice! Rehearse and study the points you want to make and the questions you want to answer.

Soon enough, there will rarely be a time you won’t have that bullet-proof theology to back the message in your heart!

If you don’t, you may always stutter and babble when someone challenges you, questions you, or starts trying to argue.

The more experience you have, the easier it will become to keep your composure, think on your feet, and stop and listen to what the Lord is saying, rather than looking for the nearest exit.

Pro-tip: You’ll also be much less awkward when you approach people and begin talking to them about Jesus.

This is a good thing, because, let’s be honest…the world does not need another reason to think Christians are awkward or weird.

To Recap

Christianity needs evangelists! It’s that awkward, demanding, yet completely rewarding service of leading others to encounters with the Lord

It helps grow the kingdom and your church, and embracing it will be a change that can drastically grow both!

Don’t keep Jesus to yourself. Don’t just keep Him in the church. Tell the world about Him because He died to save them!

It can be scary, yes. But mainly because it isn’t something people do day-in and day-out.

To really ramp up your heart for it review those evangelistic verses from before.

They capture the reason and the why behind evangelism, and they can really light that outreach fire in your heart.

If you’re struggling to find ways in your life to reach out follow those 3 steps to making evangelism normal for you.

1. Adopt a heart of evangelism
2. Incorporate it into your daily routine
3. Practice makes perfect

Now, we are going to challenge you. Go out and talk to the first person you encounter about Jesus.

It doesn’t have to be particularly long.

It doesn’t have to be some profound revelation.

It just has to be from the heart, and it very well could save theirs.