Hindrances To Evangelism
Randall Caselman
4/16/97
Hindrances To Evangelism
There is no doubt the New Testament teaches that each and every child of God should be evangelistic.
• There is direct command,
Into all the world preaching the good news to all creation... Baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
• We have New Testament example,
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
• Evangelism is necessarily inferred,
Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. If salvation is in none other except Jesus, then we must tell others about Him.
Satan uses so many devices to keep us from being soul conscious. Our soul winning efforts will be hindered:
When we decide that souls will be saved without our efforts. We must understand that we are coworkers with God. Paul tells us that we are
His workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. What greater work does God have for us to do than saving others?
He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
When we become lukewarm and mechanical in our attempts to promote Jesus. Questions! Do we have any plans for reaching others with the gospel? Do we have a prayer list of those we're wanting to bring to Jesus? Do they know we are trying to bring them into a personal relationship with God and His people? Church, it would go a long way if we would just say to them,
I love you and I want you to be saved. We must be intentional in our efforts to seek and save the lost.
When we decide that winning others is the responsibility of the preacher alone. Note that when the early church was scattered abroad, the preachers (Apostles) stayed in Jerusalem and the church members were found teaching others wherever they went.
When we turn our attention inward. So many church programs today are geared to our own personal needs rather than our attending to God's business.
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. God didn't send His Son to meet our personal needs, but to save our souls. Jesus' agenda must become our agenda,
to seek and save the lost, to call sinners to repentance, to serve, not be served.
When we rest on past accomplishments. We have done a great job in the past, but that is just what it is, the past. Christianity is a religion of keeping-on-keeping-on. The message to the Seven Churches of Asia
was remain true to my name... Be faithful until death... Repent and do the things you did at first... Wake up and strengthen what remains.
When we allow issues to become more important than souls. The first priority of the primitive church was saving the lost. So many of us are so wrapped up in issues that we are blinded to the needs of the lost. Yes, issues are important, but they must not occupy first place to the point that they crowd out our desire to tell others of God's grace. Paul said,
I came knowing nothing but Jesus and Him crucified.
When we lose the spirit of brotherly love. Disunity is a deterrent to soul winning. Jesus said,
the world will know you are My disciples when you love one another. Controversy and competition among local congregations inhibit our soul winning efforts. Salvation is in Christ, not in the church. The church is a result of our salvation.
The Lord added to the church daily those being saved.
When we become self indulgent. The world is watching; the lost are aware of our morality. We are the only Bible some will ever read. We must become practitioners of pure religion,
caring for the fatherless and widows and keeping ourselves unspotted from the world. We must become a Christ-like example to those around us. It's not enough for others to see us carry our Bibles to church; we must carry it in our hearts and apply it in our daily walk.
When we are loose in doctrine. Many churches have watered down membership requirements to the point that they demand no discipline, no conviction, no commitment, no conversion, no change in the way we think and act. God expects us to become
a peculiar people, a royal nation, a holy priesthood, a people set apart for His work.
Give us a watch word for the hour, a thrilling word, a word of power. The call is given ye host arise, the watchword is evangelize.
—Randall Caselman
