Personal Evangelism

Editorial
November/December, 1972
Volume 7, Number 6

Some Church of the Brethren leaders are expressing a new interest in evangelism. Sharing one’s faith should have high priority in the life of each Christian. To “evangelize” is to tell men that all have sinned, that our sins have evoked the displeasure of God, but that God is ready to forgive and to reinstate us on the basis of what Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross.

The first requirement for effective evangelism is a clear concept of what the Good News is. We can’t expect evangelism to make any impact, if the Church gives the impression that it’s not sure what the Gospel is! Evangelism begins not with methods, but with concerned people. And people will not be concerned until they recognize the plight of man and the grace of God. The Christian who seeks to share the Good News must first of all preach the bad news! He must tell us in effect that the world is going to Hell, and that each human being is part of that world. Then the bearer of the evangel must make it clear that each of us has a choice. Either we will lay the hands of faith on Jesus Christ and His promise (Acts 4:12), or we will continue on the broad road which leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13).

The very heart of the “evangel” is the message that every man is a fallen, sinful creature (Romans 3:12; John 3:18), and the good news that Christ shed His blood for our sins (Matthew 26:28; Romans 3:25) — and if you see a document that’s promoted as an evangelism piece, and it says nothing about the Fall of man and the substitutionary atonement through the blood of Jesus Christ, you cannot call it New Testament evangelism.

Notice that evangelism is telling. To live your daily life in a Christlike way is in itself a tremendous witness, but evangelism is not merely the testimony of a good, consistent life. Being friendly, helpful, neighborly — is a good preparation for evangelism, but it is not a substitute for evangelism. The Gospel must be expressed in words, and since good deeds do not actually convey the content of the Gospel, soul-winning involves more than living a good life. Sometimes people ask which is more important in witnessing — the life I live or the words I say? That’s like asking which wing of an airplane is more important — the right wing or the left one? Obviously, both are important.

–H.S.M.

Personal Evangelism

by Luke B. Bucher

God expects His followers to be soul-winners and to show men and women how to find pardon, peace, and eternal life. We want to look at personal evangelism by noting three factors.

1. WHY CHRISTIANS ARE NOT BUSY IN PERSONAL EVANGELISM

(a) Unsurrendered lives. The most likely reason Christians are not personally leading others to Christ, is because they are not fully surrendered themselves. For many people, things are neither black nor white, but just a hazy gray. The Bible speaks about this condition in Revelation 3:15-16: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Let’s not be afraid nor ashamed to surrender completely to Jesus Christ, and to present our bodies a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1). When we are fully surrendered to Christ, then and only then, will Matthew 6:33 be experienced in our lives.

(b) Unclean vessels. Another reason why Christians are not personally leading others to Christ is because our vessels are not clean. God is not going to take the pure water of life to thirsty souls in dirty pitchers! 2 Timothy 2:19-22 says, “And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity … if a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Corinthians 6:17 says, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord.” God uses separated Christians (not isolated and withdrawn persons), but those who are in the world yet not of it. Desires for money, pleasure, fun, sports, and amusements keep Christians from being available for God’s use. Deliverance from sin is free, but deliverance from the world demands the cost of separation.

(c) Unconvinced faith. Many times those who are vitally interested in soul saving and are fully surrendered and spiritually on fire — lack faith to talk to, and witness to, and invite lost souls to Jesus. The prospective soul-winner sometimes says, “They’ve been invited many times before; they know they ought to do something about their souls.” And so, many times we simply don’t bother confronting men and women with Jesus Christ. But we must faithfully sow the seed and let God take care of the increase. 1 Corinthians 4:2 says, “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.” The soul-winner must be convinced that sharing the Good News with others is necessary.

2. WHY WE SHOULD BE ENTHUSED IN PERSONAL EVANGELISM

(a) The joy of witnessing. Sharing the Gospel is a joy. not a job. It is a delight, not a drudgery. Think of the joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10). Remember the joy when you received Jesus as your own Saviour and Lord? One minister says, “I have seen a whole church suddenly come alive with joy as we have had people receive Christ Sunday after Sunday in the services.” Even as Christ did not come into the world to be ministered unto, but to minister — just so, the greatest joy in the Christian’s life is the joy of sharing his personal faith in a personal Christ with another person in a personal way. Prov. 11:30 says, “He that winneth souls is wise.”

(b) The compulsion from the heart. Every saved person this side of Heaven ought to be vitally concerned about every lost person this side of Hell. Paul had this concern when he said, “I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart; for I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Romans 9:2, 3). L. R. Scarborough once said, “Winning one person creates the hunger for more, and on it goes until the soul winner is consumed with a burning passion to win others to Christ.” Paul had this burden when he said, “Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel.” (C) The constraint of love. In 2 Corinthians. 5:14 we read, “The love of Christ constraineth us.” It compels us. The mother-in-law of one of the deacons of a congregation was in a church service for the first time. The people of that church had been praying for her. That night the preacher trusted the Lord for the words needed to touch her heart. After the service, the minister met the woman at the door. So constrained was he that he began to witness to her. She said that after the kind of life she had lived, she was sure there would be no God. But all over the church, Christians had gathered in small groups and were praying while the minister talked to her. They were weeping and so was the minister — for one dear lady. She was amazed when she saw the people praying, but still would not believe. On the way home she asked her son-in-law why the people were crying. He said, “Because they love you so much.” Those words broke her sudden will and she opened her heart to Christ.

(d) The command from Heaven. Today we build big, beautiful church buildings with cushioned pews, air-conditioned auditoriums, robed choirs, new educational wings, well-trained preachers — and then advertise, “Come and hear.” But all the while, God says, “Go and tell.” The Christian does not need to pray about whether he should witness or not. The command has been given. It needs to be heeded and heard. The Great Commission says, “Go ye therefore.” (e) The cry from Hell. Luke 16:27-28 tells about the unrepentant rich man who pleads, “I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house, for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this place of torment.” A preacher startled his congregation one Sunday morning by saying that every one of his members “ought to go to hell.” After a pause, he continued — “for five minutes” — to get his heart fired up to witness for Christ. A good look at Hell (as the Word of God describes it), can do just that for us today.

3. HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE PERSONAL EVANGELIST

The information which follows centers around the word “personal.” These instructions are intended to help us become better witnesses for Christ.

(a) P is for prayer. The most important ingredient in personal evangelism is prayer. Paul says in Romans 10:1, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” He says to Philemon, “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers.” The Bible says that the Lord is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” It is our duty to pray for lost people, and to ask God to give us boldness to speak to them. All true believers should have and use a prayer list. It is necessary to pray each morning for even unknown persons we might meet during the day. We should pray for a person before we speak to him about his soul. Why? So that the Lord’s will might be done and the Holy Spirit might help us say the things that will bring conviction and will lead to Christ. Our prayer should be, “Lord, give me at least one soul to whom I can speak today.”

(b) E is for example. One writer says, “What you are, speaks so loud, that the world can’t hear what you say.” Paul writes to Timothy and admonishes, “Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believer in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). The world today is filled with hypocrisy, false pretense, and make-believe. The world is looking for something real, secure, and satisfying. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:2,”Ye are our epistles…known and read of all men. “A young girl, in school, yielded to the temptation to cheat. The Holy Spirit (dwelling in her) convicted her of the sin, and she confessed all to the teacher. Upon this confession, the teacher remarked that this was the first time she had ever seen that Christianity works. A characteristic of salt is that it will make one thirsty. When a personal evangelist is being led of the Lord, his exemplary life will make others desire his kind of life in Christ.

(c) R is for read. Acts 17:11 says, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Just as we feed our physical bodies at least once every day (and usually more often), so we must feed our spiritual appetites at least once every day. A born-again child of God will have a time set aside every day for the study of God’s Word. One of the office-jobs of the Holy Spirit is recorded in John 14:26. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” If we read and memorize portions of Scripture, the Holy Spirit will then be able to lead us to say the right words. Important verses in the Bible that every soul-winner should memorize are sometimes called “the Roman Road”: Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9; and John 1:1; 3:16; 5:24. Many Christians are poor personal evangelists, because they spend so little time daily reading God’s Word. In 2 Timothy 2:15 we read, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.”

(d) S is for speak. We should see every soul as one for whom Christ died. Matthew 10:32-33 reminds us, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father who is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.” See also Mark 8:38. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” The Gospel needs to be shared by word of mouth. We need to be constantly on the alert for opportunities; we must speak to the point.

(e) O is for offspring. Where should we begin in this great work of personal evangelism? Acts 1:8 tells us, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Begin at home! Parents need to realize that the jewels God has entrusted to our care are passing through our homes on their way either to Heaven or to Hell — and that destination (while it is their decision), will largely be determined by us, the parents. Deut. 6:6-9 tells us how to diligently teach our children. It is tragic when we put material and physical interests ahead of the spiritual training of our children. Insincerity and inconsistent living on the part of parents has often destroyed the faith of children.

(f) N is for neighbor. Listen to the song: “If you cannot cross the ocean, and the heathen land explore: you can find the heathen nearer; you can help them at your door.” Acts 1:8 says we should go first to those nearest our family. Sit down and write the names of neighbors within a radius of two miles from your home, and see a wide-open door ready for personal evangelism. A man moved to a new home and lived there three years before one person came speaking to him concerning his soul. However he had been there only a few days, before the milkman, insurance man, and the mailman were there. Let us pray for our neighbors — help them, visit them, invite them to church, and invite them to Christ.

(g) A is for acclaim the Gospel. 1 Timothy 6:2-3 declares, “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing.” What shall we acclaim? 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 says, “How that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he arose again the third day.” The Good News that men need to hear is that Someone loves them, and has~ paid the penalty for their sins.

(h) L is for lead to Christ. Don’t ask if they’d like to be a church member. Give them the Gospel. Use the previously-mentioned Scriptures and tell men and women how to be saved! Use Gospel tracts freely and let the Word of God being conviction of sin and lead the sinner to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Invite the individual to accept Christ upon his hearing and believing the Scriptures. A freshman at Bible School presented the claims of Christ to another, and then asked if he would like to become a Christian. “I sure would,” was the reply. Surprised, the student said, “You would?” “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

O ye saints, arouse, be earnest;
Up and work while yet tis day;
E’er the night of death o’ertake thee,
Strive for souls while still you may.

Luke Bucher is a minister in the Heidelberg Congregation
in the Atlantic Northeast District.

 

In 2023, Brethren Maine Missions (BMM) purchased the Building Materials Exchange.  The Last Sheaf Building Materials Exchange provides exposure and connection with the community of Lisbon while offering a variety of new, used, and salvaged building materials, tools, and supplies at greatly reduced prices.

Why “The Last Sheaf?”

The Last Sheaf is a reference from the Bible where God says:

When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

Deuteronomy 24:19 (NKJV)

Links:

  • https://lastsheafbme.org/

Highlights:

   GOD is faithful! The sun shines and GOD is with us, the rain comes down and GOD is with us.

 

   Since we’ve taken ownership of the Last Sheaf BME, we’ve made roof repairs, insulated the ceiling, repaired walls, etc. There were times it felt like every step we took there was another thing to fix. 

 

   We have two people on staff (Craig Keeney and Peter Bucher) assisted by a tremendous team of volunteers. We work together to make repairs, do pricing and inventory work, assist customers and more.  Interacting with and helping customers is the highlight of our day. People come with material needs; they need product to build or repair their home. People come with spiritual and emotional needs, as well. We purpose to get to know the individuals who come through our doors in order to share hope, truth, and love.

 

   One individual who had visited the Last Sheaf a couple of times was loud, large, and in charge. He had a “Goliath” personality. He made me quake in my boots a little (maybe a lot). His language was at times not appropriate anywhere, but especially not in a public place. One day he was standing right beside me and was about to speak that which I did not want to hear.  In a very quiet voice, I called him by name and before I could say any more, he apologized and said, “You are right. I shouldn’t be talking like that.”  Then he launched into a spiritual conversation with me. I was totally taken off guard by the change. He has been a different person ever since. Now he is more like a “David” personality. I now look forward to opportunities to speak with him.

 

   Donations of products/materials as well as finances are always appreciated, but the prayers of the saints are as vital a need to the work at the Last Sheaf, as anything.

Just as in biblical times the last sheaves of grain from a harvest were to be left behind to benefit the needy, we are taking leftover building materials, tools, and supplies and making them available at greatly reduced prices to those in need.

Our Mission:

Our mission is to benefit low-income homeowners, and to reduce waste in the environment by repurposing surplus building materials, enabling low income homeowners to better maintain their homes.

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INTRODUCTION TO THEOLOGY

Every Christian thinks about God, so every Christian is a theologian. Theology is the study of God. This course will encourage us to think about God in a biblical manner, from the information provided in the Scriptures. We will seek to further understand some major theological ideas from the Anabaptist-Pietist viewpoint and explain those ideas.

A STUDY OF ABRAHAM

Father of the faithful and a friend of God. His life serves as a profound study in covenant theology, testing the boundaries of faith, sacrifice, trust, and ultimate devotion to the One Creator. In this session we will study the character of Abraham, identify pictures of Jesus Christ, and apply truths and insights into our lives.

THE BOOK OF PSALMS

Within this collection of songs and prayers lie expressions of the deep passions of humanity. The psalmists cry out in despair, pour out his soul in confession, and express exuberant praise for his God. Through the peaks and valleys of human experience, the Psalms guide us to praise our loving Creator.

THE CULTS AND FALSE RELIGIONS

This study will look at the beliefs of a variety of cults and false religions that are prevalent in America today. These false beliefs will be contrasted with Biblical truth along with ways to respond when confronted by followers of these cults.

WOMEN IN THE EARLY CHURCH

You’ve heard about Paul and Silas, Peter and John. But, what about Priscillas? Chloe? Phoebe? and Lydia (a strong woman who “prevailed” on Paul, Silas and Luke in Philippi)? Because of its focus on the ones that others rejected, tax collectors, Samaritans and women, Jesus and later the early church attracted the outcasts into their followers. This class will focus on the women who influenced the early church and the role of women in the church today.

NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

A general survey of the entire New Testament, which includes a panoramic view of all 27 books. Note will be made of leading characteristics, main ideas of thought, and summary outlines of each book. Each book will be related to the total message of the New Testament.

STUDIES IN JOHN’S LETTERS

A detailed look at epistles that emphasize the relationship of the Christian to the father through the Lord Jesus Christ. The themes of assurance, obedience, love and truth in the Christian life will be drawn from our study.

STATEMENT OF CONDUCT

The Brethren Bible Institute believes in the discipline of the whole person (spirit, soul, and body). We will aim to train students not only about how to study the Bible in a systematic way (2 Timothy 2:15), but also how to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world (Titus 2:12). God calls Christians to the highest of character when He commands us to be holy (1 Peter 1:15), and holiness requires discipline.

Indulgence in the use of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, drugs, profanity, and gambling are forbidden at BBI. Objectionable literature will be prohibited. Students are asked not to use the college pool during the Institute. Each student must be thoughtful, and respect the rights of others at all times, especially during study and rest periods.

A friendly social group intermingling of students between class periods, and at general school activities is encouraged. Each student should enjoy the friendship of the entire group. At all times, highest standards of social conduct between men and women must be maintained. This means that all forms of unbecoming behavior and unseemly familiarities will be forbidden.

Personal appearance and grooming tell much about one's character. Students are expected to be dressed in good taste. In an attempt to maintain Scriptural expressions of simplicity, modesty, and nonconformity, the following regulations shall be observed while attending BBI.

MEN should be neatly attired and groomed at all times. Fashion extremes and the wearing of jewelry should be avoided on campus. The hair should not fall over the shirt-collar when standing, nor should it cover the ears.

WOMEN should wear skirts cut full enough and of sufficient length to at least come to the knees when standing and sitting. Form-fitting, transparent, low-neckline, or sleeveless clothing will not be acceptable. Slacks and culottes are permitted only for recreation and then only when worn under a skirt of sufficient length. Wearing jewelry should be avoided on campus. Long hair for women is encouraged and all Church of the Brethren girls (and others with like convictions) shall be veiled on campus.

The Institute reserves the right to dismiss any student whose attitude and behavior is not in harmony with the ideals of the School, or whose presence undermines the general welfare of the School, even if there is no specific breach of conduct.

The Brethren Bible Institute is intended to provide sound Bible teaching and wholesome Christian fellowship for all who desire it. The Bible School Committee worked hard and long at the task of arriving at standards, which will be pleasing to the Lord. It is not always easy to know just where the line should be drawn and we do not claim perfection. No doubt certain standards seem too strict for some and too loose for others. If you are one who does not share all these convictions, we hope you will agree to adjust to them for the School period, for the sake of those who do. We are confident that the blessings received will far outweigh any sacrifice you may have to make. If you have a special problem or question, please write to us about it. To be accepted as a student at BBI, you will need to sign a statement indicating that you will cooperate with the standards of the School.

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