Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Talking practically about evangelism

The Apostle John does not include the "Great Commission" in his Gospel, as reported in the other Gospels and the Book of Acts (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Lk. 24:47-48; Acts 1:8). However, if we wanted to point to a single text that serves as a Great Commission in John's Gospel, it would be this: "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you" (Jn. 20:21).

Jesus says that just as His Father sent Him into the world to seek and save the lost, so He has sent us into the world to make disciples and be His witnesses (cf. Jn. 17:18). This is why we're here, my friends. This is our mission, plain and simple.

Two weeks ago, our church studied this "Great Commission" from John 20:19-23. But rather than doing a full exposition, I taught briefly through the passage and then led a discussion panel on evangelism with three church members: Jerry, Janet, and Marty. It was a fun and instructive time. You can listen to the audio here.

Here are the questions I posed during the interview. We didn't get through all of them, but you get a sense of what kinds of issues determine whether we're obeying the Great Commission. I think each of you would benefit from answering these for yourself:
  • The fact that you’re here today is because of someone else’s obedience to the Great Commission. How did you come to know the Lord?
  • The Great Commission that Christ gave His apostles applies to each of us as well. Who are one or two unbelievers the Lord has brought into your life? How are you trying to reach them with the gospel, and what struggles have you faced?
  • If someone in our church doesn’t know any unbelievers, or is not developing relationships with them, how could they begin to change?
  • The mission of our church is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ who love God and love people, by reaching and teaching everyone.” Love is an important mark of a true disciple of Christ. What are some ways people are hurting in our community, and how could we show greater Christian love?
  • Young people are the next generation of Christian leaders. What are some issues we need to think through if we’re going to reach young people in our community?

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