Day 25: Go With Prayers Of Evangelism

My team and I interview several church members in the context of a consultation. The focus of the interviews is pretty basic: How long have you been at the church? What areas of ministry have you been or are you involved in? What are some of the strengths of the church? What are some of the challenges of the church? Is there anything else you would like to add?

During the interviews, we welcome deeper discussions of each question. We also allow the church members to take detours off the specific questions. We often get insightful information about the church when we move off script.

In one particular church, a common response to the question about challenges in the church was “We aren’t reaching people!” After a few follow-up conversations, I came to a sad realization. Most of these church members did not understand evangelism. In fact, it got to a point that I added a question to my interview template: “What is your church doing to reach people evangelistically?” Very few attempted to answer the question, because they didn’t understand it. One brave seventysomething man did ask me in response: “What exactly is evangelism?”

I have discovered that many professing Christians not only do not share their faith, but they also don’t understand what it means to share their faith.

I trust that you understand it. For twenty-five days, you have been praying, studying Scripture, and going out into your neighborhood or community. You have been praying for people in the homes along your way. You have been praying and going because you want the people in your neighborhood to know the touch of Christ for physical healing, for emotional struggles, for broken relationships, and for salvation.

You know the meaning of evangelism. You know that it means to share the Good News of Christ. You know that the only way to heaven is through Christ. In fact, Jesus said it himself: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

You are faithfully seeking to be a Great Commission Christian. You have committed to these thirty days out of obedience to that command from Jesus.

TEN HOMES WITH A FOCUS

It’s time to go to another ten homes. It’s time to pray for the people in those homes. Can you believe that after today’s exercise you will have prayed for thirty families in your community? Do you wonder what changes are happening in those homes? Do you wonder how God has used your prayers in those homes?

You don’t need any further instructions on how this exercise works. You are a pro by now. But I’m asking that you focus your prayers on evangelism this time. Though you probably don’t know who is or isn’t a Christian in the homes you pray for, pray for each home as if there is at least one person there who is not a believer. Unfortunately, the likelihood of at least one member of the family not being a Christian is high.

If possible, focus your prayer into three brief areas. Let’s look at each one in turn.

PRAY FOR THEIR SALVATION

Start your prayer for each home by praying for the salvation of each person inside who is not a Christian. Pray that the Holy Spirit would convict them of their sins and that they would repent and place their faith in Christ. Pray that their hearts would be receptive to salvation in Christ.

As you pray for their salvation, pray also that God will send a message or a messenger to the people in the home. Many years ago, I was praying for someone to become a Christian, but she really didn’t seem interested. Sadly, after a time, I really didn’t think about witnessing to her anymore.

One night she called me. She told me she had just accepted Christ. I was stunned. Then she told me she was watching an old Billy Graham crusade on television. It became clear to her that she was not a Christian, and she needed to follow Christ immediately.

I never cease to be amazed how God uses messengers. It could be an evangelist on TV. It could be a verse of Scripture that someone stumbles across. It could be a casual conversation with someone. As you pray for the salvation of those in each of the ten homes, ask God to send them a message or a messenger.

PRAY TO REMOVE OBSTACLES

You took time yesterday, on Day 24, to pray that God would remove obstacles in your life that are hindering you from becoming a Great Commission Christian. Take a few seconds at each home to pray that obstacles to the gospel will be removed for those who have not yet become Christians.

The ways that someone could be hindered from hearing the gospel are numerous. We might think that the obstacles would be difficulties and challenges they are facing. But even more likely, people are hindered from the gospel because they’re comfortable. They don’t want anything to get in the way of their life or lifestyle.

Such is the story of the rich man (sometimes called the rich young ruler) and Jesus. He had a good life, and he was a moral man. When he wanted to know how to receive eternal life, Jesus told him to sell all his possessions. Jesus realized that the man’s wealth was an obstacle to the gospel. You know how this part of the story ends: “But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions” (Matthew 19:22).

Jesus then reminded his disciples how comfort and possessions can be an obstacle to the gospel: “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” (Matthew 19:23-24).

Pray for obstacles to the gospel to be removed—especially the obstacles of comfort and possessions.

PRAY FOR THEM TO FIND A CHURCH

I am continually encouraged to hear stories of people visiting a church and then becoming Christians. Some hear the gospel in the pastor’s sermons. Some through relationships they develop with other believers. These relationships become pathways to the gospel.

Some people have said they had no joy or fulfillment in their lives until they connected with a church. There they saw normal people, with problems like anyone else, living joyful and fulfilled lives. In the words of a friend who is a recent convert to Christianity at my church, “They dealt with the same mess I had to deal with, but they had joy anyway.” He saw the gospel lived out in the lives of Christians in the community called the local church. He wanted what they had.

While church attendance alone won’t turn an unbeliever into a Christian, church gatherings are a place where they will hear the gospel and see the gospel lived out. Perhaps God will use your prayer that people will find a church as an instrument toward their salvation.

Now it’s time to go. It’s time to pray for ten more families.

I have already prayed for you.