Evangelism Training

Luke 10 was my daily Bible reading this morning. This is where Jesus sent out the seventy-two. It’s a passage that is dear to most evangelists and particularly resonated with me as we have just finished the latest online evangelism training.

It is always a privilege to encourage and help equip people to share the gospel. Evangelism training is one of the core values of OAC.

Often people confess that they feel nervous, unprepared and fearful about evangelism. I admit that I too feel that way at times, but that it is something God calls us to and that He goes with us. Indeed Jesus, in verse three, tells us that He is sending us out “like lambs among wolves.”

Evangelism isn’t easy, especially in our post-modern, western culture. But it is vital. It is something we’re called to. When Jesus sent his disciples out they probably felt similar to us, but jump forwards and read verses seventeen and twenty. Does that encourage you?

So these verses show us that Jesus is sending us out to reach people in His name and they tell us that He goes with us.

What else do these verses tell us?

Verse sixteen tells us “Whoever listens to you, listens to me. Whoever rejects you, rejects me.” “I have given you authority.” And “Nothing will harm you.” Or as ‘The Message’ puts it “Safe passage and protection from every assault of the enemy.” (This is a great passage to read in The Message.)

The final point I want to highlight is from verse two. Jesus says “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers.” Or, as The Message puts it, ”On your knees; ask God of the Harvest to send harvest hands.”

In these times many people are feeling hopeless but we have a message of eternal hope. Let us be faithful in sharing it and let’s pray for others to respond to the call of evangelism. We are not all called to be evangelists but we are all called to evangelism.