Overcoming the Fear of Evangelisim

Posted on May 15, 2012 by

Perspective On Evangelism, Part 4 – Overcoming the Mental Barrier of Fear

Can the mental barrier of fear be eliminated? No, but it can be overcome. The first time fear is mentioned in the Bible is immediately after Adam’s sin. He had no need to fear and didn’t experience fear prior to his sin, but when God sought him afterward, he acknowledged his fear of God as a result of his disobedience (Gen. 3:9-10). Therefore, we can safely conclude that fear is the result of sin and not something inherent in our creation. Paul acknowledged this when he told Timothy that God had not given us spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7). Two fundamental facts are apparent at this point. First, we all must deal with fear because we are all sinners (Rom. 3:23). We will not be able to eliminate it from our lives because our sinful nature will not be changed until the Lord comes for us (1 John 3:2). Secondly, fear although it cannot be eliminated can be overcome. We can prevent it from governing our choices and short circuiting our obedience to God. This is possible because God has given us a spirit of love (2 Tim. 1:7). Fear, as foreboding as it is, can be set aside due to the love we have for God that is demonstrated by our obedience to him (John 14:21). Fear is not eliminated, but it is willingly experienced in order to obey the God we love – in this case, his command to evangelize. Over one hundred times in God’s Word we are told to fear not. These commands are not telling us to somehow turn off our fear, but rather to overcome it in our minds due to God’s promised help.

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Fear – Our Foremost Problem in Evangelism

Posted on May 15, 2012 by

Perspectives on Evangelism, Part 3 – The Mental Barrier of Fear

The most prevalent excuse whether verbalized or not is fear. Most believers are simply intimidated by the obligation to speak to others about their faith. Fear is perhaps the greatest deterrent to evangelism. I well remember the first time I participated in an organized visitation program. In my last year of college I began attending a church in a neighboring city that my soon to be wife attended and they had a Thursday night visitation ministry. On Wednesday at the midweek prayer meeting the Pastor announced that visitation was the following evening. I envisioned a group of dedicated believers knocking on doors and sharing the gospel with those they met. So, the next evening acknowledging our obligation, my fiancée and I went to visitation. We were fearful not having participated in this kind of outreach before, but we thought others more experienced than us would help us learn the ropes. Evidently the fear we felt that night was a common malady because the only one at visitation that Thursday night besides us was the Pastor.

There are some very good reasons why fear is such a huge mental barrier to fulfilling our obligation to evangelize. One reason fear is such a formidable mental barrier is the cultural pressure placed on us as Christians. We are condemned for daring to tell others what they should believe. The root of this unwillingness to accept the gospel message or even tolerate its proclamation undoubtedly lies in the fact that the gospel contains a message of condemnation. The gospel is good news only to those who have acknowledged the bad news – that they are condemned sinners. Sinful men do not want to entertain the idea that they will be judged by God and they do not want to be told so. Religion is all right with the world as long as it involves man’s best efforts to please or appease whatever concept of God that may be concocted, but the idea that we must answer to a righteous God is unthinkable and unspeakable. Peer pressure is a powerful deterrent and feeling this pressure we very often remain silent rather than publicize the gospel.

Another reason that fear is such a mental barrier is that talking to someone about the condition of their soul is a very personal conversation and we naturally recoil at discussing personal matters with strangers. That’s why the weather is often the first item of discussion after we meet someone. It’s impersonal. It’s a non-threatening topic. We tend to keep people at an emotional distance until we get to know them. The right to speak to someone on a personal level must be earned. Whether this is cultural or something more inherent, it is without question the norm in our communications with other people. The bottom line is simply that violating this social norm makes us very uncomfortable.

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An Acknolwedged Obligation

Posted on May 15, 2012 by

Perspectives on Evangelism, Part 2 – Our Commission

Almost all believers agree that they should evangelize the lost – only some Hyper-Calvinists would disagree. The scriptural command is clear. We have been commissioned. We refer to it as the Great Commission. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, [even] to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20). Jesus gave this commission to his followers after his resurrection and prior to his ascension. The primary command was to make disciples (vs. 19). Along with making disciples, they were to teach those disciples to observe all things he commanded. And so, the Great Commission passes on to us as it has with every passing generation. Many other verses in the New Testament also emphasizes our obligation to evangelize the lost (Acts 1:8, Rom. 1:15-16, 1 Pet. 3:15). All of us have heard multiple sermons on the subject and said amen. However, the fact remains that most Christians do not purposefully engage in evangelism. So, why is it that so many of us acknowledge our obligation, but fail to faithfully discharge it? There are no legitimate excuses, but some common and very powerful mental barriers that must be overcome can be identified.

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The Kinds of Prayers God Answers

Posted on May 15, 2012 by

Matthew 7:7-11

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Responding To Problems

Posted on May 3, 2012 by

Acts 16:25-40

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Marriage Amendment

Posted on April 26, 2012 by

Vote For the Marriage Amendment on May 8th

On May 8th North Carolina voters will have a rare opportunity. That opportunity involves making a biblical principle part of the State constitution. Under the “Referendum” heading on the ballot in this year’s primary election voters will have the opportunity to vote for a constitutional amendment on marriage. The language as it will appear on the ballot is as follows.

Constitutional amendment to provide that marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.

You must vote for the amendment to see this amendment become part of the North Carolina Constitution. Adding this amendment will protect against having an activist judge rule against current state law that already recognizes only traditional marriages between one man and one woman. Seeing that it will not change the current legal status of marriage in North Carolina, it will not add any additional legal restrictions to anyone in North Carolina. It only protects against changes to the current law by making the recognition of traditional marriage alone part of the constitution.

God instituted marriage from the very beginning of creation. It was his design. It was his idea. Gen 2:15-22 provides the details. God created Adam first and put him in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:15). Afterwards God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him (2:18). “It is obvious that God’s plan from the beginning included a mate for Adam. However, Adam needed to realize his need. So, God brought the animals before Adam so that he could name them, but also that he might realize that God’s plan for creation involved both male and female. At the end of verse 20 we read, “But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.” Having illustrated Adam’s need, God went on to create Eve (2:21-22). Having created Eve, “He brought her to the man (2:22b).” Here we have the institution of marriage by God. It was his plan from the beginning – His idea. It did not involve same sex partners!

We, as Christians, are often portrayed as hating those who are gay. We do not hate gay individuals any more than we hate thieves or liars and we don’t hate them. We love all men. However, loving others doesn’t mean we accept as normal and moral any and all behavior. We can and do love sinners without condoning their sin. After all, we to are sinners who though no merit of our own have come to know grace of God. So, why wouldn’t we want to align our State constitution with biblical morality given the chance?

James 4:17 provides us with a principle that we would do well to remember given the opportunity we have before us. ”Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Let us do good by adding a biblical principle to our state constitution on May eighth.

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Why Do We Have Problems?

Posted on March 29, 2012 by

Acts 16:19-25

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Satanic Blindness & Demon Possession

Posted on March 20, 2012 by

 Acts 16:13-16

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Does the Bible Condone Slavery?

Posted on February 27, 2012 by

In his June 2006 speech given to the liberal Christian group Call to Renewal, President Obama asked the following question in regard to the formulation of public policy. He said, “Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is OK . . .?” Does the Bible really condone slavery as President Obama asserts? Well, if by the term slavery he means forced servitude that is harshly imposed on someone against their will as it existed in America prior to the Civil War, the answer is no. In fact, such was punishable by death under the Old Testament Law. And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death (Exodus 21:16). This verse provides a clear and resounding denial of the charge that the Bible in the Old Testament condoned slavery.

The slavery that existed in the Old Testament and was regulated by the Law of Moses was far different from our present day notion of slavery that is based on what happened in the country prior to the Civil War. For starters, it was not forced on innocent people against their will. This fact, we have already established. Therefore, it is intellectually dishonest to equate the two. Furthermore, the Old Testament Law forbid the abuse of legally held slaves who were to be treated with respect as if they were hired servants (Lev. 25:39-43). Add to this the fact that all slaves were to be released at the beginning of every seventh year and given a new start (Ex. 21:2; Lev. 25:40; Dt. 15:12-15) and it is clear the the Old Testament institution of slavery was far different from what existed in this country 150 years ago.

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The Leading of the Spirit

Posted on February 23, 2012 by

Acts 16:6-12

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