August 2004
This issue of Abundant Life is also available in Adobe's PDF format.Developing a Heart for the Harvest
by Mark Roberts
Much of our conversation about evangelism has to do with what is wrong with the harvest. "People are too busy" or "Folks already have their own religion" or "the world is so secular" - these are common excuses for why more evangelistic effort is not expended on our part. What folly! Perhaps instead of blaming the harvest we should spend a moment working on the harvesters – you and I. If in a world that is adverse to Jesus Christ (and it is) we are going to speak for the Lord anyway something must happen within the harvester's hearts that will move and motivate them to do a difficult task with joy. So I ask "What can we do to develop a deeper concern for lost people, a concern that will motivate us to do all we can to tell folks of redemption in Jesus?"
Refusing to Quarrel
by Ed Whittlesey
Without a doubt, quarreling and arguing in our evangelistic efforts today will have a negative impact or result. Not only does it affect our credibility as an advocate and teacher of God’s word, but it can potentially turn away a soul that is lost. Furthermore, such actions are not supported by scripture. The Bible shows the sincere, humble Christian is genuinely concerned for the lost soul at stake, and as a result will let the living word of God, which is active and sharper than any twoedged sword (Heb. 4:12), pierce the individual’s heart. So then, let's further consider some suggestions based on scripture which will help us to avoid quarreling in our endeavor to spread the gospel.
Overcoming Discouragement
by Bubba Garner
They promised you they would come to the meeting. They never showed up. They agreed to study the Bible with you. They backed out at the last minute when some “emergency” suddenly arose. Such repeated rejection can quickly extinguish the fires of evangelism, the very fires that gave us the courage to ask and invite people in the first place. What’s worse, when we see no immediate results from our initial efforts, we develop an attitude of “nobody cares anymore” or “why even bother?”