Foolproof evangelism program needs no budget or training
"Here's a foolproof evangelism program that requires no budget, no training, and can be implemented immediately." That's the way I introduced one of my seminars at The Billy Graham School of Evangelism last week. Participants suspected there was some kind of catch, but showed up anyway. Sure enough, there was some kind of catch.
But the catch is a good one -- this program of evangelism comes from the words of Jesus, is not optional, and has eternal consequences. Plus, it needs no budget, no training, and can be implemented immediately. And, church size has nothing to do with its success or impact. Any church can do it, and every church should.
What is it? Doing good. Helping others. Showing we care. The care of souls. Social gospel. Whatever you want to call it, it's found in Matthew 25:31-46. Here's part of it:
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Jesus continues by saying that those who did not do this "will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Sounds pretty important to me. Everybody can do this, and small churches can do it just as well as megachurches, maybe even better.
So, that's it. Doing good. Helping others. Meeting needs. Because when you do you are doing it unto Jesus himself. That's the catch.
