In recent posts, I discussed an urgent need of the Church. I stated the Church needs to recommit itself to soul-winning and I even gave an evangelistic method that I think works well in our day and time.
If you are a Pastor, a good place to start for emphasizing the importance of evangelism and for helping your congregation to rediscover a passion for such would be the book of Acts. Most pastors know this as common knowledge. However, what many pastors often miss is that the early church, along with its earliest apostles, were disobedient to the Lord’s command to take the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the Uttermost parts of the world. As Jews, the apostles and the multitude of disciples were perfectly comfortable with staying home and taking the gospel to Jerusalem. After all, they didn’t have to move (We like our couches). But Samaria??? To those Gentiles???
It was only under persecution (after Stephen was martyred for his faith) that the church was forced to scatter, that Jesus’ disciples became obedient to task of worldwide evangelism. Evangelism is so much more than telling only those you like about Jesus or than telling only those who look and sound like you about Jesus. The narrative in the book of Acts that many pastors either miss or skip over is the narrative that the early churches (read the rest of the NT letters) instantaneously became multi-ethnic congregations because the disciples in Acts finally got on with being Jesus’ witnesses outside of Jerusalem.
To every degree possible, churches should strive to be multi-ethnic, multi-class, and multi-generational. This is what it means to be the church and more importantly, this is what it means to be “in Christ.” Those barriers that used to divide us and those barriers that still divide those “of the world” have been overcome by Jesus. This is what led Peter, who was once a racist himself, to declare that Christians of all color (The Church!) “are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession.” And why? “that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Thus, evangelism isn’t a call for one ethnicity to share Jesus with one’s own ethnicity. Rather, sharing Jesus with others (Evangelism) is for all ethnicities to share with all other ethnicities.
Besides rooting out racism and building multiethnic churches, the church has many more needs this hour. At this moment, I will only delineate on a few, and of which I think are most prominent. Having written to pastors, let me now share a word with next generation pastors, leaders, etc. It should come as no surprise to you when you see a surge in gender dysphoria and transgenderism within our nation and church’s children and youth. What are you to do about it?
Just as I encouraged Pastors in this post to start with the book of Acts for highlighting the ministry of evangelism in their churches, I want to encourage you to start with the book of Ephesians for teaching “Identity in Christ” to your students. I am convinced the first thing churches need to teach new believers is what their new identity in Christ is all about. There are many resources available for such an undertaking. However, I want to share a particular resource because it comes at this subject from an angle that most resources do not. In Building a Multiethnic Church, Dr. Derwin Gray approaches “Identity in Christ” from a church perspective and not just an individualistic perspective. Thus, when teaching about how identity in Christ applies to the multiethnic local churches in Ephesus, Dr. Gray says, “We”, not “I”. And this interpretation would have been exactly what Paul had in mind when he wrote to the church of Ephesus (Ephesians 1:1):
-WE ARE SAINTS (EPHESIANS 1:1-2)
-WE ARE BLESSED (EPEHSIANS 1:3)
-WE ARE CHOSEN (EPHESIANS 1:4)
-WE ARE HOLY AND BLAMELESS (EPHESIANS 1:4)
-WE ARE LOVED (EPHESIANS 1:5)
-WE ARE ADOPTED SONS AND DAUGHTERS (EPHESIANS 1:5)
-WE ARE A PEOPLE OF PRAISE (EPHESIANS 1:6)
-WE ARE REDEEMED (EPHESIANS 1:7)
-WE ARE FORGIVEN (EPHESIANS 1:7-10)
-WE HAVE AN INHERITANCE (EPHESIANS 1:11-12)
-WE ARE SEALED AND FILLED WITH GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (EPHESIANS 1:13-14; 5:18)
-WE ARE POWERFUL IN CHRIST (EPHESIANS 1:15-22)
-WE ARE ALIVE (EPHESIANS 2:1-5)
-WE ARE TROPHIES OF GRACE SEATED IN HEAVEN (EPHESIANS 2:6-7)
-WE ARE GRACED (EPHESIANS 2:8-9)
-WE ARE GOD’S WORKMANSHIP (EPHESIANS 2:10)
-WE ARE BROUGHT NEAR TO CHRIST (EPHESIANS 2:11-13)
-WE ARE A NEW HUMANITY (EPHESIANS 2:14-16)
-WE ARE CITIZENS AND MEMBERS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD (EPHESIANS 2:18-20)
-WE ARE GOD’S NEW TEMPLE (EPHESIANS 2:20-22)
Yes, We Are! And may I remind you the “WE” is people of every nation, tribe, and ethnicity, according to the book of Revelation. Peter got it! And Paul, the one formerly known as Saul who overlooked and approved of Stephen’s death, got it! With God’s help, Peter and Paul discovered their new identity. And so too can your students!
Finally, both churches and youth groups need to allow more time for members and students alike to testify of the grace of God in and upon their own life. Testimony time doesn’t have to be just a time to share one’s salvation story. Testimonies can include what God is doing in and with you on a weekly basis!