Not Your Momma's Televangelist

A couple of posts ago, I was going to finish discussing the last 2 portions of the post concerning keeping our heads in the game. In the next portion of verse 5, chapter 4 of Paul's second letter to Timothy, he writes about "endur[ing] harship" which I have blogged about before. The next 2 short statements are important as well.

First, "do the work of an evangelist." By the title of this post, you can see what first comes to my mind when I think of evangelism. Televangelists can be far from what God had in mind. Evangelism, or an evangelist, neither has the authority of an apostle nor the gift of prophecy, or even the responsibility of pastoral care of a congregation. An evangelist is simply someone who carries the gospel message to places it has never been known, with origins in Acts with Philip. Hmmmmm, places it has never been known. How about our own community?

By definition, we can all, and should be, evangelists. Personally, I don't like titles, especially when they have the negative connotation in our society like this. But, we must call a spade a spade. Now, we don't have to stand on the street corner and spout off about the end of the world, or protest at an abortion clinic and demean those who go in. That is stupidity, not evangelism. We must "gently," yet firmly and truthfully speak of Jesus Christ, why He came to this earth for us, and about the life change that will come in a relationship with Him. That is evangelism.............and we have to start NOW.

Take it away Johnny,
Jesus Freak Out!