Methods of Evangelism: Part 2

The second form of evangelism is another we didn't have the time to touch on in our seminar, and that is praise. Praise is acknowledging who God really is and celebrating his attributes, and when we celebrate his attributes we affect the minds of those around us.

The psalmist says this:

I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.

And it is said in Psalm 67:

Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!
For You shall judge the people righteously,
And govern the nations on earth. Selah
Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.

For the Psalmists (because many people wrote the Psalms) praise was more than just an internal reflection or a show of exuberance, it was something so sweet it was meant to be written, stored, and shared. To them praise was much more than just a segment in a service, to them praise was the expression of the chaned heart.

One thing special about praise is just the way it is done: one way of looking at praise is seeing praise as using the arts to glorify God. When the Israelites moved the Ark of the Covenant David danced before it, when the Temple was built choirs sang and when Christ was born Angels broke into chorus. Praise is the way Christians live; praise is how we'll enjoy heaven.

Praise is more than just something we do when we're happy - Jesus quoted a Psalm on the cross and many of the Psalms were written during hardship. Praise isn't just happiness, it is the way people who have the God living in the universe express their heart to the Lord of heaven.

When we praise we must praise what is true, we must praise with intensity, and we must praise with the right heart. Jesus said the father was looking for those to worship him "in spirit and in truth". When David danced he danced "with all his might"; in another place he says his praise "will awake the dawn". And David says that if he meditated on evil in his heart God would not hear him.

When we praise God in this way we can expect God to bless and touch hearts. When we praise like this others will see what God means to us. When we praise like this we can say:

Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.