Methods of Evangelism: Part 7

Evangelism has many forms and methods but one type of evangelism has to do more with consistency then any one method we use to get God's word out. I'll call it constant witness.

In Acts 14 we read this:

"Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country,and there they continued to preach the gospel."

Paul and his team went to the synagogue and they spoke so powerfully many people believed, but there was a portion of the people that were stubborn and opposed Paul. They didn't allow Paul to be as effective as he wanted to be. We don't see Paul respond with another sermon, though he may have, and we don't see Paul rushing to debate them, what we see is Paul remaining there "for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord".

Sometimes the best witness is consistency. The world changes what it thinks from day to day - opinion polls go up and down, people vote for republicans one year and democrats the next, people love a president and hate that same president within the same term of office - but the truths of God stay the same.

Consistency is the best sign of a believer. Many people have emotional confessions, many people can speak eloquently, but there's something about that quiet perseverance that makes living for the Lord for a number of years something that continues to amaze everyone who sees it. Its almost like consistency is exerting a constant godly pressure that says "no matter what's going on in my life, whether I'm happy or sad, rich or poor I'm going to serve the Lord".

One reason why consistency is so powerful is because it reflects the nature of God. God said "I am the Lord, I do not change", Jesus said "before Abraham I AM" meaning that he had always been and would continue to be himself. God is consistent in his goodness and his love and the scriptures preach that point because so many people trust in things that are fickle.

In the ancient world people trusted in gods that had mood swings. If you worshipped Diana and she was angry you might have bad things happen to you and if she was happy she might bless the work of your hands. Today people trust in fate, the stock market, their love life, political figures, or ideologies, but all these things change. As their thoughts continue to sway with the winds of the times they look to the Christian and see that steady consistent walk - and they can't help but see that something is different about that Christian.

So as Christians let's live a life that stays on the path that God has placed us on. Let's champion the church, let's take pride of our church and the Pastors that preach God's word boldly. People won't always react positively but our consistency will show them that there are only two choices: God and this changing world. Let's let our perseverance, our constant presence be a witness in these fickle times.