The Use of Scripture in Evangelism
“When it comes to sharing the gospel in today’s climate, you cannot use the Bible. Non-Christians do not accept the truth claims of Scripture, so you need to find common ground. Perhaps, using a movie or another cultural connection is the key to introducing people to Jesus.”
Silently, I listened to my friend share his thoughts on evangelism during a training seminar. The man who proclaimed those words was well known to me; I considered him a brother, and he had a passion for making Jesus known. The problem was his teaching showed a complete lack of trust in the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. In his mind, the effectiveness of an outreach would be determined by the presuppositions of an unbeliever.
After the seminar had finished, I spoke to my friend about the comments he made; I said, “If I go to war it doesn’t matter if the enemy says he believes in my rifle or not. He could deny the usefulness of my ammunition and even claim that he rejects the truth that my weapon could harm him. However, his claims and beliefs wouldn’t stop me from shooting him.” The point I was seeking to drive home is that the effectiveness of using the Bible in evangelism is not determined by the belief (or lack thereof) of the individual we are speaking with. God’s Word is powerful (Hebrews 4:12), and it works even in the hearts of those who may claim not to believe.
When we seek to downplay the Bible or remove it from our evangelism, what we are doing is taking away the very means God has chosen to bring about saving faith. God says in Romans 10:17 – “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Interestingly, this verse is in the middle of a section of Scripture explaining how people can be saved (Romans 10:9, 13). The connection being made is that if we want to see people truly converted, then we need to use the means God has ordained to bring about salvation – the Scripture.
When it comes to evangelism, be it witnessing one-to-one or speaking to packed-out stadiums (and everything in between), we need to ensure God’s Word is central. The Scripture makes people wise for salvation (2 Timothy 3:15), and it is only the Bible that testifies of Jesus (John 5:39). We must resist the urge to downplay or not use the Scripture in evangelism. When we share the good news with someone, we want them to hear God speak. We want them to hear the voice of their Creator revealing who He is to them, and the only way that can be achieved is if the Bible is used.
What does this look like practically? I don’t believe we need to go around quoting a particular Bible translation verbatim (though there is nothing wrong in doing that); rather, I think when we share the gospel, we should seek to ground all that we say in the Scripture. We can do this by giving the sense of a passage, referencing verses, or having someone read God’s Word for themselves. Something I’ve found to be very helpful is opening a Bible and showing the person I’m speaking with various verses so they can see the truth for themselves (check out R.A. Torrey’s ‘Vest Pocket Companion for Christian Workers’ for many practical verses to use).
In our culture, there is a lack of biblical understanding, so it is vital we ground our message in the authority of God’s Word. People need to see the source of our claims; we must point them to the truth. This is one of the reasons I think it is vital that we seek to give away copies of God’s Word. Personally, I know of several people who were converted simply by reading the Scripture. The more Bible we can get into the public arena – the better! God has chosen to use His Word to transform individuals and nations, so let’s get it out there!
Here are a few practical tips to help you share God’s Word.
1) Give away gospel literature: As you go about your daily life, look for opportunities to give away a portion of God’s Word. I have found John’s Gospel to be particularly helpful, as this book was written to introduce people to Jesus (John 20:31). If you preach evangelistically (either in the pulpit or open air), then offer people copies of the gospel at the end of your message. I do this after all my open-air meetings; it is always amazing to see people receive copies of the Scripture after hearing the good news.
I’d recommend the gospels from The Open-Air Mission or Pocket Testament League.
2) Literature Table: If you ever visit one of our many public outreaches, you’ll notice that we often have a “Free Bible and Literature Table.” This tool is a magnet that draws in people from all walks of life. It does cost money to set up a table (buying resources etc.) but it is worth it. On the table, we have copies of the Gospel, the New Testaments, and Bibles, along with other Christian booklets explaining the good news, or answering questions about apologetics.
Tip: If you do use a literature table, don’t stand around or next to the table. Set it up, then stand a short distance away. This allows people to browse the material without the feeling of you trying to ‘sell’ them something. Once they stop, then walk over to greet and chat with them.
3) Social Media: Online is a massive mission field. Churches, individuals, and ministries would all do well to use their social media presence to reach people for Jesus. This can be done by sharing a Bible verse or perhaps offering a free copy of God’s Word to those who contact you.
4) Display Scripture Signs: Print out Bible posters and put them in your window (click here to download free posters). Have Scripture on display in your home, so when people visit, they can read God’s Word. If you have the money, maybe you could sponsor a Bible verse to be posted as an advert at a bus stop, or on a billboard by the road. When we do open-air preaching, I make sure between the messages that a Bible verse is always on my open-air board as I want people to read God’s Word.
These are only a few ideas that will help you spread God’s Word. Look for different ways to share the Scripture (send me an email telling me what you do!). Remember, God has chosen to use the Scripture to bring people to saving faith (Romans 10:17, 2 Timothy 3:15), so let’s use what God has given us!
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