Pray to Share Your Faith

In the last 20 years, there has been a unique surge in Christians' use of the term "gospel". There have been dozens of books with the phrase "Gospel-Centered" (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=gospel-centered&ref=nb_sb_noss) in the title. There are conferences and para-church groups dedicated to the gospel. In addition, the primary way conservative Christians are identified is evangelicals, which literally means "Gospelers".

There is no shortage of discussion on the gospel. But there may be a shortage of actually preaching it.

With all this focus on the gospel, you would expect a similar surge in the sharing of the gospel. Certainly there are some who diligently tell unbelievers the truth of Jesus' death for sins, burial, and resurrection for our salvation. But sadly, their numbers aren't growing along with all the other gospel emphases of the church. I have looked through countless spiritual gifts inventories in the church and seldom see someone's primary gifting come up as "Evangelist".

Evangelists are hard to come by these days. It isn't because evangelism is harder than it used to be. Consider the beatings and social rejections endured by Peter, John, and Paul. It was for good reason he asked his brothers in Colossae to "pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison" (Colossians 4:3, ESV).

Though I know many who faithfully share the gospel when the Spirit opens the door, I would simply encourage all to remember to ask Him for an open door. Perhaps, if there is a drought of evangelization, it is due to our neglect of earnest prayer for the unsaved. It is my experience that when I do pray in this way He opens doors. In this way, let's cling to God's great promise in James, "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16, ESV)

Pastor David