Provoked: How to Share the Gospel in Everyday Life

Apologia Studios

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

00:00

What's going on everybody welcome to another episode of provoked. We're so glad that you've tuned in to us.

00:05

I'm here with my beautiful stunning And called you daughter last Makes me feel young.

00:13

Thank you. It feels so weird when you're not on the show I just feel so weird because we've been doing it together for so long

00:19

Yeah, Kim and I did an episode of Kim Copeland. It went well. Thank God for Jake, but I just feels weird without yeah

00:24

I feel the same way like when I had it was Dennis and Bobby on and you weren't there I just I'm like, uh

00:31

Kind of really awkward. Yeah, you do. We just grown to I don't know feed off one another

00:36

Yeah, and we have our brother Jake. He's been a tremendous help for us a total godsend this year

00:41

We've had an extremely difficult year to start out. Unfortunately, so you've been an incredible blessing to us.

00:47

It's been awesome I've said this before but I love provoked. So it's just awesome to be here and contributing and helping.

00:55

Yeah Yeah, I think our show is going back and reviewing them just the Edition of you and and what you bring here is just made everything so much more qualitative Yeah, everything

01:06

I've been praying for so thankful for you. I really love the Kenneth Copeland Yeah, that was that was one of my favorite.

01:13

Yeah watching watching some of those clips like man Like I referenced it but laugh.

01:19

I'm like try not to laugh, but I'm also like this really needs to be addressed This is leading people astray. Yeah, it's hard not all of the ways things he says in ways he talks like yeah so much stuff in the care was just watching videos in the charismatic

01:30

Church of like you know these greasy salesman con men type of preachers, you know, like Creflo dollar and you know all these guys for yeah verdict, but Yeah, it's like I I can't listen to these guys for half of a second before I just kind of want to vomit

01:48

I mean kind of the mind control they have over the crowd man get them to do things and it's just it's sick

01:54

Yeah, you know what makes me think and we forgot to play that clip on the last one But I'd like to interact with this clip that one of our listeners sent us on Instagram What you just said reminded me of of that of that guy that do you have it pulled up?

02:08

Yeah, okay, so maybe we can listen to that. Oh cool Sweet so before we get on on into our show and what we're gonna talk about Just want to encourage you to please go to apology of studios calm and click on to become an all -access

02:23

Member because you're gonna get a sweet education. There's bonds and you there's just so much There's thousands of videos hours and hours and hours of just a whole body of work that apology of studios is

02:35

You know put together and produced. It's just second to none So, please do that and then as you do that your financial support and your prayer support will help keep the

02:43

Keep the boat going. Yeah, the tribe growing type of a thing. So please go ahead and do that Make it make makes me think to how how much do you think we spend like scrolling on different things like Facebook or Pinterest or you know other sometimes there's like good things recipes and you know things that are profitable, but a lot of time it's just like Candy crush.

03:07

Yeah mindless, but like imagine. Okay, if you're like Instead every time you get the urge to go just do something mindless like that you're bored or you have a moment here and there

03:15

What if you went to apology studios and you listened to a lecture or you know what

03:21

I mean? Like how much more edified would be not that we can't ever just relax and look at something But how much time is really wasted on?

03:30

Yeah social media when you could be getting fed and growing and maturity and knowledge

03:36

So and one of the things I love to is you you can just listen to this stuff So exactly you said it's not like you can you can be

03:42

Whatever clean in your house going on a walk, whatever you can be doing something else and still being

03:49

Edified encouraged trained, right and you know, and you're you're doing something profitable You're you're really helping to further the kingdom because you're you know, contributing to your own

03:59

Spiritual growth. Yeah, that's gonna you know bear fruit in some way yeah, one of my favorite things is we'll listen my husband and I will listen to a

04:08

Lecture or sermon like on a road trip before going somewhere out of town for a couple hours And then we talk about it afterwards.

04:15

Like I really like doing that with my husband I'm hearing like what his thoughts on it So yeah, you'll be super blessed by apology all -access and I know there's like more stuff coming to which is amazing

04:26

Yeah, just seems like there's there's new segments all the time. Yeah, just yeah, God's blessing us

04:31

So good stuff good people go do it become an all -access member So we thought we'd kind of just kind of get back to the basics a little bit

04:39

I think it's kind of good to just drill down on the fundamentals and always be

04:44

Repeating those. I really appreciate pastor Jeff and his preaching which is second to none the guys like one in a billion

04:52

Don't tell him I said that But I like his repetition because as he repeats things it's drilled down into our

04:58

Understanding of things and that fleshes out in the body In their theological understanding and their praxis the way they go about living their

05:05

Christian life So repetition of the fundamentals is so crucial. So it's kind of the nature of today's episode

05:11

It's really how to share the gospel in everyday life. And I think a lot of people Don't know how and a lot of people want to know but they've it's never been modeled.

05:19

I mean Unfortunately, the vast majority of evangelical churches in the nation the world don't evangelize and I'm not gonna start flinging mud or anything like that today

05:30

But you know, it's just they don't know, you know, you know You only know what you know, and a lot of times you only know what you've been modeled, right?

05:38

Right, and so we just want to kind of get back to that and we can kind of launch it from wherever you guys really want to Launch this thing, but if somebody were to ask you

05:49

How do I communicate the gospel effectively or evangelize effectively in everyday kind of life?

05:55

What would you say? I had something come up recently So I was at the the park and with my kids and my husband and there was these teenagers that were there and they you know, sometimes like teenagers

06:09

They'll just go and sit on the the toys and the kids are trying to go down the slide They're three young girls and you know, they're probably like 14 or 15 and it was like twilight

06:18

And so I'm like, you know, you want kids to be playing and stuff I wasn't upset that they were there but I was like, okay

06:25

My two -year -old can get down the thing and kind of feeling a little like but then I just felt like oh

06:31

I should probably just talk to them about the Lord and so I just just shared the gospel with them simply and they were really interested in one little girl afterwards was like I didn't think

06:43

I could be forgiving because I blasphemed and so I got to talk to her about that Which was yeah, which was cool.

06:49

But So your question it's just the simple gospel message wherever God has you like maybe you're taking your kids to the park

06:57

Maybe you're going to the grocery store But it's being able to articulate the simple gospel message of Jesus To anybody and everyone yeah your sphere of influence.

07:10

Yeah, right It's having it be part and parcel to just your Christian experience because we pray all the time pray without ceasing

07:17

But what if we can move evangelism into that category that we're actually and it doesn't always have to be some really

07:23

I guess 15 minute gospel presentation. It's just sharing the truth When the opportunity arises and looking at every person as a fish that you want to catch

07:32

Yes, as far as shining the light of gospel on them. What about you? You talked about Prayer there and I just I don't think when you're talking about evangelism that you can separate

07:43

The idea of prayer Just it's it is so critically important. Yeah, I think about the book of Acts.

07:51

There's this Pardon is in chapter 4 all the churches gathered together and they're praying and they're praying for boldness and then it's you know, it says like like the building kind of starts to shake and then they go out from there and start preaching the gospel it out in the public square and That has always just resonated with me of like that's the pattern, you know to pray

08:15

Fervently and then to go do it and I think sometimes it's like well, yeah, yeah prayings prayings easy, you know

08:22

I can do that part I'm really scared of getting in a conversation with someone and what do I say and how do I even bring it up?

08:27

But I would argue that the prayer piece is so it's it arguably could be the most important part of evangelism

08:34

Because you think about the gospel message we were talking about this in previous episode it is offensive in nature

08:40

People by their nature are going to hate the gospel message because it's a message that says you are sinner

08:47

You know repent of sin trust in Christ, you know, you're no longer Lord. Christ is

08:52

Lord that it to our sinful nature is so Reprehensible that it's only an act of God's Spirit that will enable someone to believe that right and if we don't

09:03

If we aren't fervent in prayer asking for the Lord to open people's eyes Give them receptive hearts.

09:09

We can go out be the most eloquent preacher in the world and just bold and to the priest to the masses and God may not save anyone but this

09:21

Bumbling stumbling Christian who's seeking to be faithful and this conversation at the grocery store

09:27

Who has just saturated their life in prayer and and even before I'm going into the store

09:33

Lord Give me eyes to see who I may share your you know, the truth of your gospel with mm -hmm

09:38

God may very well use that, you know, so I think I think the importance of prayer just can't be overstated Yeah, and it reminds me of the verse

09:45

God resists the proud, but it gives grace to the humble, right? right and I think it's a proud thing to think oh

09:51

I could just go out there and open up my mouth because I'm like a Silver -tongued articulate person and I you know know all the theology that yeah that you could know

10:00

Thinking that I can do it without the Lord just as a means of persuasion or just you know, because I'm so gifted

10:06

I feel like God would resist that and I think there's a lot of Unfortunately, there's a lot of ministry happening

10:12

That's resisted by God because you know It really it's not glorifying him and it's not depending on him because in our praying we're depending on him

10:21

It's hard not to get out into the public square and not be a prayer, you know, because it's not easy it's it's fearful

10:27

It's you know, it's trepidatious But you're absolutely right as a foundational element if you're like, how do

10:33

I start this thing? You're absolutely right prayers essential I like what

10:38

Ray Comfort said too you know you pray that God would give you more love and compassion for the lost because that will compel you and I think it's also a mixture of like Being ready to share the gospel every day in your sphere

10:52

But also being intentional there's like a saying that says like if you look at your calendar, that'll show you your priorities

10:58

Yeah, so setting aside time also. Yeah Evangelistic work like my son and my husband go out

11:06

Saturday nights, you know They try to you know, make that an effort to do that and that's that time set aside

11:12

But also like I said being like open to not just I can only share the gospel on Saturday night like it doesn't have to only be event oriented, but it is important to have events scheduled too because Life gets busy.

11:27

And if we don't make it a priority then sometimes it won't happen. So yeah, absolutely And I would say yeah, we just have to know the gospel to be able to articulate us

11:38

One of these questions is, you know, who is qualified or who should be evangelizing And I would say the

11:45

Christian that knows the gospel So it takes some preparation. It takes some discipleship. It takes talking to your pastor and saying hey,

11:52

I don't know how to do this Can you teach me how to do it? I'm not saying you have to be you know, a theological wizard or anything like that.

11:59

So a lot of times we Unfortunately celebrities individuals and if we are not like this person then we can't do it and we just do that Naturally, but I would say you have to prepare yourself to know the gospel the gospel consists of essential non -negotiable

12:14

Components and I've said this a lot on the show. Mm -hmm, and those things have to be explained

12:20

And clarified in the gospel message for it to be the true gospel message. I would say and I'm sure this is

12:26

Getting given to some argument But it would be God is Creator God is holy The sinfulness of man the reality of judgment the reality of hell the person work of Jesus His of course death burial resurrection in that is the cross centralized on the cross the kingship of Jesus and then

12:47

God's command to repent right and that's a basic structure of the essential components, but it's working through those things

12:55

Understanding what those are tying scripture memorizing scripture and then I would really recommend and challenge you to write out a explanation of the gospel to John Smith, right you write it out on your laptop or your whatever and then you commit that to memory and you're committing now

13:14

The fundamentals those components to your memory with the scriptures and now you're equipped to be able to evangelize

13:21

Discipleship is huge. And I think it kind of answers this question and I hopefully it's not out of left out of right field

13:28

But do you think? Kids should go to public school so that they can evangelize the lost.

13:35

Oh, that's a good question. I Mean, we may disagree here.

13:40

I mean my opinion on that is I think all Christians All Christians are called to go preach the gospel.

13:48

I think that's clear in the Great Commission We see that in Acts chapter 1 verse 8, it's one of my favorite verses

13:54

You'll be my witnesses Jerusalem Judea Samaria to the ends of the earth. All believers are called to go and be missionaries, you know

14:02

We've like confined that term to just international overseas being a missionary being being someone who carries the message of the gospel happens everywhere and We need it right here within our own borders just as much as they need it overseas

14:17

But when you start talking about, you know your children I view children as the primary, you know recipients of Evangelism that should be happening happening in the primary place of ministry, which is the home.

14:33

So parents Disciple in particularly dad's taking the charge in this Are really evangelizing and discipling their kids and preaching the gospel to their children if you think about you know

14:45

Paul when he's writing to Timothy He doesn't say hey Timothy find some younger guys who don't really know what's going on and have them go plant churches

14:53

You know No It's what you've heard from me in the presence of many witnesses in trust of faithful men who will be able to then teach others also so there's this element of I need to train my kids and Help them understand the gospel message and pray fervently for their salvation and and then wherever they go out in life, they can go preach the gospel, but just like Saying yeah go into this public school and be a missionary, you know

15:17

I I don't think children understand even what's going on in the first, but they may not know the gospel the first place right, so to me that sounds a little bit more like And I know every situation is different but to say well,

15:29

I'm just putting my kids in public schools so they can be missionaries You know, it's like are you really doing that? Right, you know, or is there some like Self -assessment needed to say how much am

15:37

I actually discipling my kids exactly And then go out because that is one of the one of the biggest or the central argument white people or Christian people will say

15:47

Oh, I'm sending them to public school so they can shine the light of Jesus Have you ever thought about that question before? I think you have.

15:53

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah I think there's some situations where there's not an option for certain people to like they have to go to a public school for whatever reason in their situation and in that I think there's grace and Of course

16:08

God can use children and by whatever means he wants to save the lost but I think

16:15

That wouldn't be like the goal or the normative, you know Goal is to put your kid into a public school so that they can preach the gospel if you if they have to go to a public school

16:28

We would pray that God would protect them and preserve them because they're going to be just inundated with Untruth to me that's like taking your child and this is not to Put shame or guilt on parents that don't have a choice, but they have to put their kids in public school

16:48

But if you have a choice I would say you don't send your child to be raised by God hating unbelievers and to call them missionaries when

16:58

Right now is their time to learn and be discipled and grow and it is our job to protect and disciple them

17:06

So that would be my answer. That's good. And I think that's balanced and you're right We don't want to cast shade or shame or guilt and we know there's circumstances with divided families financial reasons and it's just people are stuck and I Think ideally, of course, we would not want the state to raise our kids, right?

17:24

Just because it's Antichrist doctrines and ideologies and they're good just gonna suck that up like a sponge

17:30

Yeah, and like you you had said Jake it's a time of preparation and discipleship We disciple them before we send them out

17:37

I don't think there's a biblical example of kids evangelizing in the scriptures at all Anyway, it should be training them the father training them and then you send them out

17:47

And that just goes to show you the need of just training Hey Gabe, yeah

17:58

That just goes to show you that you know that you know, who should be able to evangelize It's the person that's being equipped and it just that That Responsibility should fall on the national pastorate the global pastorate that we should be serious about equipping our people

18:14

And evangelism like that's a pretty big issue to get them ready and prepared What is the vote?

18:20

He says like don't send your kid to Caesar and expect them not to come back Roman Yeah, don't send them to Caesars pizzas

18:27

Little Caesars pizza Is that the same is that what he says?

18:32

Yeah, we should yeah, we shouldn't send our kids to Caesar and and expect that they won't come back looking like Romans Yeah, you know

18:43

That's a great thing to wrestle with that's helpful question. Yeah Yeah, I could continue on talking about this this idea of evangelism.

18:56

I Yourself That's a great base starting point because a lot of times people get into The practical how do

19:03

I do it? Just tell me what to say, you know in those things But if you don't start with those foundational pieces, you know

19:09

You you can be as equipped as possible and have all the head knowledge possible, but probably not gonna actually go do it

19:16

Yeah, and and that is the big piece that I want to encourage people with is to is to go do it

19:22

There's this quote. I Don't I haven't honestly read enough into him, but DL Moody who's like a really famous evangelist.

19:31

I'm sure I wouldn't agree with every bit of his theology, but there's this quote He was out street preaching.

19:36

I think it was a lady who came up to him And this is you know, it's like 200 years ago This lady comes up to him and basically like I don't like what you're doing to him, you know

19:44

I'm paraphrasing this but I don't like what you're doing. I think this is the wrong way to do it You know, we've heard that ten thousand times and I love what

19:51

Moody said in response He's something along the lines of like it's clear. You don't like my way of doing evangelism

19:58

He's like frankly Sometimes I don't like my way of doing it, but I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it

20:03

You know, and I just I love that idea of like I'm out here doing it because we get feedback sometimes of you know

20:10

Go to the abortion mill. That's not the right way to reach those women, you know, we need to do it a different way Yeah, and there's never there's never a different way suggested, you know, but we just shouldn't do it

20:19

Yeah, and well, we are out there doing it proclaiming the gospel a biblical basis for why we're doing this, right?

20:26

So so praying and preaching. I'll share it in a second. Go ahead Yeah, praying and knowing knowing the gospel yourself is a great place to start

20:33

But I would encourage to just there's such an importance and such a need for the local church to be involved in this

20:41

I started doing this as well I know you mentioned like being at a park Desi and like just out in everyday life

20:46

I started doing this a couple years ago now It's every every Friday or Saturday depending.

20:52

I'll go on a walk up and down my neighborhood, you know And I'll just take my son or my dog or whatever and I'll just pray for my street that I live on And I did that before we moved we were back in Michigan and I do it now

21:05

And it's been amazing to see how many opportunities to share the gospel God is has given, you know

21:12

Whether it's me my wife my son's one and a half so he's but he's there and Just being out there it out in the world doing it

21:21

But I would also encourage people not to like go be a cowboy either like just go do it yourself

21:26

Like being connected with your local church if you have a passion for evangelism like talking with your pastor about that What what does this look like?

21:34

How can I be a part of encouraging our church to go do this? I have a special burden for this. What can I do and making sure that there's a connection?

21:41

that's why I love apologia like The Saturday night thing going at Mill Avenue or preaching out the abortion mills

21:47

Those are great. Those are great places for people to go but they don't even have to open their mouth at first they can just go and see evangelism happening and And then that then encourages you because you see other believers doing it that then encourages you to find

22:02

Whatever arenas of life you're in to go proclaim the gospel because I know this from personal experience

22:07

It's really hard to just pull up your bootstraps and just go do it You know without without having other people around you who are already doing it sure, so that's why

22:16

I like and this really comes back down to like being being a part of a solid biblical church really is seeing other believers do it like a couple guys in particular that I Really became close with before we moved and doing evangelism at the abortion mill there.

22:31

It's like I saw their boldness Okay, they can do this I can go talk to my neighbor on Saturday or whatever, you know, yeah boldness is contagious

22:39

Yes. Yeah, you're absolutely correct It's got to be in everything in relation everything in the

22:45

Christian life should be in relation to the local church, right? That's where you know, your your pastor should be leading out in the front saying this is how you do it

22:54

And then that emboldens people and it becomes just a part of their you know Christian DNA Evangelism is just what we do.

23:02

I've been doing it since the Lord saved me rather than it be a real fearful thing I love that with my kids like they have no fear whatsoever to go go to the abortion mill

23:11

Yeah, because this is what daddy's daddy's here. Daddy's gonna protect me. He's shown me how to do it It's just been a part of my life.

23:18

And in fact, like it's like if you don't do it They're like you forgot to leave the track at the restaurant.

23:24

Oh, yeah. What are you doing? What were you cracking up about?

23:32

Because you were talking about moody saying hey, I my way of doing it is better than your way of not doing it

23:37

I was sitting on the Planned Parenthood Tempe right on baseline and I just sometimes

23:44

I wait because guys will just come by and give me the single -finger salute And I'll just wave them back

23:52

It's like let me let's have a conversation, you know A coward is kind of a guy that'll just flip you off and drive away

23:58

And I say that to the guys, so I'm like, hey, you know, I just want to let you know if you're gonna flip me off Why don't you say it to my face and you know, tell me what's going on and then

24:07

I think in like a two -hour span I had three different guys come back which is insane because I've done that Thousands of times.

24:14

Yeah 13 years or something and three different guys in two hours, and I just simply said hey, dude

24:20

You're you're kind of being a couch a quarterback Yeah, and man the when

24:27

I said that those guys And he was just like wanting to come at me

24:43

I'm like dude the truth hurts cowards don't hurt people so you're not gonna hurt Yeah, yeah, I got really

24:50

Upset at that That's true. And we've said that to so many people. I mean hundreds of examples of People coming out to the mill like you're doing it wrong

24:58

Okay, and I've said it like in kind of like a little bit more of an aggressive than I should have but typically

25:05

I'm like And it's you know more times than not a woman. Yeah, I'm like, hey, you know what? I'm gonna put my stuff down and I want you just to stay here and I want you to show us how it's done

25:15

Yeah, they're like I'm out of here. Yeah Yeah, that's just the way it goes so we're talking about, you know everyday evangelism and just Talking to people but can you make it weird?

25:28

Can is there like ways you shouldn't do it? Um, so I want to talk about that because I have things not to do.

25:34

Yeah things not to do I would say I would start off with having like wisdom and discernment when to speaking to the other the opposite sex

25:44

So thankfully for me, I usually go out with my husband or with you, you know Like where if there was a man there to share then

25:52

I would pull one of you guys over but like what would be your advice like if it's just you out there and there's a young lady or you know a woman out there or If I was to talk to a man and I was kind of on my own maybe with a group but kind of off on My own or something right on you want to answer that?

26:09

No. Yeah Well just personally, you know, I've been out to Mill Avenue now a few times and I always feel hesitant

26:17

One of the ways that we start engaging people is just by handing out gospel tracks, which I think I I think there are few

26:24

Gifts and evangelism that are greater than gospel tracks. Like they're just such a great way to start a conversation

26:31

There's so many good creative faithful ones out there Spurgeon has that quote about like that's a great place to start, you know

26:38

That's not what Spurgeon said is way better than that, but He's like Use tracks, you know, if you don't do anything else use tracks.

26:45

So that's who we start with that of like Hey, did you get one of these or hey? This is for you and hand them out to people

26:50

But when I see like a group of let's say a college age girls walking by I always feel a little

26:56

Hesitant, you know, I'm like I don't necessarily want to stop because they have Literally no idea who

27:02

I am or what I'm doing or what I want to talk to him about So I always feel a little hesitant with that If there's a group of dudes walking by or even if it's a guy with a girl like I Feel a little more comfortable with that of handing the guy a track and saying hey, man

27:15

This is for you. And then maybe maybe she wants one too that we can stop and talk but I've always found like I've been out there with my wife before it's like I would feel better if it was like Yeah, my wife's handing the group of girls one and I hand the guys one.

27:29

I don't know I just feel more comfortable with that. No, that's that's why Yeah, I've made a ton of mistakes just being a young evangelist and Working for different churches and in trying to get evangelism, you know trying to be really zealous, but it was a zeal without knowledge.

27:46

Yeah, or zeal without the caution that I should have had so Trolley stations at San Diego light rails are are our trolley station

27:57

San Diego's column trolley. We call them light rails. So mass transit. Yeah, perfect place to evangelize

28:03

I don't know if you've ever done it before I haven't done that kind of angel I mean, I've had hundreds of conversations

28:08

I've given out thousands of thousands of tracks because what you do is you have a Group come in and they'll reject you and hate you

28:17

But they're gonna move out when they get on the trolley and you get a fresh group of people constantly coming in Yeah, and some people are really receptive because they're sitting and waiting literally having nothing else to do

28:26

And so they're like I'll talk. Oh, yeah, and that's the key there, too So you go to a light rail station now and this is a general principle of evangelism people want to hear what they will be more willing to hear with what you have to say if they're not going somewhere or they're not

28:43

Entering into somewhere or exiting so The light rail they're just sitting waiting.

28:48

So it's people waiting for something. They'll be like, okay. I got a couple minutes Yeah, or it's like hey, can I share the gospel with you?

28:54

No, would you take this track? 99 % of the people like who reject you will take a track and you've succeeded there

29:02

Yeah, right, so I would so light rails It's like when they're going to get on the light rail don't interrupt them or when they're coming off the light rail trying to go

29:09

About their own business don't get their way. Just wait until they're sitting there standing there Whatever and having a cigarette or something

29:15

Yeah, and then you just walk up and say and I don't really do the baiting type of a thing I just say I'm Zach I do pull the pastor card because it immediately gives you some credibility and I said my pastor in the area

29:27

I'd love to just share the message of the gospel. They're like, what's that? Oh, it's a message of Christianity Yeah, and you know, but go ahead and if I say if and if you're not up if you're not a pastor

29:38

It's like well, I'm not pastor. What am I supposed to say? Yeah, I would say like You know represent your local church.

29:43

Like I'm I'm Jake. I'm a member at Apologia Church right here in town You know, we're out here sharing the good news of Jesus You know, can

29:51

I can I can I share this with you or would you like one of these whatever? Yeah That's a great way to start too.

29:57

Yeah, it's not like oh I got to be a I got to be a professional Christian Oh, I got to be a pastor to do this. Everybody's called to do this.

30:03

Yeah, and and There's such I think there's like this wall of fear as well

30:09

It's like I could never go on a light rail and hand someone something or I could never go out on a street corner

30:14

Or cross the street talk to my neighbor. Oh, man, that's so fearful But that's why

30:20

I was saying like find someone else who's already doing it and just watch them But then also the first time you do it and you kind of overcome that It's it's amazing how much the fear goes away.

30:31

It's always gonna be there There's a level of I think spiritual warfare going on We're like the enemy doesn't want you to do this.

30:38

Like this is like the number one thing he doesn't want you to do so there's always gonna be a temptation not to right but Overcoming that and saying well,

30:46

I'm just gonna do it. Anyway, yeah There's such joy. Oh, yeah It's almost like selfish in some way.

30:52

Like there's such a joy that comes with Proclaiming the gospel to people. Yeah, like even go to the abortion mill

30:59

Like when you're show up you feel weird when you're there sometimes it's like this is not fun But you're walking away and you're like praise the

31:06

Lord. Yeah, exactly. It's I don't know. It's so edifying. It's so Life -giving, right?

31:13

Yeah, God is most glorified us when we are most satisfied in him. Yep. Yeah. Yep I found to just looking people in the eyes

31:21

Smiling while I walk up to him. I remember when I first started doing that though like you're like, oh

31:28

How am I gonna get this in the conversation? But just being direct like my name's

31:33

Desi. I'm here with my husband Don I'm a Christian and I'm I would like to share the gospel with you and then they're usually like oh you know so direct or using the paper missionaries like because I've tried the other way where you're like Trepidatious and it usually

31:49

I mean, it's okay Of course, it's not a sin to be nervous or trepidatious and God will use us even when we're fearful but I would say it's best to be direct and get to the point because it can get weird when you're like Like bring it up some awkward way.

32:05

You're like at the grocery store. You're like Apples, huh? How about Adam and Eve? You ever heard of them?

32:13

Mistakes so many mistakes. Yeah, there's there's a way to be weird here. Oh, yeah want to avoid

32:19

Yeah like I go up to talk to before I had the wisdom to be like don't go up to a single guy by yourself and I'm like Hi, I'm Desi and how high you're like, oh, no.

32:30

No, but right. Yeah. Yeah I've made the mistake. I had a black lady to be like, whoo, like look at me like whoa

32:37

What's what's up with you? Like? Yeah, cuz I was like, oh, you know, I was Yeah, I would there was not like subtleties

32:44

I was just like, you know fearful and just like coming at her like that and then yeah out at the trolley station too because I can't tell you how many

32:52

Conversations I've had where I've sat down and they just break into tears Like before I even say a word, it's so weird.

32:58

I've had multiple conversations before Just it was the presence of God it was the move of the spirit where they just start breaking out in tears or you're going through the message and you've got like A woman an older woman and then

33:10

I'm touchy -feely. I'm just a really touchy -feely. I'm a hugger And so now I find myself naturally

33:16

I don't do it anymore But I'm hugging this lady that I don't even know. Yeah, and then

33:22

I swear she's like so you want to come over? And then you're like, oh no, there's a fine line

33:31

Exactly, so, I mean I'll do like this, but I'm not sure it's you know, just to kind of comfort

33:37

It's hard for me not to do that But you don't want to you're just rocking them in evangelism because you feeling so compassionate

33:44

You can just go overboard and really put yourself in a bad situation Or somebody could take a picture of you too and say look at this dude.

33:50

He's married with this chick Now we're kind of like offering just kind of smattering of Ideas here, but one thing that's coming to my mind as well is

34:01

You know, we talked about prayer, you know be involved with the biblical church, you know, know the gospel yourself find someone else who's doing it already and kind of tack on to them, but there's also this idea of starting as Close to you and then working out

34:17

Jesus gives that pattern in Acts 1 verse 8 Jerusalem Judea Samaria the ends of the ends of the earth and There's something to be said about that, you know, it's like who do

34:26

I even share with what do I even start? Yeah Chances are there's someone who's very close to you already who may not

34:34

Know the gospel who may be very ardently opposed to the things of God or who simply just may not know and would really welcome

34:42

A conversation about spiritual things. I've had this before with people close to me Just they just there's just like not really a deep level of understanding about things, right?

34:50

You know like so when you die, do you go right to heaven or is it right to hell or was there like this interview?

34:56

Even those kinds of questions, you know, do you really think God created the earth in six days? You know all of those types of things and that's part of what you're saying earlier exact like viewing people

35:07

Viewing yourself as like a fisher of men and viewing people in terms of their souls You know

35:13

These are eternal souls who are gonna live forever somewhere and you need to have enough compassion and love for them to To really be looking for those inroads and conversations and I've had people before say like well, that's kind of you know

35:26

You're just trying to that's a means to an end. Like you're just trying to get somewhere in the conversation It's like well the most loving thing we could do is care for their soul so if you're talking with someone and I Try to look for those opportunities to bring it to the gospel.

35:41

It's like how What could be more important than talking about that? Yeah, a lot of times if you if you get really good at listening to people you'll start to see those inroads

35:51

You start to see those opportunities where you can kind of go a little bit further below the surface Yeah, and then bring it to the gospel from there and it's actually like it's kind of fun in some ways to do of like Okay, how can

36:02

I get this conversation in the gospel? It's not you're not manipulating people or anything like that. But just that's that's something to think about too is starting

36:09

Whatever family friends, absolutely Yeah, Ray Ray comfort says, you know,

36:14

I totally believe in friendship evangelism I'll befriend him for about 40 seconds, but God forbid

36:20

I go longer and without telling them about Jesus, right? Yeah, and then Liam actually got you know, he goes out

36:26

He's 12 and so how he starts the conversation and it usually works out great is hi

36:31

What do you do you think there's an afterlife? What do you think happens? And he's gotten great

36:37

I mean people will usually want to engage with that Of course, some people like I don't talk to you.

36:42

But sure. Yeah, I think that's a great icebreaker in it You're just straight to the point. Yeah. Yeah, right.

36:48

So I love that. Yeah good old living waters and another thing would be just I know we've said this before to have is

36:55

Watching people that do it biblically living waters is a great example obviously apology a studios watching a lot of our on the street evangelism just watching it and hearing the biblical defense as You're saturated in the

37:10

Word of God will prepare your heart and you'll start to notice There's patterns that people will say

37:16

I mean There's a lot of things that people just repeat you hear it every single time you go out, you know

37:22

Oh, I'm a Christian, but I don't really believe in organized religion, you know, or I I'm a

37:28

Christian But I also like Buddha, you know, it's just like the same Kind of types of things you hear each time.

37:35

Yeah Yeah, that's good stuff. I Want to maybe there were maybe land in the plane here share share a story that happened pretty recently in my life

37:46

Super cool because I've really tried to be diligent and I fail, you know, you mentioned this Tuesday I feel all the time in this there are times where I know

37:54

I should share the gospel and I don't There are times where I feel You know like okay that went well and and then

38:00

I just But the person like didn't even hear it or I feel like I just bumbled and stumbled like this is such a messy thing

38:07

To do but the importance is to go out know the gospel and and and go get in the trenches get in the fight and go

38:14

Do it And a lot of times when I've had conversations with people like, okay, I feel like that maybe didn't really go anywhere

38:21

I had one recently Neighbor who just lives across the street from us just awesome, dude

38:26

And I was doing those like walks every week and through that you just start to talk to people and talk to your neighbors

38:32

And I don't know just I can't really describe it God just put this individual person on my heart more so than other people it's where I just started praying for him like pretty fervently and And It actually worked out a few few weeks ago where it he said he was gonna be leaving

38:52

Then he was he was moving somewhere else and he ultimately ended up didn't end up moving but I'm like, oh man, like he might be leaving and I feel this like burden to talk with him about the gospel

39:01

And I had not done it, you know, I've talked with him here and there but just not not done anything So I was freaking out.

39:07

I literally felt a pit in my stomach. I'm like, I'm so nervous about going to talk to him So but he might be moving away so I need to go talk to him so went over there

39:18

Literally knocked on his door, you know, I'm like, I promise I'm not a Mormon, you know like went and walked knocked on his door opened it up.

39:26

He came right out and Just started talking and he had some recent health stuff that was going on.

39:31

So we talked about that and then It was unbelievable how smooth things transitioned into talking about the things of God in the gospel

39:39

And I'm like, I'm gonna be honest with you and I was just straight up with him. I'm like God has really just put you on my mind and on my heart for a long time

39:46

And I just like really feel compelled to tell you this. Mm -hmm, and I'm not kidding like he starts tearing up He he started he hugged me.

39:53

Mm -hmm. I went and got him a study Bible and He's like, I'm like, we'll kind of walking him through what it looks like to read through the scriptures

40:01

It was clear to me like doesn't have a really solid Christian Background but like his hunger for it and to the point now where we're like talking back and forth

40:10

He's like, hey, I'm reading through John Can you help me understand this and like I've never had this happen in my life before Wow To where the other day

40:18

I was just sitting in his in his garage with him Talking through the Gospels and what that means and those types of things and it's not this superficial

40:26

Like he truly you can see the hunger in his eyes I think about that verse in Romans in Romans 8

40:31

God calls people and justifies and glorifies him I'm like, I'm like witnessing the calling thing happening right now.

40:39

Like God's drawing this dude nearer to himself so that's Doesn't always happen.

40:44

In fact, I would say it's probably not the norm But just an encouragement for for people listening in of you.

40:50

You just never know how God is going to use That 30 seconds of courage of taking the step and saying hey

40:58

This guy sound weird, but I just feel so compelled to tell you this and this is this is God has changed my life this is this is the true message of who he is and what he's done in Christ and his son and The command for all of us is to turn from our sin to trust in him like walking through the gospel of someone

41:17

You just don't know how the Lord will use that Hopefully, it's encouraging It would have never happened if you didn't cross the street.

41:24

Yeah, right, right So a lot of these opportunities, I mean like all the fulfillment that we have and just doing it right being evangelistic

41:32

Heeding the evangelistic commands it all has to do with just Walking across the street and in fear and trembling like Paul said

41:41

I come to you in fear and trembling It's just doing what we got to do and then it opens up to relationships salvation God using us but it really does take and of course all glory to God right just takes obedience to him and Carrying out that which he's called us and commanded us to do yeah, just reflecting on the love of Christ and what he's done in our life and and Using that as a motivator as we meditate on that and the scriptures to lay down our lives in our comfort

42:09

To seek and save the lost. Yeah Hey, I wanted to see if you would play that clip from the

42:15

Instagram I know we're kind of probably wrapping up here. So we got this sent to us It's kind of a little off -topic, but I just wanted to kind of interact with this

42:24

Yeah, one of our listeners gonna say as a listener. So yeah, that'd be good. Okay, cool Let's check it out for since I've gotten on this platform as a pastor saying things like black lives matter

42:33

We should fight for women's rights and equality I love that affirm my lgbtqia plus friends mental health and spiritual health are separate and counseling and medication are good

42:42

The vaccine was an answer to prayer Christians don't have to be Republican need to stand against abuse in churches and stand for victims

42:49

I've experienced a ton of hate and pushback. I've received death threats I've lost friends and family members and professional opportunities like doubled my antidepressants

42:58

But I think this is what Jesus meant when he said they'll hate you because they hated me first see the religious establishment hated

43:05

Jesus because of his inclusivity because it threatened their Exclusivity and power and I guess

43:10

I want to be the same. I want to be judged for the people that I loved Not the people I hated.

43:16

So what do you think of that pastor Zach? So this is coming from a pastor. He says why am I hated and it's because he says

43:22

I say things like black lives matter I love and affirm my

43:27

LGBTQ plus friends. I'm fighting for women's rights Yeah, well, he's hijacked the word like we had talked about previous episodes, right?

43:37

He hijacked the word love and he's uploaded that with his own definition. That's not biblical. That's not the biblical understanding

43:44

Jesus was Inclusive to people. Mm -hmm. Well, Jesus loved people. He did have dinner with sinners, of course

43:52

But he never ever compromised the truth. That's what we were saying before in John chapter 1 he comes with grace and truth

43:59

The woman at the well, what did he what did he say to her? He loved her. He broke down the stereotypes But what did he say?

44:05

Essentially, he's like you're in sin. You're committing sexual sin right now, right? Five husbands, it's not your husband.

44:12

We need to deal with that sin, right, you know So there's grace that he demonstrated as being God on earth, but it was never ever

44:20

To the neglect or the compromise or capitulation of what the truth is And so that's what

44:25

I feel like he's representing is do we love the LGBT community? Yeah, of course We love him by telling him the truth.

44:32

The truth will set them free, right? If you embrace them and just say hey, you're cool You're gonna go to heaven

44:37

God accepts this and it based upon a biblical worldview. You hate them. Yeah, that's right. Yeah the

44:44

Jesus never affirmed people sin Never once he never said yeah,

44:49

I affirm you sinning No Show me in the Bible where it says that never but you hear it so much in our culture of like I just want to Love like Jesus Well, you love like Jesus by speaking the truth in love

45:03

And Jesus said something like if your eye causes you to sin gouge it out How inclusive is that if your arm cause your hand causes you to sin?

45:12

Yeah, that's what stands out to me about this video among many other things That's first and foremost.

45:17

His his authority is not God's Word I mean, I think that's kind of a summary statement. I would take away right listen He's he's using a lot of modern cultural talking points there

45:26

Even this kind of like Marxist like, you know, people are being oppressed We need to overthrow the oppressed the oppressors to not be oppressed

45:34

But one of the things that stood out is like this isn't Jesus was inclusive Unless you believe that I'm he you'll die in your sins.

45:43

It's gonna say I'm the way the truth in life No one comes the father except through me. Yeah, don't fear man, but fear him who is the power to cast into hell?

45:50

Yeah, you know the the gate is narrow the way is hard at least to life. Mm -hmm. Those who find it are few

45:56

Yeah, you brood of vipers how you can escape being sentenced to hell, you know, unless you repent you will all likewise perish, right?

46:03

I mean, this was pretty inclusive. He was pretty inclusive about telling people they're dead in their sin

46:08

Yeah, unless you repent. Yeah, you're going to remain eternally dead in your sins. We're all included in that. Yes, exactly

46:14

Yeah, thanks for playing that I just thought it was I thought it was a good clip to interact with because it's just very indicative of Our culture's kind of talking points on Christianity right now.

46:28

Absolutely. All right, folks well, we're gonna wrap this sucker up and we're so thankful that you tuned in how to how to Proclaim the gospel how to evangelize in everyday life.

46:39

We would say and just echoing what Luke or Luke Jake about the same height

46:46

Prayers huge prayer is absolutely a non or an essential a non negotiable

46:53

Something that we have to do constantly if we're gonna be evangelistically effective know the gospel talk to your pastor say hey

47:01

I don't know how to do this. I know I need to do this It's it's a driving desire and every truly regenerate

47:08

Christian There's something that it flows out of that heart of flesh that we have to get this gospel message out

47:14

We have to be about this rescue mission that God has called us to be on We would say get trained go to your pastors and get out there in the field connect yourself always if you can

47:25

To the local church when doing so we God does not call us to be Lone Rangers Cowboys Like you had said we do that We open up herself to the attack of the enemy and all sorts of things

47:34

But we would say if you have the Spirit of God within you God has given you the power to understand Spiritual things and communicate spiritual things and of course the gospel central to our proclamation.

47:45

It is the good news It is the power of God and his salvation that we should not be ashamed of so you can do it

47:51

We can help you send us a message, too If you'd like but we would say first and foremost talk to your shepherds get the training from them that you need

47:59

They should be willing to say hey Let's sit down and talk to you. Yeah, it's not a sin to be afraid to if you're listening to this and you're feeling convicted like I'm a

48:09

Christian. I love Jesus. I want people to know him. I want to evangelize but man,

48:14

I'm scared It's not a sin to be afraid. No, it's a real thing that that's okay but we we go out and we lay our lives down because Jesus is worth all of our

48:24

Discomfort and as you do it, we've talked about this before It'll be like when you first go to the gym and you're really hurting and it's really hard but as you do it more and more those evangelistic muscles will get stronger and you'll be more confident and Then they'll have days where you're like, man.

48:41

I really was awkward there that didn't go well but even in that the awkwardness

48:46

God still moves and Like Romans 1 16 says is the power of God unto salvation.

48:53

It's not if we're afraid Amen Yes, it's not the lack of fear.

48:59

It's just doing your duty In the presence of fear. Yeah, so it's just saying I love you Lord. Thank you for saving me