Dear BPCWAians, We continue on this important matter about evangelism in the believer’s life. The failure to evangelise is perhaps the most common sin of omission which we commit, because it is either not understood, or we have chosen to ignore it, or we have good excuses not to evangelise. Let us see what are some of the hindrances that we should be aware of and repent.

Embarrassment of being rejected. This is often the hurdle that the unfamiliar must first cross when it comes to evangelism. We must recognise and ward off the “what-if’s” that Satan’s darts shoot into our minds. “What if he gets angry at me?” “What if I get rejected?” “What if they think I’m strange?” “What if my colleagues see me and think I am weird?” Rather, let us count it all joy when we are counted with God’s people, and bear His reproach. Remember what Christ bore for us. Remember that there will always be those who will keep rejecting Christ. Not setting aside these thoughts will cause us to not speak of the Gospel to anyone. Also, do not forget that there are the elect who may reject for now, but the Word sown will be used by the Holy Spirit one day to turn them to God in His timing. Let us not be so conscious of what others may think of us but more “soul-conscious”. When we focus on the eternal state of the soul of the one we speak to, we will be less concerned about the possible rejection. Also, they are rejecting Christ and His message, not you. Ultimately, our pride is the sin that is involved here. Call it by any other name, “shy, embarrassment, self-consciousness, or fear of rejection,” we have to admit in reality it is actually our fear of a hurt pride, because of our self-esteem. Let us lay aside this sin of pride that prevents us from going forth, and be more conscious of how God looks at us – “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good

tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (Isaiah 52:7) and He reiterates it to you in Romans 10:15, “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” The world may think that you are strange, but God says you are beautiful!

Selfishness. Another common issue is our unwillingness to use our time and resources, because we want to enjoy ourselves. “Go for City Evangelism in the blazing heat of summer when I could be sitting in cool comfort instead?” “Bring an invitation slip along with me so I can invite someone? Such bother!” Some of you may secretly think, “Sunday afternoons are my precious personal, family, housework, homework time. Well, let others and the young ones do it.” Well then, remember what Christ had to endure for our sakes to come to earth to live among man – that “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor” (2 Cor 8:9). He left His throne of Glory to live on the earth to save you. Would you not do His bidding to be His instrument?

Holding on to sin. Unwillingness to repent of known sins which we know make us unclean instruments is certainly a common hindrance. There may be some who know the importance of evangelising. But the Holy Spirit has convicted them of a sin which they would not repent of. If this is you, don’t add sin upon sin. If evangelism is a command, then not evangelising is a sin. Repent of that besetting sin and do the first works (Rev 2:5) before worse befalls you.

Self-deceiving excuses. “But I will do personal evangelism.” Some justify to oneself with this and hence make themselves not feel bad about not going out with the church to the weekly nursing home outreaches, bimonthly City Evangelism, University Outreaches, or even invitation for annual events like Easter, Christmas, or the student Holiday Bible Program. If you have an evangelistic heart, you will naturally want to be part of these outreaches. On the other hand, there are those of us who say, “But I go for the church outreaches.” Yet you can hide behind this because it is not so embarrassing in a team for you. At such events, you would hardly speak to anyone about Christ but feel justified that you went out with the church people and participated in the church “evangelism”.

Then there is another excuse, “I don’t have the gift of evangelising” or “It’s no point, I’ve invited before but nothing came out of it”. It may be that you’ve tried previously, but no apparent fruit seemed to come out of it. No one came at your invitation, or whatever interest they showed didn’t last. Dear believer, remember this – did you come to believe immediately the first time you heard the gospel? Before you were saved, didn’t you also turn away many who came to tell you about Christ? It wasn’t your “tender heartedness” that saved you. It was God’s mercy to send many to knock on the door of your heart again and again. And now, you are sent to do likewise to others.

The above is not to mock any of you, but to awaken us to be honest with ourselves when it comes to sincerely obeying the Great Commission with genuine outreach to souls, not excusing ourselves one way or the other.

The time to evangelise is now. The privilege will be gone one day so let us seize every opportunity of this privilege now, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). Let us understand clearly that this is the great privilege above anything you can do on earth – to be used to lead the elect to God. The fact that our Lord Jesus has not yet returned means that there are still His elect that have yet to be saved. Paul understood this. Hence, he wanted to seize all opportunities to lead some to Christ and grow in Him, and to be used of God in this privilege while he still had breath. So he states, “Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles” (Rom 1:13).

Yours in our Lord’s service

Pastor