evangelism

Ten Verses to Defend Your Faith

Sean McDowell — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:26:13 -0800

For the past few days I have been trying to think of the top ten verses that would be most helpful to apologists and evangelists. I have reflected on my own experience and also gotten feedback from many of you on Facebook and Twitter. So, here are my top ten verses to defend your faith (in no particular order):

1 Peter 3:15: “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” As an apologist you may find yourself having to defend the purpose of apologetics. This is the classic verse indicating that everyone is to be prepared to give an answer with gentleness and respect.

John 1:1-3: “¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” This is one of the most compelling and clear articulations of the deity of Christ. It shows that Christ is the eternal creator and is one with (although distinct from) the Father.

Acts 5:3-4: ^“3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? ⁴ While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” There is much confusion among Christians as well as groups such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses about the identity of the Holy Spirit. This passage shows the deity and personhood of the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 43:10: “ ‘You are My witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me.’ ” This passage clearly lays out that there is only one God and there has always only been one God. Mormons have to get very creative to avoid the clear meaning of this passage.

Romans 1:20: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” This verse helps with the question, “What about those who have never heard?” It establishes that people do have knowledge of God through creation.

Romans 2:14-15: “¹⁴For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, ¹⁵ in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,” This passage demonstrates that the moral conscience is written on our hearts. The moral law is universal, even among those who do not have the written law.

John 6:29: “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’ ” Many pseudo-Christian religions base salvation on works. In this passage Jesus clearly lays out the requirement of salvation—belief.

John 20:30-31: “³⁰ Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” Skeptics often believe that faith is blind. John clearly states that the miracles of Jesus were recorded as proof so we would believe.

2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” This passage clearly shows that God desires all to turn to repentance and be saved. This can be helpful when talking about Hell.

Luke 1:1-4: “¹ Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, ² just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, ³ it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; ⁴ so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.” Some claim that the disciples were inventing myths and legends. This passage shows the clear concern with historical accuracy and eyewitness accounts.

This list is certainly not exhaustive. I’m sure there are many more verses that could be included. I would love to know of any other key verses that should be added. (All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New American Standard Version.)

A John Stott Tribute Video

Carrie Nye — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:37:15 -0700

Billy Graham responded to the recent death of Evangelist John Stott by saying, "The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisors. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to Heaven."

This video tribute to John Stott provides a glimpse into his life and and ministry.

"We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behavior." -John Stott

Cape Town 2010: A Short Documentary

Carrie Nye — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:53:22 -0700

I enjoyed getting a glimpse into what all took place at the 2010 Lausanne Congress gathering and I hope you do too.

Release of The Cape Town Commitment

Carrie Nye — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:01:40 -0800

Rev Dr Doug Birdsall, Executive Chair of The Lausanne Movement, said: 'In advance of the Congress we gathered a group of senior theologians, drawn from each continent, to compile a clear and engaging declaration of belief. With this as our basis, we wrestled with some of the toughest issues imaginable - within the Church, in global mission strategy, and in the public arena. The Cape Town Commitment's Call to Action, coming out of those discussions in South Africa, is our roadmap for the next ten years.'

Dr. Birdsall is quoted here referencing The Cape Town Commitment, the third document of its kind. Before the Cape Town Commitment, The Manila Manifesto was written after a global Lausanne movement conference was conducted in Manila, Philippines in 1989. Prior to the Manila gathering, the first global conference was held in 1974 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Out of that gathering, where some 2,300 people attended representing 150 nations came the first document of its kind called The Lausanne Covenant.

The Cape Town Commitment is one of the results of the third gathering since the 1974 Lausanne gathering. These meetings are significant as they are identifiers of where Christianity is moving today and foreseen to move in the coming 10 years.

While I have yet to participate in one of these great Christian gatherings (I wasn’t even born yet in 1974), I do know people who have attended both the Manila and Cape Town gatherings. Additionally, ConversantLife.com columnist, Mark Russell joined in and reported back through a series of posts I encourage anyone interested to check out.

The Lausanne Covenant, the Manila Manifesto and now the Cape Town Commitment are significant and extremely important documents for all believers of the Christian faith. In essence, the documents are statements of belief that Christians from around the world have drafted for the purpose of recommitting our faith in Jesus Christ and in the moving and action of his Holy Spirit with the understanding and desire to become the most affective agents of advancing the Gospel as possible in a changing world. A fancy word for this process is the Greek word Kerygma. Basically that means that there is a cultural relevant way to preach the Gospel to each generation. An example of this is that televangelism may have been affective 50 years ago, but today, social network or cyber evangelism seems to work better in reaching the generation of today (These are general statements of course used to provide broad examples). Each of the three documents mentioned above are recognition pieces of the changes taking place in our world and the commitment that Christians make around the world to keep up with the change and the moving fire and wind of the Holy Spirit of God.

The Cape Town Commitment was released just yesterday. If you are a believer check out this statement of belief. Consider it the Apostle’s Creed of our time and pass it on to others. If aren’t sure about this whole Christianity, Jesus-lovin-thing yet, also check it out. It provides a look at what Christianity is and why those Jesus freaks believe what they do.

I’m excited about the release of The Cape Town Commitment and plan on spending amble time reading it through and discovering more of where I fit into to God’s passionate story of reconciling a broken world unto himself once again. I’d love to hear your thoughts of the document if you have any to share. Maybe something in the document stumps you and you want to know more. Let’s talk about it if you like. It’s a challenging document to wrestle with at times because faith in Jesus is personal and our actions in this world matter. Check it out and come back and let’s talk. I’d love to hear form you.

Go here for more background and info on history and influence of the Lausanne Movement.

You couldn’t make it to Cape Town 2010 either but curous what the large gather is like? No worries. Check this site out for a plethora of videos and podcasts from the massive event.

The Effectiveness of Imperfect Evangelism

Matt Chapin — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 10:10:39 -0800

In a world of “experts” and “expert opinions” do you ever shrink back in your evangelistic efforts because you do not perceive yourself an “expert” in Christianity? Do we need to be? Today we have experts at Best Buy for your new television. At Apple computer stores there might be a computer expert to fix your problems. There is an expert salesperson for your car, expert lawyers, politicians, doctors, food critics, psychologists, sports radio or television experts, mechanics, and an array of financial advisors. In fact we are so used to living in the company of experts, we’ll sometimes say after our point is made, “But I’m no expert, so what do I know?”

There are two examples I would like to share where God’s strength was made perfect in weakness. The first is the conversion story of Frank Pastore, and the second is the evangelistic efforts of Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Michael Rydelnik.

Last summer I had the privilege of interviewing Frank Pastore about his book Shattered. Frank is a former pitcher of the Cincinnati Reds, and currently the host of the number one Christian talk radio program, The Frank Pastore Show, which is heard daily on LA’s KKLA radio station.

Frank is very clear in the book, and on his program, that before he became a follower of Christ, he was a committed atheist. The event that set in motion his discovery of Christianity was the shattering of his pitching arm in a game played at Dodger Stadium back in 1984.

In the midst of his confusion he naturally wondered why or how this tragic event could have happened to him. Frank credits his Christian teammates helping him deal with his injury, showing him the love of Christ, and consistently challenging him with the gospel. When Frank did receive Christ he admits he was tough on his fellow Christian buddies for not being able to give good answers to his basic questions about faith.

In other words, they were not the best Christian apologists, yet still brought the message and did not give up on him. They may have not been the most knowledgeable in answering Frank’s immediate questions but his teammates were committed to sharing with him, and getting his questions answered. How tragic it would be, if his teammates had just kept Christ to themselves.

Over the winter break from school I read The Messianic Hope by Dr. Michael Rydelnik. Towards the end of the book he tells a wonderful story of how he in his youth, in his New York neighborhood, as a recent convert from Judaism to Christianity, was put in the position of defending Christianity against the Hebrew Club of his local high school. At age 16, after only being a Messianic Jew for one year, he had to go up against an “expert” in Hebrew apologetics.

His strategy to deal with the expert was to state the prophetic truths of the Messiah, by quoting Scripture directly. Rydelnik admits to feeling very inadequate and humiliated by how the expert treated his use of the Bible. He explains how the expert would twist his words, or what the Bible’s words meant. He admits in the book how he felt angry and disappointed in himself, thinking he had missed a perfect opportunity to witness to his Jewish friends.

However, years later at a speaking event Rydelnik was approached by Vince, his former high school guitar teacher. As they reminisced the teacher told Rydelnik how Rydelnik’s use of Scripture at the Hebrew Club debate many years earlier had challenged his outlook on who Christ was. What Vince remembered most from the debate was Rydelnik reading Bible verses pointing to Christ as the Messiah. To Vince, the verses in themselves sounded pretty messianic. Vince’s encounter with Scripture lead to his own deeper personal investigation of who Jesus was, and eventually became a Christian. Vince became a Christian not because of an expert’s opinion but because of young Michael Rydelnik’s uncompromising belief in the Word of God.

What is your approach to evangelism? Is it to be the expert? If so, great. The world needs great apologists for the faith. Is it just to invite a friend to church? Not bad, but don’t forget 1 Peter 3:15 that we as individuals need to be prepared to give an answer for the hope we have in Christ. Are you afraid to proclaim the gospel out of fear for not being an expert, and someone will make you look bad? In Zechariah 4:6 it says, “‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit’, says the Lord Almighty.” The power of evangelism is not done in my own strength, but by the Spirit of God. In Michael Rydelnik’s own words found in Messianic Hope, “It is not the vessel proclaiming the Word but the Scriptures themselves that have power.”

I Can't Think Of A Better Word, Sorry

Chuck Bomar — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:04:58 -0800

In a world where Christians, in the name of holiness, arrogantly distance themselves from everything "secular"......and like the Pharisees, can't figure out what it means to be "in" the world but not "of" it........

In a world where Christians, in the name of holiness, arrogantly stand back and bash non-Christians for living like, well, non-Christians......

We need to check these actions and attitudes with the scriptures. I have a word I sometimes use to describe this type of activity. But I want to warn you, this could be bad. I only use this word in conversations where people know my heart and theological convictions. Posting it publicly like this could get me in trouble. I don't mean to be rash by using this word, but I honestly cannot think of one that better describes this type of activity by the very people that are supposed to be following the example of Christ.

Before I say the word, let me (very briefly) explain why I don't think the attitude toward non-Christians I explained at the top is appropriate. Paul clearly states that it's not the right of a Christian to judge outsiders - we are not they're judge, God is (1 Corinthians 5:12-13). We clearly cannot expect non-Christians to live in God-honoring ways. We are in a broken world. We don't have to publicly condemn their actions to prove they are wrong or to make sure we're not viewed as condoning them. In fact, Peter states that we are to simply continue doing good when others do wrong and by this alone their foolishness would be silenced (in other words, we don't need words). He says to treat everyone with respect and honor - even those that are unjust and to even honor an emperor that was killing Christians at the time (1Peter 2:13-18). We are told that this graciousness is being mindful of God (2:19). And, he points back to Christ as the example of these things in the verses that follow.

Instead of following this example, however, we have people publicly standing out against wrong with only words, picketing, arrogantly standing back.....not doing good and respectfully honoring all people, but instead speaking against them and their actions.

But what Paul and Peter are saying gives a completely different perspective of what Christ followers should be doing. It's very different than arrogantly separating from or publicly bashing everyone that is doing wrong or opposing God in their actions. Christians are doing both of these things in the name of "holiness." But they're not holy. They're actually (oh boy, here's the word) "ass-holy."

I told you. I don’t mean to be rash, but I honestly can't think of another word that better fits this attitude. Jesus did bash people.....but if you read the gospels it was the people that I described above that he spoke up against. I think we should take that into consideration before we outwardly and publicly bash non-Christians....in the name of holiness. Jesus treated these people very differently. He hung out with those "secular" people. He actually ate and reclined with them. He didn't arrogantly separate, nor did he flip their tables over. He lived among them and served them. He didn't have to constantly point out their wrongdoings. Yes, he confronted people in their sin. But it was with humble connection, not arrogant separation. He gave us an example of what it means to live in the name of holiness. I think we should get that straight and be careful of our ass-holy attitudes.

Oh, if we would actually follow Christ's example and actually be known for our holiness in our every day lives, in our humility, in our heart for people to be reconciled......

What Epiphany Shows Us About Evangelism

Holly Ordway — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:05:36 -0800

The Feast of the Epiphany celebrates the manifestation of Our Lord to all people. He came that we might know him – that all might know him, everywhere. Epiphany calls us to a renewed understanding that mission and evangelism are not incidental add-ons to the Gospel, but rather the unfolding of Jesus’ work from the very beginning.

Epiphany reminds us that we do not “own” Jesus. He is not church property, to protect from contact with a messy world.

But even more than that, Epiphany reminds us that Jesus is not just an idea to tell people about, but a Person to encounter.

We can’t make people know Christ by dumping information on them, or by rhetorically maneuvering them into a corner, or by “winning” an argument about who Christ is, or by promising lots of fun and self-help and personal fulfillment.

We can only invite.

In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, we hear how Jesus calls Philip to be his disciple. Philip then goes to Nathanael to tell him about the Messiah: “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

Note that Philip doesn’t just stand on a hill and shout to random people “Hey, we found the Messiah!” No, he goes directly to a specific person, his friend Nathanael, with news that he believes will be of interest to him.

However, Nathanael doesn’t exactly leap up and say “Hooray!” Rather, he is skeptical, even downbeat: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

What does Philip do?

He doesn’t start arguing Scripture with Nathanael.

He doesn’t share his personal testimony of his own encounter with the Lord.

He doesn’t rebuke Nathanael for his lack of enthusiasm.

Philip says, “Come and see.”

Because it’s not about Philip, or Philip’s experiences. It’s about Jesus. And not just an idea of Jesus, but a real person, flesh and blood, that Nathanael could come to know – which is every bit as true now as it was then.

Nathanael came and saw, and followed.

Epiphany: the showing forth of Our Lord to all nations, all people, everywhere.

Come and see.

Knowledge, Wisdom AND Character

Brett Kunkle — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:49:25 -0700

“An atheist from Berkeley is here.” The youth pastor’s statement caught me off guard. I was sitting in a church lobby, reviewing notes for a talk I was about to give. My first thought was, “What atheist in their right mind would drive from Berkeley to attend a youth apologetics conference in the Inland Empire?”

Seeing my puzzled look the youth pastor offered more. “His name is Tim. He’s right over there.” I glanced in the direction he pointed and recognized Tim immediately. I had met Tim, a recent graduate from U.C. Berkeley, two years ago on one of our mission trips. He had participated in a couple of our joint events with Berkeley’s atheist student club, S.A.N.E. (Students for A Non-religious Ethos), over the last few years. I hadn’t seen Tim for more than a year and now here he was, attending an apologetics conference where I was speaking.

At the break, Tim made his way to my resource table. “Tim!” I exclaimed. Tim smiled and appeared genuinely happy to see me. Indeed, as he approached I grabbed his hand for a firm shake but additionally, he leaned in for a hug. I was glad to embrace him, realizing this hug was no small gesture. Often, when we imagine interactions between atheists and Christians we envision warfare, not friendship. But despite our opposing views about Christianity, Tim is made in God’s image. Tim is an intrinsically valuable human being deserving dignity and respect, not an enemy to be vanquished.

During the lunch break, Tim sat with me. We shared some fries and he quickly launched into a discussion of the cosmological argument for God’s existence, which another conference speaker had advanced. Tim is a smart guy. He’s well read. He knows science and philosophy. So our exchange was well-informed and lively.

Midway through our discussion, Tim surprised me. “I think there was a first cause to the beginning of the universe.” “What?” I replied. Seeing my disbelief, he quickly added, “ I just don’t think the first cause was necessarily God.” I sat forward, eager to engage the issue. “Okay, what are possible candidates for a first cause? What could possibly bring something into existence out of nothing?” We embarked on a lengthy discussion of causation. Tim suggested quantum fluctuations as a candidate, but when I pressed him, he quickly abandoned the notion.

Through our discussion, I realized Tim had trouble giving proper weight to commonsense statements because there were always questions he could raise. However, his questions always danced around on the fringe of an issue, preventing him from acknowledging the force of the commonsense notions he actually affirmed. Gently but directly, I addressed this perceived problem. “Tim, I think you suffer from a paralysis of analysis.” I explained, “The ambiguity you find on the edges of an issue shouldn’t stop you from affirming the truth you discover at the core.” Tim didn’t disagree and didn’t get defensive, but nodded approvingly.

Later, during the drive home, I reflected on my conversation with Tim. It had seemed productive. There was genuine warmth between us. I like Tim and he likes me. We had a calm rational discussion about life’s biggest questions. By affirming a first cause, Tim revealed he has made some movement in the direction of theism over the last two years. Hopefully, I was able to give him further reason to think God is the First Cause. But I was also able to direct his steps a bit, helping him recognize the “paralysis of analysis” he struggles with and encouraging him to move beyond his orientation of uncertainty.

My conversation with Tim was deeply satisfying. I wish I could say all my discussions with non-Christians were but unfortunately, I screw things up plenty. However, with God's help, in this conversation I was able to live by a model we teach at Stand to Reason. We call it the Ambassador Model.

The most effective ambassadors of Christ are those who employ knowledge, wisdom, and character. Tim respects my knowledge and therefore, engages me in discussion. I was able to make my way around the conversation in a wise and thoughtful manner, even speaking directly and frankly when needed. But knowledge and wisdom alone are not enough. They must be undergirded by an attractive manner—character—which provides the necessary platform of trust from which we can speak truth to an atheist like Tim. I wasn't hostile or defensive. I tried to speak humbly, even when disagreeing. Not only did I want him to hear the truth of Christ, I wanted him to experience the love of Christ. If Tim's openness during the conversation is any indication, he may have experienced just a hint of that.

It was a stark reminder that our approach can't be merely academic, rather it must be holistic.

Six Kinds of Ex-Christians

Drew Dyck — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 22:22:39 -0700

Over the past year I’ve had the opportunity to interview dozens of ex-Christians for my book, Generation Ex-Christian. No two people walk away from the faith for exactly the same reasons. However, I witnessed some patterns emerge. The following list introduces six different kinds of “leavers.” I’ve assigned them names based on the primary factors that led them away from the faith.

These groupings are not scientifically precise; they are tools meant to help us determine why people abandon the faith, and enable us to address their specific concerns. Factors that lead people away often serve as the barriers that prevent their return. As you read this list, think of young people you know who have walked away. Do any of these descriptions sound familiar?

1) Postmodern Leavers reject Christianity’s exclusive claims and moral absolutes. Personal experience—not objective truth—guides them. They care about the poor and oppressed, but feel that Christian faith is too narrow.

Characteristic language: "Logic comes from the Western philosophical tradition. I don't think that's the only way to find truth."

2) Recoilers have been hurt by Christians, often ones they regarded as spiritual authorities. God is guilty by association. These leavers may cite intellectual doubts as the reason for their departure, but deep hurts and psychological scars are what really caused them to abandon the faith.

Characteristic language: “If God is love, why did someone hurt me in his name?”

3) Modern Leavers completely reject supernatural claims. Miracles don’t happen. God is a delusion. Heaven is pie in the sky. They have no problem with truth claims and will readily argue their convictions. But any truth beyond the reach of science is dismissed as superstition.

Characteristic language: "Religion is irrational nonsense. If the Bible is true why are there no miracles today?"

4) Neo-Pagans trade Christian faith for earth-based spiritualities such as Wicca. Not all actually cast spells or participate in pagan rituals, but they deny the reality of a transcendent God and see earth as the ultimate source of true spirituality.

Characteristic language: “Earth is a goddess. I encounter her sacred presence in the water, wind and trees.”

5) Rebels are stubborn and strong-willed. They find it difficult to submit to God’s authority and don’t want anyone telling them what to do. They may even hold basic Christian beliefs, but the temptation to engage in sinful behavior and the desire for autonomy cause them to push God away.

Characteristic language: “I can’t stand having someone control me. I just want to have a good time.”

6) Drifters do not suffer intellectual crises or consciously leave the faith; they simply drift away. Sometimes this process takes years and usually happens after leaving the Christian environment of their youth. Over time God becomes less and less important until one day he’s no longer part of their lives.

Characteristic language: “I grew up a Christian, but I don’t really practice the faith anymore. God just seems irrelevant to my life now.”

I realize that this list isn’t perfect or comprehensive. Have you encountered other kinds of ex-Christians? What categories would you use to describe them?

What is World Evangelization?

Mark Russell — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:36:54 -0700

Travel is one of my favorite activities and experiencing other cultures is one my greatest passions. But with kids and a wife I actually enjoy, long haul flights to Africa and beyond have become something of a burden. After taking six such trips in 2009, I decided it was time to slow down, well actually just quit.

When the opportunity to participate in the third congress of Lausanne, what Christianity Today called the most diverse gathering ever in Cape Town, South Africa, I wasn’t sure if I should go. Normally, I would be ecstatic to go a place I’ve long heard about and experience a multitude of cultures at one time, but the sixty hours on airplanes and 12 days away from home, gave me some pause.

But there was something else that gave me hesitation. Lausanne calls this gathering, the third congress on world evangelization. While I definitely believe in sharing my faith and in people’s rights to convert to other faiths, and, furthermore, I’ve recently co-authored a book on evangelicalism identifying myself as a part of the movement, I am still nervous tossing around terms like “world evangelization.”

There are really two reasons why: First, the phrase can carry a sort of “conquering” implication that is, frankly, creepy at best and horrifying at worst. As if we, Christian people, are out to make everyone like us.

Second and perhaps, even more serious for me, as a person of faith and a follower of Christ, is that evangelization has been frequently defined quite poorly to mean simply a cognitive assent to some doctrinal beliefs in order to seal a deal to obtain a get out of hell free card.

This type of evangelization reveals a reductionistic view of the gospel that I believe is far from what is intended when one reads the words of Christ.

Despite my hesitations, I opted to kiss my wife and kids good bye and make the long track to other side of the world. Now that I am here, I am definitely glad that I have made the trip.

What I see and hear is a fresh awareness of the complexities of life and the reality that our faith is a way of life that we are to live with genuine love for our neighbor, not merely something we are somehow obligated to impose on people who don’t really care.

In recent years through active missions the evangelical church has done a tremendous job in spreading the gospel message geographically around the world. Now, I think the time has come to integrate the gospel of love into the various spheres of society, because we take it seriously that Jesus prayed, “Father, may your will be done on earth as it is heaven” (Matthew 6:10) We take it seriously that Jesus said, “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you'” (Luke 10:9).

Evangelization does not simply mean spreading the message of salvation, but of love as well. A love that drives us into slums, ghettos, and bordellos, to seek and save those that are lost and in need of healing. A love that drives us to be kind to people on the street, embracing of those that are different, compassionate to those with questions, and gracious with those who disagree.

Right now in Cape Town, South Africa, there are nearly 4000 people that get that and that’s why I’m glad I came.