Acts 8:4
“Therefore they that were scattered abroad went time to seek and to save the every where preaching the word.”
This winter, the Lord has given me opportunities to present the need in New England at a missions conference in the Midwest and fill in for one of my supporting churches in Maine.
The missions conference at First Baptist in Hammond, Indiana, was a particular blessing when I saw what the Lord is doing with the Spanish ministry there. I personally know the Spanish pastor, Andres Gomez, from my time in Long Beach, CA, preparing myself to help reach the Spanish people in Connecticut in the mid-nineties. At that time, Pastor Gomez was active in the ministry yet still training for future ministry. The Lord is increasing Gospel outreach through FBC to the many Spanish living in the northwest corner of Indiana.
I attended the Spanish portions of the missions conference for the most part, sharing the ministry of “Save New England.” Many of the Spanish brethren there were unaware of the location of New England and the need to reach Spanish people here. I was able to show our “Save New England” video to the Spanish and English services on a couple of the nights of the conference. The “old auditorium” is filling up with Spanish-speaking people. I believe First Baptist Church is doing what the Lord has commanded, reaching all demographics with the Gospel.
Many of our major cities and suburbs are experiencing changes as people with different cultures and languages choose to live there. We must adapt our evangelistic efforts to reach them with Gospel literature in their language. In addition, we need local church ministries that can clearly communicate Bible truths that will change their lives. It’s good to see that happening there in Hammond, IN.
I believe that one of the “reset buttons” we need to push in our fundamental Baptist churches is a term that I call “proactive evangelism.”
This concept comes from Matthew 28:19-20. The first word is “Go.” This word implies effort, action, or something done on purpose. I believe this should describe a local church’s most important activity.
Acts 8:4 says the church at Jerusalem “went everywhere preaching the word” – that is proactive evangelism. With the available technology, we have been blessed with many ways to get the “Word out” in our country. Let’s choose the technology that best works for our church situations. However, we must not overlook personal evangelism that encourages everyone to get out the Gospel regularly. Let’s decide that individually as believers and corporately as local churches, we will constantly, actively “broadcast” the seed of the Gospel.
Recently, I had the blessing and opportunity to help in at least three different churches in proactive evangelistic outreaches in Lancaster, MA; Providence, RI; and Keene, NH. I would be glad to help you in the area of “proactive evangelistic” outreaches that involve on the street witnessing and passing out tracts. Also, I enjoy going out with local pastors to make specific visits and evangelistic preaching services.
“Save New England” has at its heart what the name implies – seeing people in New England come to Christ and discipled in Bible-preaching churches so that they can reach others for the glory of God. Bible preaching churches that have “go” not just as part of their belief but as their character are actively giving everyone in their “Jerusalem” a chance to hear the Gospel at least once.
At least once a year, consider getting a map of your city or town and proactively ensuring that each home gets either a gospel tract or vocal presentation of the Gospel.
Divide up areas on the map and pray over them. Make this a “cooperate” effort involving the church family, reaching your area, street by street, house by house.
Perhaps there would be some that would say, “Brother, that doesn’t work here.” I would ask, “What are you doing proactively to reach your area for Christ?” There is no question that we should be doing something to actively reach people, given the model we see in the book of Acts. The Bible is clear. A saved person giving the Gospel to a sinner is God’s method to save souls.
Save New England would be glad to do what is needed to assist in whatever way you feel best to reach your area for Christ. I am available to serve you and would love to see what the Lord will do in your “Jerusalem” to build His church when we actively obey the “Great Commission!”