I had several brief conversations with folks, and they were all very cordial and polite. And you what…? Most believed in God and Jesus Christ; most thought they were on their way to heaven.

I firmly believe that one of the greatest dangers of the days we live in (days of apostasy when the Scripture is not the final authority anymore) is what many are calling “false conversions.” Paul calls it “believing in vain” in 1Corinthians 15.1-2, and Jesus referred to it several times in Matthew 7.13-23.

The guys at Custom Tract Source have a tract that speaks volumes about this! Click the image above and check it out. It’s great! And then, go to the web site that’s on the tract: www.whatifimpretending.com.

If you’ve ever felt like all you’re doing is “witnessing to people who have already heard,” then get some of these tracts. Sure, they may have heard and they may have even “believed,” but that doesn’t mean they are saved!

I’ll be working with the guys at Custom Tract Source to get this one in Spanish so I can use it down here. It’s just a matter of saving my pennies. :-) Great tract! Great web site! Great resource for the days in which we live. Get a bunch and take a Saturday morning to go give ‘em out! Then, please, write me and let me know how it went.

~Greg

We are not called upon to witness to everyone we meet… Some years ago one of Scotland’s great saints was walking across the Highlands with a young friend. They passed a shepherd. The younger man, perhaps to impress his colleague, accosted the shepherd, asked him if he was saved and gave him a tract. Expecting, perhaps, a word of commendation, he was surprised and rebuked when the old believer said, “Did you have the Holy Spirit’s permission to speak to that man about his soul?”

What a sad commentary! What an awful thing to say to a young, zealous believer who wants to witness! And… what a tremendous misunderstanding of God’s call to evangelize.

First and foremost, to judge the intentions of the heart of someone who is zealous in witnessing is a bit presumptuous. How does this commentator know that the young man was trying to impress his friend? Why does he assume the worst in his motives? Why not simply assume that he has a burden to reach people with the message of Jesus Christ? And, why is it “accosting” someone to give them a tract and inquire about their salvation? I’m sorry, I couldn’t disagree more.

So, let’s answer the old Scot’s question: “Did you have the Holy Spirit’s permission to speak to that man about his soul?” Yes, he did! And, not only did he have God’s “permission” to do so, he had God’s call and command to do so. We are called and commanded by God to preach the Gospel to each and every creature.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. [Mar 16.15]

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 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! [Rom 10.13-15]

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. [2Tim 4.5]

And what if we do so in a manner that is less than “diplomatic” (a manner that might seem as if we were “accosting” someone, though we do it from a sense of obligation and duty toward God, and love for the lost)?

What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. [Php 1.18]

Is the power to save a soul in the sower of the seed or in the seed itself? Is the power to save a soul in the way in which that seed is sown, or in the seed itself? Again, Scripture speaks clearly:

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. [Isa 55.10-11]

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God… For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe… Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men… [1Cor 1.18-25]

In the very same chapter of Acts, God shows us that Philip, the Apostles, and other believers gave every effort they could to preach to every person the encountered.

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. [Acts 8.4]

And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. [Acts 8.25]

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea. [Acts 8.40]

Here’s the truth of my life: I don’t witness to everyone I meet. But, do you know what? I want to! I want to get to the point were the first thing on my mind when I speak to someone is their eternal destiny—God’s glory in their life; His goodness magnified through their salvation. Mark Cahill witnesses to everyone he meets. So does Ray Comfort. So do many of our Christian brothers and sisters.

Let’s not use a passage like this as an excuse for our lack of compassion… our lack of zeal in evangelism… our lack of dedication to the Mission of making disciples through evangelism. That’s not what the passage is teaching. We should all desire more zeal in evangelism. We should all desire to witness to everyone we meet (or at least desire to desire to do so!).

What does that mean in practical terms? Well… let me “peddle some goods”…

• Listen to the 10-minute testimony called “George Street” (a true story about a man who “accosted” people the same way that young Scot did).

Get trained up in evangelism. I don’t agree with everything coming out of Way of the Master and Ray Comfort’s ministries (obviously). But they have an outstanding training program. Mark Cahill is a tremendous resource, too. Take advantage of this stuff and get trained up. Do it with a friend so you’ll have a little bit of accountability.

• School of Biblical Evangelism
• Mark Cahill’s Book “One Thing You Can’t Do In Heaven” (scroll down on that page to find it)

Get some tracts and give them out. If you get good ones (ones that you like), you’ll WANT to give them out. It won’t be a chore. Here are some of my favorites:

• Ten Most Popular Scratch Off
• Million Dollar Bill (new design from Ray)
• Million Dollar, July 4th edition (great time of year for this one!)
• Check out Custom Tract Source (My favorites: What if…? and their “Cash” tracts; 4th of July).

Oh, my friends, we are loaded down with countless church activities, while the real work of the Church, that of evangelizing and winning the lost, is almost entirely neglected. [Oswald J. Smith]

It’s true that many are praying for a world-wide revival. But it would be more timely, and more scriptural, for prayer to be made to the Lord of the harvest, that He would raise up and thrust forth laborers who would fearlessly and faithfully preach those truths which are calculated to bring about a revival. [A.W. Pink]

I grow weary very quickly with the watered-down, don’t-offend-anyone, let’s-tell-stories messages that many pastors choose to “preach and teach” in an effort to become the latest Christian celebrity of the latest, greatest “mega-church.” Kyle is different. He’s not interested in winning a popularity contest; he’s interested in pleasing God and feeding his sheep.

Pastor Kyle Stephens is a Bible believer with a pastor’s heart and God is blessing his preaching and teaching. If you like to listen to sermons when you’re driving, mowing the lawn, working out on the treadmill, or whatever, download some of Kyle’s stuff out on av1611audio.com. And then shoot me an e-mail and let me know what you think.

~Greg

P.S. All downloads are free (and you can’t say that for everyone’s sermons these days, can you?).

I wrote the book for the “common Christian” rather than the “scholar” and designed it to ground the Bible student in the basics of how to study the Bible for himself. The chapter titles are as follows:

1. The Requirements of Bible Study (the right attitude, the right Bible, etc.)
2. The Rules of Bible Study
3. The Theme of the Bible
4. Old Testament Survey
5. New Testament Survey
6. How to Rightly Divide the Word of Truth (Dispensations)
7. The Kingdoms in the Bible
8. Things to Come (Eschatology)
9. The Transitional Books: Matthew, Acts, and Hebrews
10. Key Words and Phrases
11. Types and Pictures in the Word of God

Thanks to an anonymous donor at KCBT we were able to print up 500 copies of the book (8.5×11″, 350 pages, softcover). Please pray that God would use them greatly to preach and teach truth in the Spanish speaking Church.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. [1Tim 2.3-4]

Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

First Baptist Church of Jackson, Ohio, is a Bible-believing church dedicated to evangelism, discipleship, expository preaching, and the teaching of God’s Word. They have many of their teaching materials available on-line. If you’d like sound Bible study materials in English, please check it out:

http://www.fbcj.com/min_audio.htm