But you may wonder how to develop a personal evangelism strategy. Let me make some simple, scriptural suggestions:
In Romans 12 the apostle Paul encourages, “Give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy – the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think.”
The Brights' Story
My wife and I were materialistic and selfishly ambitious before we became Christians. After we received Christ, we grew in the fellowship of the church, and the more we studied the Bible and the more we became aware of the love and grace of God, the more we loved Jesus, and the more we wanted to serve Him.
One day, in the spring of 1951, we knelt in our home in the Hollywood Hills of California and signed a contract with the Lord as a formal act of relinquishing the title deeds of our lives to Him. We each made a list of all the things that we had desired before we fell in love with Christ and really began to follow Him. We had very luxurious appetites!
“Lord,” we prayed, “we want to surrender all of our own ambitious, worldly, materialistic plans and desires to You. By Your enabling grace and power we are turning our backs upon the things that have encumbered us in order that we might serve You, the living God, more effectively and fruitfully. You have commanded us to seek first the kingdom of God and lay up our treasures in heaven. Now we want to seek You and Your way above everything else. We want our treasures to be used for your glory. We want to serve You and do whatever You want us to do and go wherever You want us to go, whatever the cost.”
Opening his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul wrote, “This letter is from Paul, Jesus Christ's slave, chosen to be a missionary, and sent out to preach God's Good News.” In the words of Paul, Vonette and I became Christ's slaves as we made our commitment to the Lord Jesus.
It was only a short time later that God gave me the vision to help reach the world for Christ to which I referred earlier. We call that vision Campus Crusade for Christ, New Life World.
Today, we own very little of this world's goods – mostly personal items. We don't own our home, which we rent, nor do we own a car, though transportation is provided for our ministry. We literally live as God supplies our needs from day to day. But, oh, what adventure to live for Christ – to serve the King of kings and Lord of lords without the hindrances and encumbrances of possessions which possess us and rob us of our power with God and others!
This may not be what God will call you to do. But whatever your situation, you can trust a loving God when you surrender every life ambition to Him. No experience in life compares with seeking first the kingdom of God, laying up treasures in heaven, keeping Christ in control of your life, doing what He calls you to do, and being an instrument through whom He changes lives. This is real living life at its highest and best. Every morning and evening we kneel in our Lord's presence, together whenever possible, to acknowledge His lordship. We invite Him to be Lord over every area of our lives and claim by faith the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit in order that we may live holy lives and be more fruitful witnesses for our dear Lord.
Adapted from the Transferable Concept: How You Can Help Fulfill The Great Commission, by Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. © Cru. All rights reserved.
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