A Tip for Evangelism: Gospelize Christians

I know how to share the gospel and can explain and apply it to non-Christians in most situations. We call this evangelism. But evangelism is hard. I find it difficult because I'm a pastor so I don't rub shoulders with as many non-Christians as I do Christians. For most members of my church the situation is the opposite. They see many non-Christians and interact with them in meaningful friendship at work and school. While I try to work on ways to interact with more non-Christians regularly in my life, let me help you learn how to share the gospel to non-Christians in yours.

Here's my helpful tip: practice on Christians. Explain and apply the gospel to them. I don't mean role play where one pretends he's not a Christian. I think that role playing in some strange way increases the anxiety for many Christians as they try to remember which replies go to which questions and objections.

Again, the tip is to gospelize ("evangelize") Christians. Seek to convert them from unbelief to belief. I don't mean to seek to convert them from non-Christian to being Christian. But as Christians, we are often not believing God in our anxiety, irritability, trials, and burdens. So gospelize Christians so that they trust Jesus Christ in the current moment.

Tell him that Jesus died for his sins and rose again so he can believe God is good to him. He doesn't have to look elsewhere. Tell her that Jesus bore her condemnation and was raised for her justification so she can believe God is gracious and fully accepts her. She doesn't have to prove herself to others. Tell them that Jesus was forsaken by the Father on the cross then received by the Father evidenced in his empty tomb so they can trust God is in control and he's for them. So they don't have to be in control. Remind them that God is bigger and more glorious then others yet favors them because Jesus became a curse for us. His face shines on us. So we don't have to fear others. (These are the 4Gs)

This is the gospel applied to a Christian brother feeling guilty or fearing others. This reminds the Christian sister who is anxious and believing she needs full control of the situation or envious of another's happiness that in Christ Jesus God is our good treasure who controls all things perfectly.

There are other ways to gospelize Christians. But here's the point. If you regularly gospelize Christians then you'll be increasing your ability to explain and apply the gospel in general. With this improved proficiency you'll be better prepared to gospelize non-Christians calling them not only from unbelief to belief but from darkness to light (conversion). You'll know how to speak the good news more naturally if you do it more regularly. And Christians should receive your gospelizing ministry with gladness.

[tweetthis]You'll know how to speak the good news more naturally if you do it more regularly.[/tweetthis]

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