ISEMA Newsletters
Why Witness?
by Larry Rosenbaum
One of the main purposes of this newsletter is to encourage Christians to witness for Jesus Christ. Perhaps 80% of all Christians never or almost never witness to anyone. Not only do they not witness through organized outreaches, they don’t witness at work or even to their unsaved friends. Also, many Christians who at one time were involved extensively in evangelism no longer do much witnessing.
Over the years, I have thought a lot about this problem, its cause and possible solutions. I am convinced that much of Satan’s attacks on Christians is focused on two areas: prayer and witnessing. In the area of evangelism, Satan will give us every excuse not to witness. He will tell us our witnessing is not effective, that we should do other things with our time. Whatever method we are using, it is the wrong method. We are turning people off to the gospel. We are neglecting our family or church activities. Satan has been every effective at preventing Christians from witnessing. We can see the result in the current condition of our nation and world.
One area in which Satan attacks us concerns our motivation for evangelism. We have seen preachers who condemn people, as though they were happy people are going to Hell. All of us who preach know that our motives are not always perfect. We may enjoy the attention we are getting when a crowd gathers. We may think we are earning favor with God or making up for past sins by witness ing.
What is the proper motivation for evangelism? First, we witness out of our love for God. When you fall in love with someone, it is natural to tell others about that person. Also, we know that God loved this world so much that He sent His Son to die for their sins. He does not want to see anyone perish but that all come to repentance. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Jesus has commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel, and He has ordained that people are saved through preaching. “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corin. 1:21). “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).
We do not want to be like Martha, so busy serving God that we neglect fellowship with Him. Or like the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2, which had an abundance of good works, but had left their first love of Jesus. Christians sometimes tell me that they find they are witnessing out of duty or obligation, and that they will stop witnessing until they can witness with the right motive or get their relationship with God right. Certainly, we need to give first priority to our relationship with God. But why is witnessing the first thing to go whenever we have a spiritual problem?
I may not feel like praying or reading the Bible or going to church, I may not feel like going to work, I may not feel like witnessing, but I discipline myself to do the things I know God wants me to do regardless of my feelings. Yet it is usually in the area of evangelism that Christians think that they should only do it when they “feel led” lest they be legalistic.
The apostle Paul didn’t worry much about people’s motives for evangelism. “Some indeed preach Christ of contention, not sincerely…What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice” (Phil. 1:15,18). Even when people’s motives for preaching were wrong, Paul was more concerned that Christ be preached. “Just do it.”
Some might even criticize Paul’s motivation for preaching. “When I preach the gospel,” he wrote “I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me” (1 Corin. 9:16-17). Paul is saying that even if he does not want to witness, he is compelled to do so and something bad would happen to him if he were disobedient. Then he compares the discipline involved in preaching the gospel to that of a runner and a boxer. Athletic competition involves great discipline even to the point of pain. “No pain. No gain.” It is painful to see people reject the gospel, and reject us because we proclaim the gospel. Without sufficient motivation, we won’t be willing to endure this pain. “They do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible” (v. 25).
Paul wrote to the Corinthians “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corin. 5:11). And he told the people of Ephesus, “I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:26-27). Paul was referring here to God’s warning in Ezekiel 33: “If you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand.” Paul apparently thought that this Old Testament scripture does apply to us in this age of grace.
Christians often ask me what motivates me to continue preaching the gospel for so many years in a city that is known for its resistance to God’s Word. I grew up in the “Bible belt” and probably many of my friends were Christians, but none told me how to be saved. At the age of 24 after years of tormented searching for meaning in life, I finally met some people who cared for my soul and showed me the way of salvation. Once I realized the Bible is really true and there really is a Heaven and Hell, I was amazed that nobody had ever warned me before. In light of this truth, I knew that the only sensible thing for me to do was to dedicate my life to warning people of the reality of eternal Hell and showing them the way of salvation.
Some may say that this is not a lofty motivation. Some Christians teach that it is wrong to witness because of our love for the lost, or desire to save people from Hell. Some teach that it is not even possible to love the lost. Yet Paul wrote in Romans 9 that he had “great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren (the Jews).” Paul was so burdened to see his fellow Jews heading for Hell that he was willing to take their place. Of course, we can’t do that, but we can warn them of their danger and show them the way out. If you study church history, you will find that virtually every great evangelist was motivated by an overwhelming desire to keep people out of Hell.
I am continually amazed that Christians who believe that all the unbelievers around them are headed for eternal torment in Hell would care so little about warning them. The only explanation I have is that Satan is very clever at giving us excuses for not witnessing, and that our heart is so deceitful that we fall for his lies. I rarely feel like witnessing to anyone. Every week when it is time for us to witness I can think of some reason for not going. But then I remember that no sacrifice is too great to save even one soul from Hell.
There are many valid motives for preaching the gospel. While we should examine ourselves for impure motives, the most important thing is that we continue to preach the gospel in a consistent way. Setting aside a regular time to witness is as legitimate and necessary as any other spiritual discipline. Waiting until you are in perfect spiritual condition before you start witnessing is as foolish as waiting until you are in perfect physical condition before you start exercising.
Coming Events
February 19-24. Mardi Gras Outreach, New Orleans, LA. Contact Heart Fire Ministries, Box 14031, Milwaukee, WI 53214, (414) 445- 9490 or Christ in Action, Box 100, Chatsworth, GA 30705, (404) 695-1868.
February 20-21. Mardi Gras Outreach, Galveston, TX. RSVP by Feb. 5 for overnight housing. Contact Pastor John Elliott, Gulf Coast Christian Center, Box 143, Hitchcock, TX 77563, (713) 337-4364 or (409) 986-7889.
Sat. March 13 & 27 Worship Rally and Evangelism Outreach, San Francisco. 3-6 PM. Meet at Powell Street BART Station. Contact SOS Ministries, Box 27358, Oakland, CA 94602, (510) 531-5325.
March 19-20. South Texas Street Ministers Conference, San Antonio, TX. Workshops in English and Spanish. Contact Rev. David O’Dell, 3400 W. Park Blvd. #2117, Plano, TX 75075, (214) 519- 0195.
April 24. Fiesta Celebration Outreach, San Antonio, TX. Housing available. Contact Rev. David O’Dell (address above).
March for Jesus is scheduling public praise marches in many cities around the world on Sat. June 12. For more information, or to help plan a march in your city, contact March for Jesus, Box 3216, Austin, TX 78764, (512) 416-0066.
Forward Edge is sending outreach teams to Guatemala, Nicaragua, the Crow Indian Reservation, Romania, Kazakhstan, and China this next year. Most outreaches are about two weeks long. For more information write or call them at 15121-A NE 72nd Ave., Vancouver WA 98686, (206) 574-EDGE.
Letters
Thanks for the newsletter. As a result of reading the newsletter from ISEMA, I would like to know if you could possibly send me some information concerning some of the more effective ways you have witnessed at events such as the Florida Bowl and the Rose Parade outreach. I would also like more info on becoming a member of ISEMA.
I am writing your organization in hope of your helping me in my new found relationship with Christ. I would appreciate all the information you could send. I am also in search of a Bible….As you know I am in jail and am going to be getting out soon. My father and others keep asking me what I’m going to do. Well, there is only one thing I want to do and that is get in a van and drive around the big cities and talk to the homeless, the drug dealers, the gang members. I want to tell them they’re loved and that someone cares for them. I’m only 19 and feel I’ve lived the life of a 30 or 40 year old. I’ve been through a lot. I know how the street is, how jail is…This is the only way that I’ll be happy…I live in Cleveland, Ohio so if you have people there, I would work full time, over time, all the time. If you don’t, I could start a new international street ministry out of my par ent’s home…I just need the materials for going onto the street and telling people about the most wonderful person in the world. (Please pray for this young man, Chris. I wrote him, sending him a New Testament and some material to help him in starting a ministry. But if you would write Chris and could help him fur ther, write or call and I will give you his address.
It’s Time To Renew Your ISEMA Membership!
Once again, we want to urge you to become a member of ISEMA if you have not already done so, linking up with other evangelism ministries and Christians who believe in the Great Commission. If you are already an ISEMA member, now is the time to renew your membership for 1993. As the only association of street ministries in existence, ISEMA depends on your active involvement.
Please continue to send us information about what is happening in your community, teachings on evangelism, information about upcom ing outreaches, etc. so we can share these with our readers. Our Tape of the Month is Solomon’s Porch: the Church in Public Places by Richard Paradise. Richard is Director of Proclamation at New Hope Christian Fellowship, Sacramento. This teaching presents a strategy for involving the entire church in public evangelism outreach, a strategy we have found very effective in San Francisco and one that can be used in your community as well.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
