It seems like the more preaching is done, the fewer people come into the church. It seems like there is a leak, a hole in the bottom of the church. More people are leaving the church now than at any time we can remember.
We know that something is going on, and that few people in the church really do evangelism. The majority come to church, enjoy the blessings of God, and give nothing back. In doing so, they show that they do not love God and do not love other people. Here are five reasons why evangelism does not seem to advance.
- Evangelism and Ungratefulness
I remember the story of when Jesus healed ten lepers. These healed men kept on walking, not even coming back to say thank You, Jesus. Only one came back and gave thanks.
Think of the suffering and energy spent by heaven — God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, billions of angels — to bring humans to the light and make them partakers of the heavenly gift of eternal life. What is evangelism? Evangelism is giving a very urgent warning message.
This is the message God gives through earthquakes, winds, tornadoes, and fires — these are God’s means of waking people up to the danger they are in of perishing forever without hope.
It is like someone learning every week that an earthquake is coming and never telling anyone about it. Then the earthquake comes, and millions die who were never warned. Shall the blood of these people fall on those who failed to give the warning? Surely it shall.
I remember reading of a vision given to Ellen G. White, in which an angel asked her, “Shall these, with Bibles under their arms, go to heaven without giving the message?” The angel answered, “Never, never, never.” Ellen G. White also said that no one shall enter heaven without having gained at least one star for their crown. Evangelism is showing love for others. The absence of evangelism shows that something is very wrong in a person’s spiritual life. - Evangelism and Selfishness
This lack of evangelism can be traced to selfishness, unbelief, or an uncaring spirit. I remember watching a video of a Chinese man entering a store. People were standing around him. He fell to the ground, and nobody helped him up — nobody asked if he was okay, nobody moved to lend him a hand. This is the spirit behind the lack of evangelism: apathy.
Yet our society and young people today think it is “cool” to be apathetic. They will soon find out that it is hot to be apathetic — especially in the fires of hell, where it shall be very hot indeed for those who did not care.
Revelation 3:16 — So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth.
For someone to spit in another’s face means they are angry — but for God to spew someone out means God is very angry. God is very angry at apathy. When people say, “I do not need anything,” they mock God; they lie, and they act as if they were God, providing for their own needs.
Nothing is more tragic than this — humans saying, “I do not need God; I provide for my own needs.” It is incredible to see that humanity has reached this point. This cannot be fixed until church members become truly converted.
How can you expect evangelism to happen when most members are legalists and apathetic? What is evangelism? It is telling others that they are in great danger and that, unless they reform, accept the truth, leave the liar, and follow the Creator, they will perish forever. - Evangelism and an Uncaring Spirit
Oh, the uncaring Christian — what a terrible thing to be. It would have been better never to have known God than to say, “I am a Christian,” while loving no one — or to deceive yourself by saying, “Well, at least I am liked by people of this generation.” Choose to be like God or like Satan — there is no middle ground. Either you resemble Jesus, or you resemble Satan. There is no other alternative.
This is the choice we must make, and how few people in our society resemble Jesus. Christians, above all, should set the example of being loving, kind, honest, and sincere people. But they are too afraid of being rejected and disliked by others.
Evangelism cannot be carried out by Christians who only think of and serve themselves. They are uncaring, yet they say, “I am a Christian.” It is like a robber saying, “I love others,” or a liar saying, “I am honest.” It means the person is lying to such a degree that they no longer see their own condition.
An evangelism explosion requires people who are like Jesus — humble, honest, sincere. Yet many people who now enter the church are proud, unloving, and uncaring. How can such people preach the message that Jesus loves others when they themselves care about no one? Their love is so weak that one single act of true love would expose just how weak their benevolence really is. - Evangelism and Unbelief
In the 1840s, most Christian churches received a message called the Midnight Cry.
Matthew 25:6 — Behold, the bridegroom comes; go out to meet Him.
Every Christian church closed its doors to the coming of Jesus. They refused to prepare for His return. In fact, their Christianity was only a social club for meeting people, and they did not have real faith in the second coming of Jesus.
Evangelism cannot be carried out by churches that do not believe in the second coming of Jesus.
Luke 18:8 — Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?
Today it would be a disaster — if Jesus came right now, most people would be lost. Most church members would also be lost. Sometimes I wonder why some people even go to church — they do not care about the Bible, they do not care about others, and their character is the complete opposite of Jesus’ character.
The unbelief of the Christian world — refusing to love others and warn them — is tragic, especially considering what a privilege it is to tell others about the love of God and help them escape the danger soon to fall upon the world.
One important point: the goal is not to have everyone accept the truth. This is the mistake most Christians make. The goal is to have everyone listen and make a decision.
The prophet Ellen G. White says that when everyone has made a decision for or against Christ, then the end will come. What is evangelism? It is the loving warning given to others that they are in great danger and need to escape the terrible plagues, calamities, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, and all of God’s coming judgments.
The goal is not to have everyone accept the truth — the goal is to have everyone make a decision for or against Jesus. Evangelism will end when all humans have said either:
“I follow Jesus,”
or
“I refuse to accept Jesus as true.”
- Evangelism and Fear
This, in fact, is how the judgment shall be. All honest people will accept the truth, and all dishonest people will reject the truth. So the only thing that needs to happen is for all people to hear the truth and make up their minds.
We live in a day when people are so arrogant and offensive toward God that they think they can decide what truth is — they think they can invent truth and make the Bible say whatever they want it to say. But man does not create truth, man cannot invent truth, man does not decide what truth is. Why?
Because before you were born, truth existed; after you die, truth will remain the same. Your living did not change the truth. Your opinions will die with you, and truth will continue to live on. Christians fear rejection in doing evangelism, but rejection is actually a good thing. Rejection teaches you success, because unless you are rejected, you will not succeed. Success only comes after many rejections.
Do not fear rejection — as you are rejected, you become accustomed to it, and it becomes easier, especially if you are rejected every day. The work will end with God finishing it. But woe to those who heard the truth and, through apathy, selfishness, and laziness, refused to give the message its full and certain sound.
Repeat after me: Father God, forgive me for not having told others of their danger. Help me to evangelize and preach the truth as it is in Jesus. Provide for all my needs and help me walk with You. Give me Your robe of righteousness, in the name of Jesus, amen. BLOG HOME