The “busy season” for evangelism is coming up for those of us living near a university. The new semester brings campus events and football games; fantastic opportunities to get out a ton of tracts. I’m starting to plan ahead for these events, and I plan to pull together several friends to help with the effort. As I’ve been thinking about this, I decided that I need to sit down and write some ‘rules of engagement’ for who I will partner with and who I will not - and how all this will work. This is mostly for my own benefit, but I make it public for easy sharing and so that it may provoke some through for others to set their own rules and standards.
It’s hard to turn away someone who is interested in working together to preach the gospel, mostly because that passion is so rare. Nevertheless, it’s important to be at least mostly on the same page. So, here’s my list of things that are important for me to see in my partners. It’s best to have these issues out in the open and to avoid working together if we don’t think it will work. The alternative is to find these things out in situ, which makes for a very awkward time.
Goal
My goal is to connect people in the C-U community who are interested in preaching the gospel to the lost. I do not intend for this to be a formal organization, but more like a group of friends with a common passion. I will help coordinate large events (handing out tracts at football games) as well as smaller weekly efforts. Everyone in the network is encouraged to organize, support, and work with one another. If you are interested, please provide an email address (and phone number if you wish) to be shared with the network. We will also be using a shared calendar to help organize events.
Training
I'm interested in working with people regardless of experience. If you have little/no experience, but have a desire to reach lost souls, I would be overjoyed to encourage and equip you. Training programs/materials are fine (and I can recommend a few), but I mainly push a hands-on approach where you join me and observe as a silent partner until you're confident enough to talk.
Tracts
I use several different kinds of tracts and I am willing and able to provide enough tracts for everyone free of charge. You may use your own tracts if you like, but they must follow these basic rules:
1) Must have a solid gospel presentation that does not gloss over sin, but calls out specific relevant sins (e.g. lying, fornication). Must mention repentance and faith as the sinner’s response to the offer of salvation.
2) Must not include a “sinner’s prayer”, asking Jesus into your heart, or any other language that is typical of manipulative evangelistic methods or easy-believism.
3) Must not include church information. You may include personal contact info or link to a website as long as it is not a church website. Tracts with church info give the sinner the impression that you’re just trying to get church members. I’ve been doing this for years - believe me, it makes a difference.
4) This is not really a rule, but I strongly recommend that you use attractive, short tracts. The best tracts have an eye-catching design and succinct text. The basic tracts I use are all under 200 words. Longer, booklet/pamphlet tracts are fine to give out after a good conversation, but if you just hand them out to everyone, they're less likely to be read.
Doctrinal Unity
It’s important that we all speak the same thing, especially when reaching the lost. So, here is a short list of doctrines that I think are critical. If you have any questions about these doctrinal areas or want clarification, I would be happy to meet and discuss. Perhaps you have some convictions that I haven’t mentioned here. Great! I’d be happy to talk about any other issues to see if we can work together.
1) The gospel is that Christ died for our sins and rose again and that we can have this forgiveness if we repent and believe. Salvation goes hand in hand with the new birth – a changed life (2 Cor. 5:17). A person who claims to be a Christian, but is living in sin or has no interest in the things of God is a false convert. These are not ‘carnal Christians’, because all who are truly saved will be chastened (Heb. 12:6-8). You understand this and want to lovingly warn them of their lost condition.
2) The catholic church, mormons, and “Jehova’s Witnesses” are not Christian groups, but are all cults based on a false gospel. All other religions are false systems that only soothe the conscience. In other words, you can not get into heaven by being a good muslim, buddhist, hindu, etc.
3) Hell and the lake of fire are real places where guilty sinners who are not saved by Christ are punished for eternity. Repentance and faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved and this life is the only chance that you have.
4) You reject: salvation by faith plus works, loss of salvation by sinning, infant baptism, baptismal regeneration, calvinism, prosperity gospel, and pentecostal false prophets. I’m aware that there are some mild pentecostals who would also reject the abuses of pentecostalism. I may be willing to partner with such a person on a case by case basis. In general, I’m willing to meet anyone, but it’s unlikely we’ll be able to work together unless you reject the above doctrines.
5) You reject manipulative evangelism, quick prayerism, and attempts to present the gospel that avoid sin/repentance. This includes the sinner’s prayer, asking Jesus into your heart, and the four spiritual laws. When you share the gospel with sinners, you implore them to repent.
6) You reject all forms of ‘theistic evolution’ and hold to a ‘young earth creation’ viewpoint. You are at least aware of the relevant issues: radiometric dating, fossil record, irreducible complexity, etc. I have some useful articles posted at ourmasterswisdom.com if you'd like an overview.
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