Evangelism Methods - Jesus’ Style
“We still need presence & power today.”
If you review the conversion stories in scripture, you’ll see what is the most effective in reaching the lost. In most stories, those inviting others to Jesus witnessed or heard of a miracle before they invited that person. It is estimated that only 1% of conversions in the New Testament can be attributed to friendship evangelism. While 99% of the conversion stories are due to the combination of miracles, the Holy Spirit, prayer and believers inviting others.
Of the conversions recorded in the Bible, 50% have an identifiable miracle that had just happened. When someone brought someone else to Jesus, the person inviting them usually saw a miracle and wanted others to experience one too. This aligns with the instructions on evangelism that Jesus gave His own disciples. Every time Jesus sent people out to share their faith, he gave them the same instructions. He said, “Announce the Kingdom, and heal the sick”. A few times he added “cast our demons”.
Today we stress the importance of building a relationship with the lost, which of course is good. Our hope is that they will see something in our lives they will desire. Yet in analyzing the biblical accounts of people coming to faith, it is apparent that the vast majority of those being converted did not personally know the speaker, and knew few (if any) Christians. Paul went to Ephesus (Acts 19:8), shared the gospel, and people got saved. Yet the people of Ephesus had no idea about Paul’s lifestyle and character. The people in that community didn’t know Paul, or any other Christian.
Even Jesus said, “Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does . . . believe the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father” (John 10:37–38). Ramsay MacMullen, from Yale University, researched the oldest documents to see why Christianity grew to five million people in only three centuries. He noted repeated accounts of “mass conversions” in the early years, which were “directly attributed to the miracles performed by believers”. Edward Gibbon, author of the “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, said the primary reason why Christianity “obtained so remarkable a victory over the established religions of the earth” was due to “the miraculous powers of the primitive church.” He was not a fan of Christianity but still said, “The supernatural gifts very frequently brought about the conviction of unbelievers.”
In church history this has proven true time and time again in the evangelistic meetings of men like George Fox, Andrew Murray, Charles Finney, John Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards, and Reinhard Bonnke. All experienced supernatural manifestations in their preaching services. Why was John Wesley so effective? Books point to the fact that John Wesley, a historical evangelist, was an organizer which was why he could gather and disciple his converts. Also, his meetings were marked by signs and wonders. In fact, Wesley even raised someone from the dead. It was the presence of God in the meetings and the supernatural phenomenon that brought many to Christ.
Today “lifestyle evangelism” is not the reason the church is thriving and growing so rapidly in the southern and eastern hemispheres. Rather the growing churches have services marked by the supernatural and they use the gifts of the Spirit to reach the lost. Whenever and wherever the gospel message is substantiated by God’s miraculous activities, the church almost inevitably experiences growth.
Do we really believe acts of kindness have a widespread converting influence on secular-minded, irreligious agnostics and atheists? Do we really think that a radicalized Muslim or an atheist living next door to a kind Christian will find his or her Christian neighbor’s lifestyle persuasive enough to abandon their belief system? Research has now concluded that those who hear the gospel message and experience a supernatural encounter with God are far more likely to decide for Christ than those who only hear the gospel presented.
Moses in the Old Covenant already knew the importance of presence and power. He said, “What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Exod. 33:16). We still need presence and power today. The command of Jesus to “announce the Kingdom and heal the sick” is still the most effective means of bringing the lost to Jesus.
