We will be starting a new series in August on evangelism. I believe this is a lost discipline in the church today. We like to talk about, and even practice, the disciplines of silence, meditation, fasting, and the like. But I think we’ve failed to recognize evangelism as a discipline that believers must practice. We’d rather consider it a task at worse, or a spiritual gift that some possess at best.

But I don’t see any wiggle room with this one. we should all be evangelistic and practice evangelism. So, for the next several weeks, during this series, I am going to post some thoughts to help us practice the discipline of evangelism.

I think it starts with listening. If you don’t practice this discipline, you’ll struggle with more than just evangelism. Listening to God through his Word, the Holy Spirit, and through Jesus Incarnate – the church (or other believers, if you will). We need to hear what God would have us do and be when it comes to evangelism. But we also need the discipline of listening in order to hear those whom we desire to share Jesus with, otherwise we will be salesmen trying to close a deal. That would make the act of evangelism all about us, rather than about Christ transforming a life.

More on listening next week. In the meantime, talk to God and then shut up for a while. He may be trying to say something very significant.