Category: . . . Evangelism
What Insufferable Itches Have to Do With the Advance of the Gospel
When hard times come, what do people hear from your lips? Those who saw Paul in Rome under house arrest awaiting trial (see the end of Acts) probably didn’t think he was doing so well. After all, he was in chains! I can imagine the guards...
Pain for Him; Gain for Them
Muslim extremists murdered Ayub’s grandmother on one of the islands of Indonesia. We stayed in the home of this warmhearted Christian leader a few years ago. He serves as an elder for the church meeting in a home nearby. We loved this brother and his wife...
Seeking and Saving Zacchaeus, the Wee Little Man
“Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he.” The story of Jesus seeking and saving Zacchaeus is found in Luke 19:1-10. The song, quoted above and throughout, is sung by children throughout the English-speaking church world. It memorably summarizes the Zacchaeus...
God’s Way, Not Ours: Kingdom Advance Out of Something Awful
The story of the death of the first martyr of the early church, Stephen, is both ugly and spectacular (see Acts 7:54-60). The ugliness of Stephen’s murderers is found in such phrases as these: “they were enraged” (v. 54); “they ground their teeth at him” (v....
Why Satan Cannot Stop Gospel Advance
Satan hates the progress of the gospel. This was quickly evident once Paul and Barnabas went out from the church in Antioch on the first local church effort to reach the nations with the gospel (Acts 13-14). Early on that journey they were in Paphos on the island...
Evangelism Even I Can Do
“Evangelism is too hard! That must be someone else’s job.” We’ve probably all thought this when introduced to intense “evangelism training” programs that seemed intimidating. Granted, they have a place in the church and the Lord has used them to help people think through ways to...
The Conversion of a Girl in a Famous Family…a Long Time Ago
A famous music artist recently professed faith in Jesus. He is so popular, even late night talk shows are having him on to talk about his new album and changed life. It has been riveting and, so far, seems legitimate. This cultural icon’s profession of faith...
So Far as It Depends on You
The words in my title are from the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:18. They are found in between the words “If possible” and “live peaceably with all.” Here’s the full sentence: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” This instruction...
Live for Something Important—Be A Gospel Presenter
My grandmother Elliff was a presenter of the gospel. Are you? She looks harmless, but in the small case in this photo was a sawed-off gospel shotgun! One day a tramp came to her screen door asking for food. Grandmother and her pastor husband lived close...
Inspiration from a Bible Translator Whose Work Was Offensive
Have you read a good biography or autobiography lately? If not, there are good reasons why you should. Bible teacher and author John Piper testifies: When you are surrounded by a society of emotionally fragile quitters, and when you see a good bit of this ethos...
