Those who are
truly born-again have an earnest desire to see others brought to a saving faith
in Christ. But frequently they find themselves in the situation of a friend who
wrote to me this week, perplexed about how to affectively minister to their
family and friends, without the pressures of modern would be soul-winners. We
want more for our friends than a religious experience, produced by easy
believism and decisionism. We want them to know Christ! Let me give some suggestions.
1. Pray for them! We know that salvation is
of the Lord. He must convict. He must create an interest in the gospel. He must
regenerate. He must reveal Christ. He must give faith. Pray that God will give
you the wisdom and the opportunity to speak a word for Christ, in his time and
by his Spirit.
2. Tell
them what the
Lord has done for you. Make certain that you give Christ all the honor and
glory. Speak not so much of your faith as you do of his grace. Tell
them of Christ's death, his resurrection, and his saving power. Avoid arguments
over denominations, systems of doctrine, and unanswerable questions. Tell what
you know and no more. Do not be afraid to say, "I don't know". God
will bless his Word. So always point men to the Scriptures, rather than what
you think, or what you have heard.
3. Give your friends a taped sermon, a good tract or booklet or a
church paper. Be sure that you have heard the sermon and read the material you
pass out.
4. Invite them to come with you to hear the Word. Be sure that your
invitation is understood. You do not want them to come to Sunday School or church as a matter of duty, or merely as a favor
to you. You want them to hear what the pastor has to say about God's character,
man's sin, and salvation in Christ. This is the means which God has ordained,
by which he saves them that believe.