Crisis Evangelism:
Are We Ready?
There is something that might be called “crisis evangelism.” The terminology
need not be rejected, if it describe something real and worthy of thought.
Someone has no living religious commitment; perhaps very little Bible knowledge
or any association with religious peers (no church identification). Then,
something happens: a divorce, death, injury, loss, health crisis or moral
crisis.
In the stress of the crisis, there is a sobering moment: “I Need God!”
This is no hypothetical. A friend who is not a Christian may call you “out of the blue,” and they are ready to learn about your faith. They want you to pray for them, and they now have an interest in spiritual matters absent before. What should your response be?
We may have people come to the building to our Bible classes or assemblies – for the first time, because a loved-one just died, a marriage is in crisis, or a child has been put in jail. How shall we deal with that?
A neighbor may knock at your door, an email may come or a Facebook message or text – and the essence is, “I’m hurting. I need God. Can you help me now?” Are we ready?
God expects us to be ready to lead the lost to Him! That’s why we need to read our Bibles daily, pray without ceasing, come to all the Bible classes and assemblies and take advantage of every opportunity to learn and grow and … BE READY!
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who ask you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear,” 1 Pet. 3:15.
By Warren Berkley
From Expository Files 19.10; October 2012
