Evangelism

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A sobering call to pastors, preachers, and teachers.

Wheelchair

Recently at the convalescent home where we conduct church services for the elderly, I was unable to attend and a dear brother gave the sermon in my absence. After the service one of the residents retired to her room with a headache. An hour later she was dead.

That woman’s last opportunity to hear the gospel came from this man’s lips who was filling in for me. That is a sobering realization.

Dear preacher, what would she have heard if that was you preaching that day? Another joke? Another cute little story about one of your camping trips? Another plea for money for the building fund? Another toot of the horn on how many kids attended your VBS?

People are dying every day and spending an eternity in Hell. It’s because of this very urgency I plead with you pastors, preachers, and teachers who are spending your time behind the pulpit telling humorous stories and telling jokes. STOP IT!

You never know who that person in your congregation is that will not return next week and instead will be standing before God. On that last Sunday before their death will they have heard the truth of the Word of God from you or your own self-edifying stories?

I am begging you, for the sake of the gospel, quit trying to please men and preach Christ and Him crucified! Quit planning all your parties, pic-nicks, and potlucks and preach the whole counsel of God!

There won’t be anyone in Hell laughing at your jokes. They will be cursing your name for your lack of courage.

By preaching your non-offensive, watered-down, gospel-light sermons on how to enjoy your life on earth (all 70 years of it) they will now spend an eternity in torment, suffering the very wrath of God that you refused to tell them was coming. Their best life now won’t seem so appealing to them then.

Turn from this false social gospel and begin preaching as a dying man to dying men!

Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and those who hear you.

1 Timothy 4:16

See also: Thank you. An open letter to faithful pastors.

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How to effectively witness to a Christian.

I found this insightful post on the blog Absolute Dominion. It is definitely worth the read!

Here’s a sample:

“It’s important to realize that many of these blind followers of the blind will be deeply indoctrinated into their cultish church fellowship, thus their peculiar form of religion is an integral part of their lives. As such you will be witnessing the devastating truth of the Christ of scripture to a person whose worldview has been corrupted and reinforced against the truth of the Bible. It will often be seen that their true loyalty is to their church, denomination, pastor or whatever idol holds their faith as opposed to an unwavering loyalty to Christ alone.”

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Preaching on the “outside” what should be preached on the “inside.”

Since Joel Osteen has announced the upcoming release of his new book, which I posted earlier here, I thought I’d add some more posts this week in honor of him and his Lakewood Church.

The following video is of a preacher standing outside Osteen’s church doing what Osteen has failed to do inside… preach the Gospel. I know, I know, some of you are saying, “but Pilgrim, he is preaching the ‘gospel’ inside.” Oh, I’m certain he is, but the “health, wealth, prosperity, have your best life now, become a better you” gospel of Osteen is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I was struck by the droves and droves of people that just walked past the preacher in the video as they exited Osteen’s Church. It reminded me of these illustrations in the Chick Tract entitled The Long Trip. To see the whole tract click on any of the pictures.

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Anyway, without further ado, I present to you the man preaching the Gospel outside Lakewood Church that isn’t being preached inside Lakewood Church.