The Beauty of Evangelism

"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" {Romans 10:14}

All too often it is easy to read the Word and come away with a limited understanding. Case in point: We can read Romans 10:14 and allow the responsibility of evangelism to fall upon the shoulders of the preachers. This is where we have to move beyond our limited vocabulary and understanding of the Bible. The word translated "preacher" from the Greek literally means "to be a herald, to proclaim after the manner of a herald." It is with this understanding that we can clearly see the work of sharing Jesus ("Him whom they have not believed") belongs to all of us who know Him as Lord and Savior.

The beauty of evangelism is that God uses the ordinary people of the world. It doesn't have to be the professional. We don't have to wait for some divine moment of inspiration. We are simply sharing that which has affected our life the most. To quote a friend of mine: "Jesus is mine...but I'll share Him with you." It really is that simple.

The idea of proclaiming after the manner of a herald paints a beautiful picture. As one who cries out in the streets, we have a message that can change the entire world.
- As a herald we understand the Urgency of the message. Time is short and people need to hear.
- As one who cries out in the streets we understand the Importance of the message. If we do not communicate the love of God to a lost world how will they ever know?
- And as a "preacher" of the Gospel we understand the Value of the message. This is the one message the entire world needs to hear. Wrapped up in the Gospel is the most incredible story ever: God's unfailing love for a people that He created! "How will they hear without a preacher?"

You may wonder why God has chosen this method to win a lost world unto Himself. Romans 10:17 provides the answer: "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Faith in what God has accomplished through Jesus Christ is the method that God has chosen to redeem a lost world. But the faith comes to us by hearing the Word of God. Think about it - Every time the Word of God is shared then the Holy Spirit has something to work with...something to build our faith upon. The Bible contains the incredible story of God's epic love. When we share it, the world has something to believe in.

Do you know Jesus? If the answer is "YES" then you have something to share. Are you willing to share Him? May you experience "The Beauty of Evangelism" as you become one who cries out in the streets.