Archive for July, 2016
Why Every Church Should Have a Special Focus on Evangelism
We are living in an unprecedented time in America and our world today. ISIS and Boko Haram are running rampant. Unborn children are slaughtered in their mothers’ wombs. We are told a person’s gender is fluid, not something created by a holy God. Religious freedom is being challenged daily. What is the answer, and what do we do about it?
In our world of 7.28 billion people, an estimated 3 billion people are regarded as unreached and unengaged with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This means that to our knowledge, the gospel has never been known to these people. Here at home, of the 322 million Americans, it is believed that three of four do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.[1]
America and the world are acting just like they are supposed to: spiritually lost and in deep need of Jesus Christ.
God is Working
We know that regardless of the situation of our world today, God is working. We also know that God is committed to redeeming the world. It is incumbent upon us to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, beginning in our own town or city, region, state, and nation.
Many Christians and churches believe we are in great need of the next Great Spiritual Awakening in our nation and world. However, many churches do not make evangelism a priority. Or they focus so heavily on special mission trips both foreign and domestic, the local mission field of their own town or city, region, and state is neglected. Jesus challenged and commanded us to share the Gospel with everyone, not only in foreign countries, but as we go about our daily lives. Sadly, this is not a priority for many Christians.
Consider What Could Happen
What would happen if our churches spent an entire month or more focused on evangelism? Take a moment to consider what could happen not only in your church, but in your town or city, region, state, and even the world, if our churches and people spent a month focused on evangelism. Not just hearing from our pastors in the pulpit, but also in our small groups, learning to put feet to their faith.
This is not something that can be done by just the pastors in our churches. Certainly, our pastors must lead from the pulpit but also with their daily actions. Our people must be engaged in learning how to share their faith, equipped, and be challenged to do so not only on special mission trips, but as they go about their daily lives right in our own town or city, region, and state.
One way to engage in a church-wide emphasis is to build on resources already in place. Bible Studies for Life has an evangelism focus for small groups ready for us to utilize this fall. We can take these thirteen weeks of material for small groups and expand it to the entire church with the sermon outlines also available. We do not have to do it alone.
Whatever you do, do not neglect the lost and dying world we live in. Make it a priority of your church and your people to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
[1] https://blog.ronniefloyd.com/9951/southern-baptist-convention/why-we-are-where-we-are-in-america-and-the-world/
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Dear Democratic and Republican Parties
Dear Democratic and Republican Parties
An Open Letter by Dr. Ronnie Floyd
As you near your respective conventions where you will make final decisions regarding your nominees for the Office of President, I—as an evangelical leader and fellow American—feel deeply compelled to make this humble request of you:
Tell the American public what you truly believe about the things that matter to us.
As leaders in our nation, in your formulation of your respective platforms, please leave your conventions with a clear message about your stance on the subjects we care about.
Live out what you say you believe.
Americans as a whole, not just evangelicals, are weary of words alone. Our nation needs more than rhetoric. We need to act, to do our rightful duty of honoring God with the way we confront the issues of today and prepare a future for tomorrow.
Please tell us what you believe about these things that are important to us as evangelicals:
The Supreme Court and Its Future
The next president will appoint at least one justice to the Supreme Court, but some believe as many as four could be appointed if the next president serves eight years. This is important to us because a president can shape a generation, but his or her appointments can shape generations. This could tilt America further toward the precipice of moral decadence we are barely hanging over or move us in the direction of rebuilding our society on the truths it was originally founded upon. I pray the mercy of God would be extended to us as a nation.
The Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life From the Womb to the Tomb
For evangelicals, and as it’s clear for many Americans as well, protecting the sanctity of each human life living in the womb of each mother is a priority. If we destroy human life in the womb, our view of human life between birth and death becomes distorted, which leads to a de-valuing of each person created in the image of God. This trajectory paves a way to a disrespect of one another, increased violence, crime, poverty, racial unrest, and terrorism. Even our country’s view of death has been influenced by the ramifications of this view. As a society we must return the value of human life to its God-given status if we are to overcome these other issues.
Religious Liberty in America and Across The World
We desire that our government live up to the first amendment in our constitution, which grants the blessing of religious liberty for all Americans. Enough is enough. This is America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. Any political party, leader in our nation, or Supreme Court justice, including the government itself, needs to stop trying to redefine what our constitution states and what our heritage has been. America was birthed because of a conviction in religious freedom.
National Security
The Bible makes it more than clear in Romans 13:4-7 that the role of government in society is to exist for our good. Unquestionably, the government’s responsibility to protect the people within our nation. How national security is done may be debatable, but it is not debatable that our government is to protect us—not just from one another, but from those outside of our nation that want to do us harm.
Economy
As you know, America is more than $19 trillion in debt. This is not healthy for our present or for our future. A healthy economy can create more jobs, more opportunities, contribute to building families that are successful, and help provide our nation with an even greater defense.
Therefore, as evangelicals, we want you and your respective nominees to tell the American public what you truly believe, and then to live out what you say you believe about these things that matter most to us. For the sake of integrity and trust, hold your nominees accountable. Given the unusual nature of the primary season, the clarity and conciseness of your respective platforms may speak louder than ever before in our generation.
I am praying for you. May God grant mercy upon the United States of America.
Dr. Ronnie Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church, Northwest Arkansas
Immediate Past President, Southern Baptist Convention
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.