By Cheryl Mah
Throughout history, there have been many missionaries who have taken up the colossal assignment of going out into the world to spread the Word of God. Paul the Apostle was one great example. (To evangelise means to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone else)
However, most of us would consider The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1:8) a somewhat impossible and unachievable task. If quitting our day jobs or leaving our loved ones behind while globetrotting to evangelise is not an option for us, then what? Besides that, we are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic which may render overseas travel unsafe or impractical for now.
As a matter of fact, we cannot go out and make disciples (Matthew 28:19) if we do not first share the love and Word of God with others. Currently, there many people in our country who are facing fear, loss, anxiety, and loneliness, so this may well be the perfect time and opportunity to do outreach and evangelise. Here are five simple ways of how you can start:
1. Reach out to someone you’ve lost touch with
Pick up your phone and scroll through your Contacts list to see if there is a non-Christian friend whom you have not contacted in a while. Send them a message or give them a call and ask them how they have been or how you can pray for them during this uncertain time. Most people appreciate genuine care and concern, and it is unlikely that someone will reject an offer for prayer.
2. Invite others to online worship service
Due to COVID-19, many churches including ours have an online worship service. Even if you have personal reasons for not attending the onsite worship service, you can still invite friends and neighbours to watch the online worship service with you by sharing the Youtube link with them. Furthermore, interact with others by commenting in the Live Chat during the service. You may even wish to exchange contacts and follow up with private messages to deepen conversations.
3. Volunteer to serve in church
Be it as a part of the welcome ministry to greet those arriving for onsite worship service, the Children’s Ministry, or even the Witness & Evangelism Ministry, there are always a variety of options that may suit your calling and interest. Ministries are always looking for more members to conduct further outreach, so if you are shy in approaching people on a personal level, consider doing it with a group of likeminded folks.
If serving in a ministry is something you would like to consider, do read up about the various ministries that AMKMC has to offer (and submit the response form!).
4. Record a testimony
The common misconception is that if we have nothing miraculous that happened in our life, then there is nothing to testify. You do not need to witness a miracle to share about how God has impacted your life (through God’s goodness, His grace, and His deep love for you etc).
A testimony can be a very powerful tool of evangelisation. By sharing about your walk with Christ – even its ups and downs – you are encouraging and inspiring each other. Without your knowledge, your testimony could potentially have a huge impact on someone’s life. Although your personal sharing is not the Gospel, it can certainly be used to point others to the Gospel of Christ.
Feeling up to it? You can submit your testimony and read the testimonies of fellow Christians on the AMKMC website.
5. Inculcate evangelism into your lifestyle
To some, the word “evangelism” is daunting and overwhelming. However, evangelising to others can be spontaneous and it need not be a planned event. By infusing it into our daily lives, we can simply share Christ with anyone we encounter – eg. at work, at the gym, at a class etc.
Follow these three tips for everyday evangelism:
- Pray daily for open doors, and boldly seize the advantage where you can.
- Create a list of people you pray for daily.
- Plan regular times to catch up with old friends.
Even though we may not be able to travel to the ends of the earth to preach the Gospel at this very moment, we can always start at home first. By sharing the Good News of the Lord, and by reflecting His love, goodness, and mercy (1 John 4:19-21) to those around us, we can perhaps help open their hearts and minds to accepting Christ into their lives (Hebrews 10:24-25).
As the renowned missionary Mother Teresa once said, “Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do.”