Has the Church of Jesus Christ lost its zeal for evangelism? Of course this is a rhetorical question since any honest person would have to answer in the affirmative. The Church has indeed turned its gaze toward the pews filled with saints and has almost forgotten to lift its eyes to the fields that are white for harvest (John 4:35). Churches are certainly called to feed and equip the saints, but the people of God must also catch a glimpse of the need for evangelism in a world teeming with lost and dying souls.
The Western Church needs to be filled with a sense of urgency to make Christ known, pleading as the Apostle Paul did in 2 Cor. 5:20, “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” We know that the gospel message is the only hope of salvation for a lost world (Romans 1:16). How is it, then, that we keep this message to ourselves? Shall fear, inconvenience, or laziness prevent us from proclaiming the hope of Christ to a world without any real hope? May it never be! Even as I write to challenge other believers, I am convicted that we are not concerned nearly enough over the eternal judgment coming to those who perish without Christ.
Charles Spurgeon’s passion to evangelize the lost shames me as I consider how often I am intentional about evangelism. Spurgeon was not content with watching the lost multitudes around him enter a Christ-less eternity. His exhortation to Christians stings deep, “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”
I often wonder if a lack of zeal for evangelism is reflective of a person’s view of lost people or of their love for Christ. Surely it is the latter. When our passion for Christ burns white hot, we will also have a passion for bringing more lost people to worship our Lord and Savior. Evangelist D.L. Moody once declared, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man.” May each of us also fully consecrate ourselves to God that we may give Him passionate worship and faithful service in proclaiming His Good News of salvation.