From: SatTeacher@aol.com
Date: Tue Apr 15 2003 - 13:23:09 EDT
In a message dated 4/15/03 8:16:53 AM, deborahjmann@InsightBB.com writes:
<< Does that mean that you don't believe that statistics are useful in
evangelism? >>
In Matthew 28:19,20 Christ said to "Go therefore and make disciples of all
the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded
you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Christ did not tell us to study the situation statistically first. Christ
can use us wherever we are and however He wants to do so. Scripture should
be our road map and guide.
Scripture teaches that we should be praying. I do not see that we are taught
to use statistics for evangelism in Scripture.
We are taught to pray.
Col 1:9,10 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease
to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His
will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of
the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God;
2Th 3:1-5 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run
swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be
delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the
Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will
do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the
love of God and into the patience of Christ.
However, having said that, I must add that I do know that Wycliff does go
into a new area for Bible translation and analyzes the situation to determine
which language(s) to work on next. I think that this is entirely
appropriate. However, as far as an individual is concerned, I think that we
should always be sharing Christ wherever we go and with whomever God brings
into our path.
God saved me by His grace over 46 years ago and I have traveled a great deal
both to rich nations and poor nations. I have seen God work in the hearts of
those I have known well for a long time and those that I have met on the
street with a one time meeting.
Ps 74:12 For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of
the earth.
I am not sure why your church used its time to do a statistical study but I
would say this, I consider that every person that God allows me to meet has
been brought into my life by God's grace for some reason. Pray and ask God
to order you steps and life and look to see how you can minister to that
individual and share God's grace with him/her. It does not matter who you
are or who that person is. What really matters is that God has brought that
contact to you. Pray and ask God how you should respond to each person and
ask God to make you sensitive to His leading in your life and ministry --
whether it is in the classroom, the science laboratory or on the street
corner or in the mall with the stranger or the cashier.
Last May, I had the opportunity to spend a month in the UK and had great
liberty to share Christ and his love with many there -- teaching a Bible
study and also interacting with people in their homes and in the stores. I
retuned home and had surgery and needed the care of visiting nurses for a
number of weeks. As first, I was sad that God had provided such openness in
the UK and then I was stuck in my home, unable to go out. Suddenly, I found
a number of opportunities to share Christ with the different visiting nurses
and other visitors that God brought to my home. I told my nephew of the
situation and he reminded me of Acts 28:16 &30,31 "Now when we came to Rome,
the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul
was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him...Then
Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came
to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern
the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him." God
brought to my home that women that He wanted me to minister to and to teach
about His great salvation.
I leave you with one charge as Paul did to Timothy:
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince,
rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
Respectfully,
Helen Martin
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