EVANGELISTIC PRESSURE

When Jesus said in the Bible book of Mark chapter 16 verses 15 to 18 NLT to: ‘Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed,’ He was talking to His disciples that He had chosen, gifted as apostles, trained, and prepared for this task of evangelizing the world!

Jesus was not speaking to all of us believers to do the same thing! How do I know? 

Because it clearly says in Romans 12:6-8 NLT:

“In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.  If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.  If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”

And then this telltale passage: “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles,                                    
second are prophets,
third are teachers,
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who have the gift of leadership,
those who speak in unknown languages.

Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not!” 1. Corinthians 12:27-30 NLT

In other words, we all have been given different gifting’s to serve God in whatever capacity and circumstances He calls us to serve in!

There are lots of foolish doctrines and teachings out there, that force and guilt trip believers to do things that God never gifted and called them to do! In this case of being pressured to evangelize for instance, the believers are being told by their pastors and leaders that they must evangelize and bring people to salvation in the Lord in order to fulfill God’s will and receive His blessings. Some are even being taught that depending on how many people they lead to the Lord and heal, it will give them special crowns and places in Heaven. They say that “bearing fruit” is how many people you get saved, instead of understanding that bearing fruit refers to developing the fruits of the Holy Spirit in your character according to Galatians 5:22-23! What a deception!

It is for this very reason, that the apostle Paul wrote the following: “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT

This means that a good church will encourage you in the gift that God has given you, and equip you to do God’s work and follow His calling!