Upsetting the World. Following Paul s Example of Frontline Evangelism. ~ John Crotts Kress Biblical Resources, pages

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1 Upsetting the World Following Paul s Example of Frontline Evangelism ~ John Crotts Kress Biblical Resources, pages Take-Aways People often come to salvation in a setting where other people are actively pushing back against the gospel. By turning conversations to the gospel, you can quickly find which people around you are receptive to the message. Normal daily interaction provides a powerful tool for evangelism. The gospel message never changes, but the approach to the message must vary based on the understanding of the listener. Evangelism is most effective for those who have a specific plan for finding people who are open to discuss salvation. Big Promise Christians can learn to be very effective in creating opportunities for the gospel by following time-tested biblical strategies. Even among those who do not welcome the message of salvation, these strategies are surprisingly effective in gaining a hearing for the gospel.

2 What You Will Learn IIn this abstract, you will learn how Paul s example in Greece during his second missionary journey can train you to be an effective evangelist in today s culture. Paul s encounters in the cities of Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens cover the whole spectrum of modern evangelistic prospects, from religious traditionalists to seekers, to the disinterested intellectual elite. In every case, there are effective strategies for engaging people with the gospel that worked well for Paul and can still be applied effectively today. Recommendation Upsetting the World is an excellent book on strategic evangelism. John Crotts shows how fear of witnessing can be conquered with effective, time-proven strategies. If you ve been exposed to a lot of material on evangelism, you ll find this work refreshing. It offers fresh insight and tremendous encouragement on a subject where Christians often lack confidence. The title of the book comes from an accusation levied against Paul because of the unsettling effect the gospel message had on those who rejected it. The gospel does upset those who reject its hope, but it does not have to upset Christians who share it. Crotts walks the reader through Paul s encounters from Acts 17 in the cities of Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. He then shows how these encounters have numerous modern counterparts that give opportunities for engaging people in discussions about the gospel. Paul did not wander into these cities hoping that something would happen that would enable him to share the gospel. He used specific strategies to engage people and find those who were receptive. His strategies produced staggering results. Best of all, the strategies Paul used are applicable to any time and culture. They give the reader practical ideas for being more effective in telling others of the hope that is in Jesus Christ. This book is a short and easy read, but its content is rich and thought provoking. It gives significant insight and encouragement to anyone struggling with the idea of evangelism.

3 Rating Biblical Accuracy Reading Ease Practical Application Quality Value Abstract It is often appropriate to give the gospel by summarizing the Bible rather than quoting chapter and verse, but Paul never models the use of manmade reasoning apart from Scripture nor should we (page 12). God uses vivid human examples to help his people understand and desire effective personal ministry. Paul s evangelistic efforts in Greece provide many such helpful insights into how Christians can impact this world with the gospel. In the cities of Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens, Paul encountered three distinct levels of receptiveness to the gospel. Yet his strategies were effective in all three situations.. Thessalonica Thessalonica was Paul s next ministry stop after Philippi, where he had been beaten and jailed for his efforts. Despite that experience, Paul remained confident in the gospel and in his approach to conveying it. After arriving in Thessalonica, he began speaking the same gospel message to whomever would listen. His strategy included beginning in the synagogue, where there was a ready audience of religious people already thinking about God. Paul reasoned with them from the Scriptures, proclaiming Jesus to be the Messiah. Like Paul, modern Christians should take full advantage of whatever openness to the Bible people might display. Even many irreligious people have a kind of respect for the Bible that may give opportunity for the message to truth to be conveyed. In Thessalonica, many were convinced, but others were hardened against the gospel. Paul s message made it abundantly clear that Jesus was not something to add on to their tradi-

4 tional beliefs. He was calling them to leave the kingdom of Satan and be restored to the true King, Jesus Christ. Identifying true Christians and what it means to become one is less ambiguous in the context of opposition (page 19). When you proclaim the Bible to religious people, you may receive the same kind of pushback that Paul encountered. It will help to bear in mind that it was in just such an environment that many Thessalonians were saved. Berea Although opposition to our message seems to be the one absolute truth, God uses the proclamation of that very message to open hearts, even the hearts of intellectuals who are opposed to it (pages 55-56). In Berea, Paul followed the same strategy, starting in the synagogue of the Jews and reasoning with them from the Scripture. In this city, however, the response was much more positive because the Bereans were actively seeking to know the truth. Because he continued to proclaim the message of hope, Paul eventually found a receptive group of people. Today, liberal churches can provide this kind of opportunity to speak with religious people who may be seeking, but do not yet know the truth. Christian book stores are frequented by many people who are seeking truth and who can be engaged in conversation about the gospel. Some of these stores even sponsor discussion groups that create a natural opportunity for the strategic believer to find interested prospects. Though much care and wisdom is called for, the Internet also offers many opportunities for engaging people who are seeking to understand truth. Athens After leaving Berea, Paul made his way to Athens, where he was struck by the extreme idolatry of the city. The evident bondage to false worship stirred Paul up and prompted him to begin speaking to the people around him. He used the synagogue and the market place to find people who would talk with him, and conveyed to them the same message he always proclaimed. His message gained the attention of certain arrogant, intellectual philosophers who were influential in that city. These men

5 invited Paul to speak to the leaders of the city and give a full account of what he was proclaiming. When Paul found himself surrounded by super-smart skeptics of the Christian message, he did not back down. Nor should we (page 56). Again, the modern parallels are significant. Post-modernism in the English speaking world has created an environment where any opinion is often thought to be worthy of consideration. The wise believer can take advantage of this attitude, using it to engage people with the gospel. Public forums for discussing philosophy already exist in many bookstores and libraries. Others can be created by anyone who is interested in creating them. College campuses hold many formal and informal opportunities for ideas to be discussed, giving opportunities for Christian students to engage others with the gospel. The Internet can also be an effective avenue for finding intellectuals who are willing to discuss ideas. The Message In speaking to intellectuals who did not already have exposure or openness to the Bible, Paul used the same message, but presented it in a slightly different way. On Mars Hill, he began by skillfully showing the inadequacy of the religions the pagan Athenians were pursuing. He did this by noting their idol to the unknown god and using it to bring their attention to spiritual things they did not yet know. Using their admitted lack of knowledge as his opening, Paul began to point his listeners to the One True God. Though there may be no real connection between modern philosophy and the true gospel, there are many things that can be used to turn the conversation to spiritual truth in the way Paul demonstrated in Athens. It is important to note that when he called his listeners attention to the true God, Paul did not attempt to prove God s existence. Each pagan already knows that the true God exists and is continually attempting to suppress that knowledge (Romans 1:18-32). This is why the objective of

6 Paul did not enter Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens with a pack of passion and mental preparation and then go about his business hoping that some Gospel conversation might come along. Paul had a specific agenda for impact (page 84). evangelism is to proclaim the true God rather than to offer proof. Paul proclaimed God as the Creator, the Sustainer of the universe, the Lord of the nations, the Father of humanity, and the Judge of the world. Each of these proclamations challenged the prevailing pagan beliefs of Paul s listeners. He did not avoid uncomfortable information, but openly challenged them to turn from error and hope in Jesus alone. Believers who embrace Paul s time-tested strategies can expect to receive the same kinds of reactions he received. Some mocked him. Some put him off until later. Some came to saving faith. The lessons from Paul s life show that evangelism works best when it includes specific strategies to engage people in conversation about the gospel. God s children not only need prepared hearts and minds so that we can articulate the truth. We also need specific ideas about how to find people who are willing to talk with us about spiritual things. Who Benefits From This Book? Order Today Any Christian who wants to be more effective in evangelism. Christians who are afraid to talk about their faith. Church leaders who want to help others with strategies for evangelism.