Evangelism | Daily Devotional

One would think that being held in isolation would halt the advance of the gospel. How can we continue to see the gospel spread if we are mostly staying in place?

Paul actually saw the opposite. As Paul writes the letter to the Philippian church, he sits confined in a Roman prison cell. He is not able to go to synagogues and market places as he normally would to preach the good news. But see what he says in Philippians 1:12-13, 

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 

The gospel is never confined

Paul seems to be indicating that not only is the gospel still advancing during his time in isolation, but also that this season has actually been an advantage. Members of the Roman guard were hearing the good news. Paul later indicated that more brothers were propelled to preach, having become emboldened by his imprisonment. 

While our situation is much different from Paul’s, we can take this simple point from his imprisonment: we can still see the gospel advance and change lives while we are in isolation. 

Four Ways We Can Evangelize During COVID-19

1. Pray 

We can not overstate the importance of prayer in the work of evangelism. When Jesus saw the readiness of the harvest, his first step was to “pray to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the field” (Matt 9:38). When Paul thinks about the gospel entering new territories, he invites the Colossian church to “pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ”(Col 4:3). 

I once heard a pastor say, “It is one thing to talk to men about God, it is quite another to talk to God about men.” During this time of isolation, we have extra time to do the latter. We can bring neighbors, friends, and family before the presence of God with even greater focus and intensity. 

2. Recognize the advantage 

When Paul says that his imprisonment has served as an advantage, he is not looking for some silver lining. Paul recognizes that in God’s sovereignty, he is able to take difficulty and opposition and not just work around it, but use it for an even greater advantage. 

Coronavirus has given us several key advantages in sharing the gospel. First, people are more thoughtful and curious about spiritual matters. A pastor recently shared a report that showed people googling the name “Jesus” more than usual. Another advantage is that people who wouldn’t normally attend a worship service are watching online. Our church has seen several people tune in who don't normally attend our in-person gatherings. People are outside more and willing to slow down to talk, albeit 6 feet apart. 

This season has not given us only challenges to work around; it has also produced advantages we can capitalize on for the sake of the gospel. 

3. Invite

We can't invite people to an in-person church gathering yet, but we can certainly invite them to our online service. We’ve already mentioned that people are more willing than ever to join an online worship service. Who could you personally invite to join us this week? 

4. Share

While we are socially distant, we are not entirely socially absent. Neighbors are on walks, family members are on the phone, co-workers are on Zoom. Might the Lord present an opportunity through these socially distant environments to strike up a spiritual conversation? People are more open than ever to discuss the mightier matters of life. Could they be introduced to the mightiest matter of all, the gospel of Jesus Christ, through your words?