{"id":3267,"date":"2011-06-23T09:42:37","date_gmt":"2011-06-23T09:42:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dare2share.org\/uncategorized\/dissecting-our-ho-hum-attitude-toward-evangelism-energize-article\/"},"modified":"2021-01-09T18:12:38","modified_gmt":"2021-01-09T18:12:38","slug":"dissecting-our-ho-hum-attitude-toward-evangelism-energize-article","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dare2share.org\/sharing-the-gospel\/dissecting-our-ho-hum-attitude-toward-evangelism-energize-article\/","title":{"rendered":"Dissecting Our Ho-Hum Attitude Toward Evangelism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you struggle with making evangelism a priority in your personal life? How about in your youth ministry setting? Many of us are more than ready to run in the opposite direction, both figuratively and literally, when the e-word flashes across our minds and triggers our evangephobia.<\/p>\n

Why is that?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been unpacking some of the key reason for our evangphobia<\/a>, and here\u2019s another we should tackle head on\u2026when you feel like getting around to it…<\/p>\n

Reason #4: Lack of Urgency<\/strong><\/p>\n

What difference does it make anyway? <\/em><\/p>\n

The eternal realities of the ever after can feel like they\u2019re a lifetime away. Especially when we\u2019re young. Teenagers and 20-somethings often see themselves as invincible. Any thought of a day of reckoning is far, far away in very distant future. And our 21st<\/sup> century world of instant gratification further magnifies this tendency to embrace the here and now with little thought for unseen realities.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the big deal? <\/strong><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the big deal? My friends who don\u2019t know Jesus won\u2019t die until we\u2019re at least 80-something.<\/em> Am I right? Have you ever had this thought when succumbing to your evangephobia and justifying your lack of urgency for sharing the gospel?<\/p>\n

While this attitude is common in our culture, we would be wise to instead take our cue from Scripture. Jesus has plenty to say about being ready. His words are filled with the urgent need to be prepared spiritually for the unknown future. \u00a0Check out: Matthew 24:36-44<\/a>, 2 Peter 3:10-15<\/a> and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For those around us who don\u2019t know Jesus, being spiritually unprepared has eternal consequences that\u2019s scope and breadth boggle the mind.<\/p>\n

Uncomfortable Truths Locked in the Basement<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, I\u2019m talking about hell. I fully realize that hell is a very unpopular concept these days. And with good reason.<\/p>\n

Frankly, it\u2019s an unpleasant subject that leads to a lot of questions about the character of God. And while most Christians believe in some kind of hell, we usually view it as that crazy doctrine that we keep locked in the basement of our belief systems. We know that it is there, chained to the underbelly of the theology of the holiness of God, but we hope that it stays in the shadows and never comes up in conversation. Why?<\/p>\n

Because if people found out what we really believed they would think we were radicals, extremists, and kooks. And if hell isn\u2019t real, then maybe we are.<\/p>\n

Your Worst Fears Multiplied by Infinity for Eternity<\/strong><\/p>\n

But from the Old Testament to the New, from the prophets to the apostles, to Jesus Himself, hell is described with real and raw adjectives as your worst fears come true and then multiplied by infinity for eternity.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no getting away from the reality that the Bible describes hell as for real and forever.<\/p>\n

So if it is real, then why aren\u2019t we more intense, more aggressive, more intentional, more urgent? If we believe the Bible when it says that hell is real, then we should be motivated to keep as many people as we can out of it\u2014friends, foes, teachers, classmates, coworkers, teammates, family members, strangers\u2026 everybody.<\/p>\n

So if It\u2019s Real\u2026Let\u2019s Get Busy<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s your job to lead your students down this path that we\u2019re all called to\u2014to urgently share our faith. It\u2019s time to get busy. So this week, tackle some of the following ideas and see if they help you\u00a0 cultivate some evangelism urgency in your own life and in your youth ministry, as well.<\/p>\n