Chapter 5: Methods of Evangelism

IN THIS CHAPTER, you will discover:

· The efficacy of the printed word in evangelism.

· The method used by Jesus in witnessing.

· Street witnessing as a successful method.

· Humility as a key element in witnessing.


AS A RESULT, you will be able to:

· Utilize gospel tracts and books for witnessing.

· Witness one-on-one using Jesus’ style.

· Approach people you’ve never met before.

· Develop humility to become a more effective witness.

Reading: Living on the Devil’s Doorstep, pp. 113-18; Bringin’ ‘Em Back Alive, pp. 101-4.

Key Scripture: “The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true” (Eccl. 12:10).

“The pen is mightier than the sword,” declared noted British author Edward Bulwer-Lytton. He realized the power of the written word on human intellect. But the printed Word of God, enhanced by the power of the Holy Spirit, multiplies its impact. It attracts attention, brings conviction, provides hope, and leads people to the Lord. Literature evangelism is especially well-received in non-Western cultures where television is not pervasive. These visually-oriented cultures highly esteem the printed word.

Although literature evangelism seems a contradiction in terms, every year thousands find Jesus through the printed page. Many people appreciate the opportunity to have time alone to read a tract or book and to meditate on its message. Having time to reflect on the meaning of salvation is a definite advantage of literature evangelism.

If you have wondered how you can minister from your home, literature evangelism may be just the outlet. Anyone can be involved in this important ministry. The first step is to collect gospel tracts, testimonies, booklets, Christian biographies, and tapes. Choose material that is person-centered rather than message-centered. Next, look for good books written on biblical principles. These may or may not be written by Christians. The subjects will vary and may range from cooking to business management. Finally, adding a personal testimony printed in an appealing way will complete the stock of tools for literature evangelism.

Collecting literature is not a short-term project. New materials must constantly be replacing those you give away. Choosing appropriate materials can be challenging as well as rewarding. Use the literature you have immediately, without waiting until your collection is complete. Give tracts, testimonies, and booklets to coworkers, guests in your home, neighbors, and friends of your children. Knowing their interests and needs will help you to share appropriate literature from your collection. You may loan out books and tapes or give them away as presents. Use holidays, birthdays, and special events as occasions to share your good news.

Transforming Tracts

Your goal may be to share the gospel with people other than close acquaintances. If so, passing out gospel tracts has the potential for reaching great numbers of people. This effective form of evangelism can go by mail where missionaries can never travel. These inexpensive “paper missionaries” require no visa or furlough. Their information is permanent, unlike a sermon or testimony that may be quickly forgotten. And a tract can be carried, read later at the reader’s convenience, and then passed on to others.

As helpful as these tools are, they have an inherent weakness — tracts cannot in themselves disciple through example. To help overcome this inadequacy, read the tract aloud with the person, if possible. After reading it, ask, “May I briefly explain this to you?” If they decline, ask politely, “Would you take this with you and read it later?” If they accept, your “paper missionary” is on its way, waiting quietly for an opportunity to witness.

Because tracts are an impersonal form of evangelism, many people assume they’re ineffective. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, their impersonal nature can work for you. Ordinarily tracts do not provoke confrontation, for people who disagree with the tract’s message will not necessarily blame you. This aspect of tract ministry is especially appealing to persons attempting to witness for the first time. Participating in a tract ministry builds confidence in your ability to spread the good news of Christ.

Outstanding Outreach

Participation in literature evangelism assures that your efforts will not be in vain. Each year thousands are saved through the use of Christian literature — tracts, pamphlets, booklets, books, and the Bible. You may never know the profound effect you have on people’s lives or the ways in which your efforts are rewarded.

Few people comprehend the power of the printed word, especially God’s Word. But the author of Hebrews, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote: “The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). God has promised to send His Spirit wherever His truth is proclaimed. As we participate in literature evangelism, we are sharing God’s Word, which convicts and saves. And we, in our small way, are giving hope and life.

A list of organizations that distribute tracts and suggested book titles follows. We have provided addresses for your convenience.

Tracts

American Tract Society, P.O. Box 462008, Garland, TX 75046

Bible Pathway, P.O. Box 1515, Murfreesboro, TN 37130

Chapel of the Air, P.O. Box 30, Wheaton, IL 60187

Christian Equippers International, P.O. Box 16100, South Lake Tahoe, CA 95706

Christian Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 3815, Hartzdale, PA 17011-8870

David Wilkerson, World Challenge, Box 260, Lindale, TX 75711

Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI), P.O. Box 5050, Costa Mesa, CA 92628

Good News Publishers, 9825 W. Roosevelt Rd., Westchester, IL 60153

Gospel Tract Society, Inc., P.O. Box 1118, Independence, MO 64051

Home Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention, 1350 Spring St. N.W., Atlanta GA 30367

International Bible Society, P.O. Box 62970, Colorado Springs, CO 80962-2970

Jesus People Information Center, Inc., 4338 3rd Ave., Sacramento, CA 95817

Jews for Jesus, 60 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Last Days Ministries, Box 40, Lindale, TX 75771-0040

New Horizon Ministries, P.O. Box 99467, Berkeley, CA 94709

New Wave Ministries, Box 16057, Houston, TX 77022

Pacific Garden Mission, 646 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60605

Rhema Publications, P.O. Box 24611, Lyndhurst, OK 44124

Salt Publications, 8029 E. Roosevelt, Scottsdale, AZ 86257

Seed Publishers, P.O. Box 18279, Kansas City, MO 64133-8279

Something Better, P.O. Box 35230, Houston, TX 77235

Tree Tract Society, Box 42544, 6012 York Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90050

Books

Anchor in the Storm by Helen Applegate

Becoming a Christian by John R.W. Stott

Before You Hit the Wall by Danny Lehmann

Bruchko by Bruce Olson

Chosen Vessels edited by Charles Turner

Everyday Evangelism by Billy Heuks, Jr.

The Father Heart of God by Floyd McClung

Father, Make Us One by Floyd McClung

A Heart for Others by Andrew Jackson

How to Give Away Your Faith by Paul Little

Intimate Friendship with God by Joy Dawson

Is That Really You, God? by Loren Cunningham

Joni by Joni Eareckson Tada

Knowing God by J. I. Packer

The Man They Crucified by Howard Guinness

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell

One Way to God? by Brian Maiden

Our God Is Good by Yonggi Cho

Out of the Saltshaker by Becky Pippert

Peace Child by Don Richardson

The Reluctant Evangelist by Paul Miller

The Ring of Truth by J. B. Phillips

Spiritual Warfare for Every Christian by Dean Sherman

Streetwise by John Goodfellow

Taking Our Cities for God by John Dawson

We Cannot But Tell by Ross Tooley

Winning God’s Way by Loren Cunningham

Key Concepts:

1. True or False. Producing and using gospel tracts requires little money and only a few committed workers. [BBA, 101]

2. founded Britain’s first tract society. [BBA, 102]

3. True or False. John Calvin and other early reformers had little use for evangelizing through tracts. [BBA, 102]

4. Karl Marx remarked that a (pamphlet, speech) is the most powerful of all revolutionary tools. [BBA, 102]

5. Two weaknesses of literature evangelism are its impersonal nature and its inability to _________________. [BBA, 102]

6. True or False. You should not consider writing and printing your own tracts. [BBA, 103]

7. One secret to making an effective personal tract is to make it (complete, simple). [BBA, 103]

8. Christian books are an excellent tool to use in evangelism. [BBA, 103]


Further Study: Read “The Classical World,” IBC, pp. 1026-28.

Mission in Action: The McClungs had to practice tough love at times. They realized that people who threatened suicide have the ultimate responsibility for their own lives. The decision is theirs, and they alone will have to give an account to God. People who care about them need not respond as though blackmailed (LDD, p. 117). If you find yourself in this situation, who would you contact for help? Jot down the number of a suicide hotline in the front of your telephone book. If you are being manipulated by someone’s threats of suicide, seek help for both of you from your pastor or a trained Christian counselor.

Reading: Living on the Devil’s Doorstep, pp. 119-32.

Key Scripture: “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables” (Luke 8:10).

Jesus, our majestic model for evangelism, ministered to sinners. He saw no difference between the rich and the poor, the Jew and the Gentile, the publican and the Pharisee. He preached to large crowds occasionally, but His primary focus was on individuals. Therefore, He set the example both for those of us who would witness only to our immediate circle as well as to full-time evangelists who speak to thousands. Jesus, ever-sensitive to where His audience was at the time, used various methods — both physical and spiritual — to reach people. He determined what they needed to hear and what type of witnessing tool to use. Jesus’ tools ranged from spectacular miracles to simple stories or parables.

Purposeful Parables

The parable, which compares two objects for the purpose of teaching, was one of Jesus’ favorite devices. His parables have been described as “earthly stories with a heavenly meaning.” Each revolved around common subjects — sheep and shepherds, friends, farmers, economics, stewardship, and civil authority. He used every parable to teach at least one kingdom principle. Jesus was not the first teacher to use parables. Jewish rabbis often used them, but their’s always had obvious meanings. Jesus, however, used parables to reveal truth to those who were spiritually receptive while concealing it from those with closed minds and hearts. Jesus revealed the truths of the kingdom by using examples in nature and everyday situations.

Once Jesus used three different parables to demonstrate God’s deep love for the lost. He wove His stories around familiar representative characters and situations. Everyone in His audience could relate to the dilemma of a shepherd who had lost a lamb; to the anxiety of a housewife who had misplaced a valuable coin; and to the sorrow of a father whose son had disappeared. In each instance, Jesus involved His audience emotionally, thereby helping them to understand God’s feelings toward them. Happily He ended all three parables with celebration, for the sheep, coin, and son had all been found. But the rejoicing, He related, was spiritual as well. “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). Thus, Jesus reiterated the kingdom principle: Out of His great love, God diligently seeks lost persons to save.

Jesus seized every opportunity to speak about the kingdom of God. His insight, born out of constant communication with the Father, was further sharpened by the Holy Spirit. He often quoted passages from the Old Testament, which revealed His personal fulfillment of prophecy (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus usually spoke extemporaneously since His subjects and methods varied with the audience. Often a statement made by a listener precipitated a teaching; still other lessons were taught from a specific question asked by His audience.

Jesus often asked infuriating questions to which His detractors had no answer: “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” (Luke 6:9). Sometimes Jesus shocked His hearers, as in the parable of the shrewd manager who outwitted His master. His teachings were radical and often disconcerting, especially to the religious authorities. He saw through their hypocrisy, going straight to the root problem of the sin in their lives. Jesus exposed pride, greed, and judgmental attitudes — often using humor to make a point (Luke 6:41-42). When He spoke of a speck in one man’s eye and a plank in another, we have to smile at His use of hyperbolic exaggeration.

Although hard on hypocrisy, Jesus was always sensitive to the deep needs of others. Devoid of human prejudice toward race, culture, and gender, He was free to reach out to every stratum of society. Employing love and compassion, Jesus never manipulated His audience. Instead, He always gave people the opportunity to choose or refuse. Jesus knew that allowing freedom of choice is the only way to effective and long-lasting evangelism. Indeed, Hhis earthly ministry was powerful and enduring. Now He offers that same power — and more — to those who follow Him (Mark 16:15-18).

Just Like Jesus

Our privilege, then, as Christians is to emulate Jesus in our evangelism — expecting opportunities and seizing the moment to witness. In the following story, a young Jewish believer demonstrates how evangelism can be relevant and timely as he witnessed using Jesus’ style:

Monday afternoon Abdul, a young Iranian college student, was jogging alone in the park. Suddenly a voice from behind interrupted the music on his headphones. “Don’t turn around!” Abdul never knew what hit him. One sharp blow to the head and he lost consciousness. Dragging him off the path, two muggers ripped off his parka and new tennis shoes. Abdul woke up — dizzy and bleeding. Crawling over to the footpath, he passed out again. There he lay on the side of the path in a disheveled heap.

Two divinity students from the nearby university jogged by as Abdul raised his head and tried to speak. “Probably on drugs,” the first one said. “Yeah,” said the second. As they jogged past, the first student yelled, “Hey, Buddy, get a life!”

It’s hard to say how long Abdul lay there before a lone jogger glimpsed him out of the corner of his eye. He never paused but gazed straight ahead increasing his speed. “Probably a set-up,” he thought. “If I go over to help him, I’ll get jumped! Besides, I can’t afford the time. Our youth meeting is in an hour.”

Jake Greenberg, off work for the afternoon, was jogging along the footpath when he spied Abdul. Quickly checking the situation, Jake walked over. He saw the pleading eyes as he took off his own coat and tenderly spread it around the limp body. Jake prayed quietly, and then carefully lifted Abdul to his feet. He slowly helped him off the path to the edge of the parking lot. Jake settled Abdul on the curb, then ran to get his car. They went to the emergency room, where the clerk asked for insurance information. Showing his own identification, Jake replied, “I own a store on Spring Street — here’s my card. I’ll be responsible until he (pointing to the dazed young man) can pay — and if he can’t, then I’ll still be responsible.” After admission, the nurse took Abdul to a bed. Jake waited, reassuring the young man that everything would be okay. After the doctor came, Jake spoke briefly to a police officer concerning the mugging, and left.

Two days later, Abdul showed up at Greenberg’s jewelry store. Still pale and bruised, he had found Jake to assure him that he had paid his own hospital bill. “I wanted to thank you in person for what you did. But what I can’t understand,” mused Abdul, “is why you even bothered to stop.”

Jake smiled. “I could never leave a fellow jogger in distress. When you get to feeling better, maybe we can get together and run. I’d like to get to know you — and I have a good Friend I want you to meet.”

Steps to Success

Jake Greenberg ministered to a neighbor the way Jesus would — with compassion and without fanfare. It’s easy to see that Jake had a plan to carry the friendship further — to introduce Abdul to Jesus. Jake had put into practice the following steps to evangelistic success:

· Walk in the Spirit. Remember that God wants people to be saved more than we do. As we pray, we must be sensitive to God’s guidance.

· Share common interests with non-Christians. Use interest doors as stepping stones rather than stumbling blocks.

· Make natural transitions in your conversation. Learn to move gracefully from the natural to the spiritual.

· Keep a joyful outlook and countenance. Unbelievers will find it hard to believe we are happy if we always look sad or angry.

· Expect God to use you. Living in expectation will cause you to step out in faith — laying hands on the sick and preaching the gospel boldly.

These steps are not sequential. Rather, they are an accumulation of characteristics developed over time. In fact, all of them might be condensed into three categories: sensitivity, obedience, and expectancy. Aspiring to be made into imitators of Christ, we must concentrate on these aspects. Finally, adopting the motto, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39), is a guaranteed way of reaching the lost.

Key Concepts: [All answers above]

1. Jesus’ witnessing tools ranged from spectacular to simple stories.

2. True or False. Jesus was the first teacher to use parables.

3. True or False. Jesus used parables to conceal the truth from people with closed minds.

4. Jesus emphasized God’s love for the in three consecutive parables.

5. A statement or a from one of his listeners often precipitated a teaching by Jesus.

6. (Religious, Civil) authorities especially found Jesus’ teaching radical and disconcerting.

7. True or False. Since salvation was so serious, Jesus never used humor in His teaching.

Further Study: Read “Parable,” NIDB, pp. 750-51.

Mission in Action: The goal of witnessing should be to discover where people are in their spiritual life — and then help them move closer to conversion. Forcing people to believe or listen to something they do not want to receive can do more harm than good. People need to be drawn to Jesus as we share the truth in love and friendship — the way He did while on earth (LDD, pp. 126-27). Answer the following questions about your witnessing style:

1. Do I nag my spouse or children to accept Jesus?

2. Have my friends started to avoid me since I began witnessing?

3. Do I preach instead of carry on a conversation?

4. Have I tried scare tactics like “turn or burn”?

A “yes” to any of the questions may indicate a too forceful approach in your witnessing style. What changes can you make to follow Jesus’ model more closely?

Reading: Bringin’ ‘Em Back Alive, pp. 97-101.

Key Scripture: “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full’ ” (Luke 14:23).

“Take it to the streets!” Jesus may have admonished His followers. For Jesus concentrated on street witnessing — going where the people were. But once the disciples went out, their success or failure depended on how effectively they presented the message of truth as they followed the direction of the Spirit. They looked to Jesus as their model. They saw that unbelievers felt comfortable in His presence; they in turn practiced friendly approaches. They observed His patience in listening to individuals as He conversed with them. Jesus knew the importance of making other people feel valued by giving them an opportunity to ask and answer questions. So the disciples imitated His style of witnessing by teaching as well as preaching.

Operating in the Open Air

Unless we are directed specifically to preach publicly, we should witness in the style of Jesus. Monologues should be discarded altogether. In contrast, conversation promotes the exchange of ideas and raises pertinent questions. Listening attentively to the answers of unbelievers encourages them to be more trusting, which causes them to reveal more about themselves. They are also more apt to listen to opposing views on spiritual matters. And whether we admit it or not, those who are witnesses can learn practical things from unbelievers.

Secular business executives, for example, know the value of planning ahead and being prepared. Have you ever seen an executive at an important meeting without a briefcase? Or heard of a deal being finalized without taking the client out to dinner? Since evangelism has eternal significance, how much more should the witness be both hospitable and well-equipped. Witnessing equipment should include a small New Testament for answering biblical questions; paper and pencil for writing names, addresses, and phone numbers for follow-up; and extra change for “entertaining” — a soft drink, coffee, or even a fast-food meal.

Two-By-Two

Another aspect of preparation is choosing another person to witness with you. Even Jesus sent His disciples out two by two (Luke 10:1). He saw the advantage of having two for protection, encouragement, companionship, and support. These advantages are still relevant to street witnessing today.

One of the cardinal rules of team witnessing is: Stick together. Each can take turns being a silent partner, since a person on the street may feel overwhelmed if approached by two talkers. While one talks, the other can pray silently in an inconspicuous place. Sometimes it may be necessary for the silent partner to block people or things that would sidetrack the witness. If a friend of the person being witnessed to walks up to interrupt, the silent partner can engage them in conversation — or witness to them. Since witnessing antagonizes the enemy, Satan attempts to stop it with various distractions such as situations, objects, and people. Having a partner who is praying watchfully can avert many of the distractions that could hinder your witness.

Terrific Teamwork

You may decide that if two are better, then a whole team would be best. Your talents may lie in drama, preaching, or singing. If so, you will probably enjoy witnessing in open-air meetings. As with any type of evangelism, certain rules apply. Paul Miller, a former YWAM director, suggested two important preliminary plans in the following paragraphs adapted from his book The Reluctant Evangelist, pp. 122-27.

Choose the spot carefully. Select a place with a lot of foot traffic, yet spacious enough not to block traffic.

Go with a team. A team powerfully demonstrates unity in the body of Christ and allows more alternatives for witnessing. Several people can choose from a host of varied activities, which is impossible for individuals.

For the actual presentation, plan a varied, fast-moving set, which lasts for approximately twenty-five minutes. The time might be organized to include the following:

Worship/singing 8-10 minutes
Drama 3-4 minutes
Testimony 2 minutes
Drama 3-4 minutes
Preaching 7-10 minutes

Before singing, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to the most relevant songs (e.g., worship or proclamation) for the situation. If He leads you to sing worship songs, gather in a circle with your focus on God — closing your eyes if you desire. But if you are to proclaim in song, fan out in a half-circle to place your focus on people. When you are singing to others, it’s important to look at them.

The drama should have an easy-to-follow plot and be either entertaining or moving. For maximum impact, you must hit people with color, sound, action, and feeling; street dramas must be overplayed! To get started in drama, check your local Christian bookstore. Many have books containing useful tips on implementing drama in street witnessing; some even have scripts ready for immediate use.

Any testimonies given should be fast-paced, clear, and heartfelt. Not to be confused with preaching, a testimony should simply tell what God has done for you. How to prepare a succinct testimony was discussed in Chapter 4.

Preaching in the open air has three objectives: To win the attention of the audience, to help them understand kingdom principles, and to challenge them to make a decision for Christ. To help attain your goals, use the following guidelines: Prepare a relevant sermon ahead of time; think of creative ways to illustrate, explain, and apply the principles; develop positive body language; and, most importantly, preach Jesus!

When the set program has ended, the team should scatter into the crowd and engage in conversation anyone who has been listening. These encounters should always be on a personal level.

Open-air evangelism allows you to present the gospel to strangers who might never have heard it. God is brought to the attention of many who have never even thought of Him. You may decide to go alone, with a friend, or as a team member. Whichever way you choose, take Jesus to the streets and proclaim the gospel boldly!

Key Concepts:

1. True or False. If Jesus were to visit a town, He would probably go to the church first. [BBA, 98]

2. True or False. Once you perfect a good approach in street witnessing, all your awkwardness will disappear. [BBA, 98]

3. When you believe that God has prepared the way, even can spur you on to fruitful witnessing. [BBA, 99]

4. An interest door approach enables a smooth transition from the natural to the . [BBA, 99]

5. Since people on the street are in a hurry, a approach in street witnessing is most appropriate. [BBA, 99]

6. True or False. The most fruitful type of street evangelism is a one-on-one dialogue. [BBA, 101]

7. Large crowds can be reached in a short time through housetop type preaching or open-air _______________. [BBA, 101]

8. The issue in any type of evangelism is (friendliness, communication). [BBA, 101]


Further Study: Read “A Religious Pageant,” IBC, pp. 644-45.

Mission in Action: The McClungs learned that some people have to reach rock bottom before they can be helped. Unsaved young people ended up in jails, seedy hotels, dirty hospitals, and back alley gutters. This experience often made them realize they needed something beyond themselves. Sally and Floyd wanted to be there when they hit bottom and needed help to get back on their feet. For the McClungs knew it was impossible to bring someone to God before he or she is ready (LDD, p. 115). Look for a homeless shelter, jail ministry, or street mission in your area that is ministering to the down-and-out. What can you do to support such ministries? Call one today, and ask how you can get involved.

Reading: Living on the Devil’s Doorstep, pp. 133-41.

Key Scripture: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10).

Martin Luther was once asked to name the three greatest Christian virtues. His quick reply was, “Humility! Humility! Humility!” He realized that this virtue is the key to unlocking all other virtues and allows the fruit of the Spirit to multiply. In this lesson, you will understand the role of humility in Bruce Olson’s life as he ministered to the Motilone tribe. He could never have gained their confidence with a smug, superior attitude. Only through Christ’s own humility was Bruce able to share the gospel, which resulted in tremendous changes in the Motilone culture.

True humility is often confused with other traits. And false humility is no more than pride superbly masked. Floyd McClung in Wholehearted, p. 141, related the following story to show the difference between genuine and counterfeit humility:

One of the finest and wisest Christians in the sixteenth century, Philip Neri, was asked by the pope to travel to a convent near Rome and meet a certain novice who was reputed to be a saint. Neri rode on his mule through the mud and the mire of country roads in the winter to the convent. Arriving there, he asked that the novice be sent to him. When she entered the room, he asked her to take off his boots caked in mud from the long journey. She drew back in anger and refused to do the menial task. She was affronted at the very idea that she, with her reputation, should be asked to do such a thing.

Neri said no more. He left the convent and went back to Rome. “Don’t wonder any longer,” he said to the pope. “Here is no saint, for here is no humility.”

The young novice failed the test because of a lack of humility. Unfortunately, when humility moves out, the seed of pride quickly germinates. And pride — more rapid in reproducing — bears much bitter fruit.

Pride’s Produce

McClung, in the following material adapted from Wholehearted (pp. 118-36), described the harvest of this prolific “plant” — pride.

Stealing from God (Isa. 42:8). A dangerous form of pride causes us to take credit for the gifts God has given us.

Self-Centeredness (1 Peter 4:10). If we are not using our abilities to bless others, then we are misusing the abilities God has given us.

Demanding Spirit (Matt. 20:21). Demanding people are always looking out for their rights, oblivious that everyone has sinned and deserves eternal separation from God.

Superiority (Matt. 23:5-7). Haughty actions reveal an inner attitude of condescension — believing that they are somehow closer to God or better than others.

Sarcasm (James 3:8). Sarcasm is a thinly veiled attempt to impress people by highlighting the faults of others.

A Critical Attitude (John 9:13-16). Proud people have difficulty seeing the good in others and are quick to negate anything positive that they do.

Impatience (Jonah 4:1-3). Our impatience reveals that our ideas, projects, programs, and schedules are more important than people.

Envy and Greed (Acts 24:25-26). A lack of generosity infects the spirit and robs us of our hunger for spiritual reality.

Lack of Forgiveness (Gen. 4:4-8). Unforgiving people are aloof and unable to comfort and encourage others or rejoice with them in their blessings.

An Unteachable Spirit (Jer. 7:24). We may feel above the need for correction and ignore it, becoming resentful and rationalizing.

People-Pleasing (1 Sam. 15:22-24). We can pray, read the Bible, and worship from a desire to please others — a false form of spirituality.

Flattery (Ps. 12:2-4). Designed to manipulate, flattery is an attempt to win another person’s favor by saying nice things about them.

Self-Pity (Ruth 1:20-21). Instead of turning our problems over to the Lord, we cling to hurts, frustrations, and disappointments.

Many of us have a faulty view of humility — often associating it with the way people look, dress, or pray. Humility is not self-hatred, false spirituality, low self-esteem, or a mystical experience. It is a total dependence on God. Furthermore, humility is a longing for a deep relationship with Him. This virtue, which is meant to affect every area of our life, drives us past religion — releasing us from hypocrisy. The following story from Wholehearted, pp. 146-47 illustrates the humility that can permeate an entire life:

A large inner-city convent had a nun who always sang hymns while hanging out the laundry. There was an infectious quality of joy about her. A young novice, after several weeks at the convent, was intrigued by this older woman and asked why she was always so joyful.

The older nun replied, “The Lord called me to serve here many years ago, and I find it a privilege to hang out the laundry for others.” The novice was impressed with this attitude, but was even more blessed when she heard the full story.

For many years this nun had been the Mother Superior of the convent until she grew too old to carry the load of responsibility. She had been offered a position with less responsibility in a smaller convent, but felt God had specifically called her to the convent she was in. The only other position at the time was for a laundry person. So she gladly took the position.

She knew her true spirituality did not depend on any title she had been given in the past, but on her willingness to serve the Lord through serving others.

Humility can be cultivated in our hearts just as it was in the heart of the elderly nun. Our first step is to focus on the Lord, asking Him for a place of service. Admitting our needs and weaknesses is the second step. Once we see ourselves through the eyes of others, our pride often dissipates. Finally, we can rate ourselves on the four characteristics concerned with humility — forgiveness (Col. 3:13), love (1 John 3:11ff.), peace (John 16:33), and thankfulness (Col. 3:15). But merely passing these tests today does not guarantee that humility has become a part of our nature, for cultivating this important virtue is a lifetime occupation.

Key Concepts: [All answers above]

1. According to Martin Luther, the greatest Christian virtue is .

2. The seed of is quick to germinate in the absence of humility.

3. (Demanding, Sarcastic) people are always looking out for their rights.

4. A lack of generosity robs a person of hunger for . reality.

5. True or False. An unteachable spirit ignores correction because the person feels above it.

6. True or False. We often associate humility with the way a person looks or prays.

7. The elderly nun’s spirituality depended on her . to serve the Lord through serving others.

8. Forgiveness, love, peace, and (joy, thankfulness) are tests of true humility.

Further Study: Read “Humility,” NIDB, p. 455, and “i. Practice and Precept in Humility,” IBC, p. 1253.

Mission in Action: Although he traveled extensively, John Goodfellow had never been approached with the gospel. Finally he discovered some Christians on the Ark who really knew God (LDD, p. 141). These believers took the time to answer his questions. Think of a relative or acquaintance whom you assume has heard the gospel but whose life does not reflect the reality of Christ. Ask this person exactly where he or she is spiritually the next time you meet. Maybe your witness will lead him or her to Christ.