Cedarville Magazine
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Boldness and evangelism go together.
So do love and evangelism, compassion
and evangelism, prayer and evangelism,
winsomeness and evangelism.
Years ago I taught a course on evangelism
at Cedarville College. As an itinerant
evangelist, I would return home from revival
meetings in churches and teach students this
important course. I thoroughly enjoyed the
time with those special young people.
Early in the class I would take a survey
related to one question: “Why does the average
Christian not share his or her relationshipwith
Christ with others?”The answer I received the
most was “fear.” We are afraid someone will
ask us a question we cannot answer. We fear
what people might think of us. We fear that
such a personal question might put a strain
on an important relationship.
Ultimately, we fear failure. What if we
don’t get it right? What if we let God down?
Even as a seasoned ministry veteran of
more than 50 years, I share these fears. I’m
guessing you do as well. For many people, this
fear is related to our inner “wiring” and the
personality God has instilled within us. Some
people are naturally outgoing and find one-
on-one witnessing easier —never easy — but
easier. Or, some people might be so shy and
timid that they struggle with any in-depth
conversation.
Boldness can help us overcome fear. Yet, as
the New Testament writers teach us, boldness
is never brashness, but rather confidence and
courage. Charles Haddon Spurgeon helps us
with this balance when he says there must be
in our hearts a great deal of tenderness; I like a
man to have a divine amount of holy boldness
but not impudent.
Boldness or confidence begins with an
understanding of who God is and a reliance
onHim.The writer of Proverbs counsels, “The
fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in
the Lord is safe” (Prov. 29:25). We sow, others
may water, but He provides the increase (1
Cor. 3:7). God does it! This great truth takes
the pressure off of us. Someone once said, “Do
not count the sheaves you have harvested but
the seeds you have sown.”
This reliance on God underscores the
importance of our boldness in prayer as we
share in this marvelous effort. Jesus instructed
His disciples in Mark 9:29 that the power of
Satan can only be overcome by prayer. We
can’t do it. He can and will. On our own we
are inept, incapable, and insufficient. Yet, I
stand amazed that He has chosen to use us as
His instruments in any manner in this grand
endeavor. It is His Word—His Gospel — that
His Spirit uses. Our confidence rests not in
our abilities or our personality or our grasp
of any evangelistic method.
Boldness enables us to overcome our
fears as we understand we are the conduits
of the glorious message of the Gospel. He has
equipped us — wired us to be who we are —
andHe wants to use us inHis very own special
way. He will bring both strangers and friends
across our paths where we can be a part of His
plans — not ours — His! For ultimately, our
boldness rests fully in His faithfulness.
Paul Dixon
ser ves as
Chancellor of Cedarville
University, after having
served as President from
1978 until 2003. He
earned his M.Div. from
Temple Baptist Theological
Seminary and his Ed.D. from the University
of Cincinnati.
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Cedarville Magazine
Boldness in Evangelism
In Closing
by Paul Dixon
