Many churches do not actively plan to share the Gospel with unbelievers. Some have social programmes, including coffee mornings or fetes, but these events do not fulfil the Great Commission. This is a serious failure. Yes, some small churches will feel unable to cope with doing evangelism and I will make some practical suggestions later in this article.

I am grateful that I was brought up as a Christian to believe it was a serious responsibility to reach out to unbelievers. As a teenager I became involved with the local Youth for Christ movement, which, despite its name, reached out mainly to adults. I remember going out on the streets shortly before the monthly evangelistic meeting to do 'fishing'; i.e. approach people walking on the streets and invite them to the meeting. These meetings became very successful.

Of course, there are shining exceptions of churches, large or small, that do take evangelism seriously, and are being very effective. But here are some reasons why to fail to do so is to fail our Lord.

To fail to share the Gospel results in fewer people experiencing eternal life

This teaching is not popular in today’s ‘Me First’/’My Rights’ culture which encourages people to believe they can choose their own religion, or not choose any religion, and all will be well eternally (assuming there is any life after death).

Of course, there are shining exceptions of churches, large or small, that do take evangelism seriously, and are being very effective.

But that is not the teaching of Jesus. He is quite clear that eternal life is only for those who put their trust in Him. His actual words are “The Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him” (Jn 3:14). Those who trust in Christ will be secure in eternal life.

“And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (Jn 6:39-40).

However, He also makes it very clear that someone who refuses to trust in Him will be condemned and will not experience eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (Jn 3:16-18).

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (Jn 3:36).

On a number of occasions, Jesus describes the state after death of those who refuse to trust in Him as one of suffering, using the metaphor of the fire of hell (e.g. Matt 25:41). Hell is separation from God, which, in effect, persistent unbelievers choose. As a result, they face the opposite of the wonderful blessings experienced by believers. This means they experience profound distress, regret, hopelessness, guilt, loneliness, sadness and despair. Obviously, they also experience these things to some extent in this life. How can we fail to reach out in evangelism to them when they are suffering in such ways, let alone heading for worse experiences of absolute separation from God after death?

How can we fail to reach out in evangelism to them when they are suffering in such ways, let alone heading for worse experiences of absolute separation from God after death?

In view of the basic teaching of Jesus that only those who trust in Him will experience eternal life and avoid the suffering of condemnation, we must face up to our solemn responsibility to reach out in love to unbelievers and to seek to share the Gospel with them, in whatever way we can.

The second reason why failing to reach out in evangelism is serious is that:

To fail to share the Gospel brings grief to God

God is not at the mercy of emotions, as we humans sometimes are. But it is clear in Scripture that He experiences grief. Paul writes to the Ephesians “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph 4:30). He makes it clear that sin grieves the Lord. Humanity became so sinful around the time of Noah that “The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled” (Gen 6:6). The NIV older version was “The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth and His heart was filled with pain.” The NIV comments, “Man’s sin is God’s sorrow.”

Isaiah wrote “… and so he became their Saviour. In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old” (Isa 63:8-9).

It is clear therefore that God grieves over unbelievers who are heading for a lost eternity. How could it be otherwise? We would grieve over a loved one who is heading for disaster and our love is a pale reflection of God’s love. Can we imagine how God grieves over such people in His great love?

We would grieve over a loved one who is heading for disaster and our love is a pale reflection of God’s love. Can we imagine how God grieves over such people in His great love?

So, if we are failing to reach out with the gospel to loved ones, friends and neighbours we are compounding the grief of God.

To fail to share the Gospel means that fewer people embrace the Cross of Christ

Jesus endured betrayal by one disciple, denial by another, being forsaken by the others, and rejection by the crowd. He endured being spat upon, mockery, insults, potentially fatal beating with a bone-tipped whip, the crown of thorns being pressed on his head, dragging his cross through the streets and crucifixion in “disgrace” outside the city walls. He suffered Hell. Yet this excruciating suffering is being ignored or rejected by billions of unbelievers. All of this was to make it possible for sin to be removed – but only for those who know and who turn to Jesus in love and trust. How can we keep this message to ourselves?

To fail to share the Gospel is profoundly unloving

1. God is love. How vital it is that we share with others our own experience of His love.
2. If we obey Jesus and love our neighbour, how can we, as individual Christians or churches, live alongside unbelievers who are on their way to a lost eternity and not sensitively reach out to them with the gospel? Scripture makes it clear that if someone goes to a lost eternity and we haven’t done all we can to win them to faith, then we are responsible for their fate.

Scripture makes it clear that if someone goes to a lost eternity and we haven’t done all we can to win them to faith, then we are responsible for their fate.

Some Christians believe that when unbelievers die, they pass out of existence (annihilation). But Jesus speaks of them experiencing serious suffering after death before any annihilation.So, those who don’t put their trust in Christ not only miss out in this life on the blessings of the Christian life: the joy of forgiveness, being helped to overcome challenges and attacks, enjoying hope for the future, etc., they also face the distress of condemnation in the next life. Christians can debate annihilation, but the Bible is clear that we all face the Last Judgment.

To fail to share the Gospel is to disobey Jesus’ Great Commission

On the day of Jesus’ ascension to heaven He gave us the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matt 28:19). Evangelism is at the heart of what Jesus wants the Church to do. How can we fail Jesus by not fulfilling His Great Commission? One church I attended as a young person thought it was more biblical than all the other local churches. But, it didn’t do any evangelism. Hence this church that thought itself to be very biblical was actually seriously unbiblical.

Practical tips to help small churches engage in evangelism

• Circulate sensitive evangelistic literature.
• Hold a social event for people who don’t attend church, perhaps with a PowerPoint presentation in the background about the gospel.
• Hold a Christmas Carol service, advertised to the whole local population, inviting an experienced preacher who could make it an appropriate evangelistic event.
• Seek to train members of the congregation (in a low-key way) to reach out evangelistically to people they know, and people they meet in the locality. The church could invite a person experienced in personal evangelism to lead this training.
• Hold monthly guest services which are suitable for those who are not used to church and where a short evangelistic message is given.

Even if there is no apparent response to evangelism, it is sowing seeds. It is causing people to think of eternal realities. It is causing them to take notice of the God who made them and whose Son died for them.

It is vital that there is a strong prayer backing to such evangelistic events.

Even if there is no apparent response to evangelism, it is sowing seeds. It is causing people to think of eternal realities. It is causing them to take notice of the God who made them and whose Son died for them.

We have a solemn calling and responsibility to reach out in evangelism to our neighbours and local community, i.e. to love our neighbour. If we are failing to do so, we need to repent before the Lord and ask Him for guidance and practical help in putting that right.

Tony Higton has been a Church of England Minister for over 40 years, led a ministry among Jewish people in Jerusalem for several years, and since 2015 has led a national ministry encouraging prayer and preparation for Revival.