Making the Most of Literature Evangelism
|
Ps. 68.11, Habakkuk 2.2, Jude 3,
|
Literature evangelism is the act of using written materials to witness Christ to people. This could be an accompanied verbal expression or without. God commanded prophet Habakkuk to write His message for preservation and presentation to as many people as possible with the emphasis that this medium would make His message (the vision) to be unaltered, undiluted and unadulterated, bearing the same potency and purpose as it was sent by the original source. In the same way, gospel literature, backed up by powerful prayers, carries the great potential of transforming sinful souls to godly saints. Many apostles of old saw these great potentials and therefore utilized the medium of literature evangelism to pass their gospel message across their borders and by so doing, though they were physically constrained by distance yet the gospel kept on spreading. To make the most of literature evangelism, the person must be sure of his salvation experience and develop a true love and passion for souls. Thereafter, the church leaders and members must be consistent in the drive making sure that literature materials penetrate every room in the community. We must be focused and determined to prayerfully establish the gospel in the people's heart and mind through their reading culture.
Power and Potentials of Literature Evangelism. Hab. 2.2, 1Co 16:21; 2Th 3:17, Luke 1. 1-4, Rom. 1.1, 7-16
Literature evangelism, when prayerfully administered, have great potentials of breaking boundaries of tribal and racial sentiments to reach the target audience. Writings of the gospel truth maintain its relevance irrespective of the time it was written and sent or the country or people it was sent to. We can clearly categorize its potentials into four areas. (i) Authority (1Co 16:21; 2Th 3:17). The literature bears the authority of the writer and not the messenger. Paul, in all his epistles always affirms his authority even though he was imprisoned. The readers always also receive as if Paul was directly talking to them. (ii) Originality (Luke 1. 1-4). The Tracts and other literature remain as original as was sent with its original purpose and message. The entire book of Luke and Acts were gospel letters written by Luke to Theophilus, a highly placed personality in their days, and as it was decades ago, it still remains today. (iii) Penetration (2 Cor. 10. 10). There are the great potentials of penetrating through the walls. Messages and other literature posted or sent electronically gets to the desired target irrespective of his class, status or fence wall. Particularly now that we have the telephone and other social media capable of transferring messages through the network carriers. (iv) Unction and Power (1 Cor. 2.4). The gospel letters and messages retain their power and divine unction as if the minister was present with the reader. The Ethiopian Eunuch was reading from the book of Isaiah and was eventually converted after little explanations. In our contemporary time, many people had been converted, healed and delivered after reading the Women mirror, tracts and other magazines.
Purposeful Practice of Literature evangelism. Hab, 2.2, Col. 1. 1-2, 4.16-18
To make the most of literature evangelism, the person must be sure of his salvation experience and develop a true love and passion for souls. Thereafter, the church leaders and members must be consistent in the drive making sure that literature materials penetrate every room in the community. We must be focused and determined to prayerfully establish the gospel in the people’s heart and mind through their reading culture. The practice of literature evangelism in the early days of Christianity is still the same today with a little advancement. In the days of the Apostles, they wrote with ink and pen on papers or tables and sent to their target audience through human messengers, but today we have electronic and social media through which we can send our literature. Postage may still be used if necessary but there are better means than this today. Now we have the e-mail, facsimile (fax), scan and send, or even text messages and WhatsApp messengers. These are modern methods of evangelism which could be deployed to reach out to individuals and groups of people at once bringing them to thoughtful considerations and convictions. Through these methods, the seeds of God’s words are being sown in the heart of many, and conversions are taking place. Agonising prayers are highly essential in literature evangelism particularly that the message reaches the good soil of the heart of the reader, so as to bring forth the desired result. Also, that there will be no interference that could hinder a clear understanding of the Word. Finally, we much ensure we put a contact name or number at the end of the Tracts or magazine so as to help the people further in case they have questions (such as the Ethiopian Eunuch).
Possibilities and Profits of Literature Evangelism Gal. 6. 11-18, Acts 1. 1-3, 2 Cor. 10. 7-11, 1 Cor. 14.37
God can use any medium (such as Literature Evangelism) to win any kind of sinner to the Lord. There are great possibilities in literature evangelism. Many souls who could not be reached physically can now be reached through the literature. This medium of evangelism is noiseless and silent and therefore penetrates the heart of the reader easily. Literature evangelism could be used to warn the sinner of the impending judgment of God. Also to remind the believers of their necessary caution against the morally polluted world in which they dwell. Also, all categories of people could be reached consistently if we commit ourselves to the God-given assignment.