Be as harmless and gentle as doves without compromising the message
Four years ago, I shifted back to Christchurch after 18 years of pastoring Mountain View Community Church in Darfield. As my primary gifting is evangelism, I wanted to get back on the street again. I have been working for the Beckenham Baptist Church for the last year as their Evangelist. My job is also to train others who have a heart to reach our city with the Gospel Message. There are a number of folk who come out and share one on one which is what they feel comfortable in doing, and we also hand out tracts to folk we talk with.
Part of what we believe God has shown us to do is to treat everybody as an equal and show them that God’s love for them is unconditional. There are others who join with us to share the gospel message and where possible, we will pray for people to be touched by God’s Word. We also pray for them to be healed if they need prayer in a particular area of their life and are happy for us to do that.
If we go hard at people with the message, it turns them off very quickly, so we need to be harmless and gentle as doves. It does not mean we compromise the message in any way shape or form. Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. There is no other way for a person to be saved except through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as Karel Hoekendijk says in his book The Armour of God, “We have been translated from the power of darkness into the Kingdom of Light. Now we have the task and power to enter into the house of the strong one and bind him and bring souls stolen by Satan back to the original owner. The Lord Jesus Christ”. (Mark 3:27)
One very important thing that must be done if we are to succeed in our mission, and any mission that God gives for us to do, is to put on the whole Armour of God from: Ephesian 6:10-18; Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Shoes of Peace, Helmet of Salvation, Shield of Faith and The Sword of The Spirit, and Prayer using God’s Word.
Steve Williams (Evangelist) 2021
Beckenham Baptist Church