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TITLE: Barriers to Evangelism (Mountains to Climb)

TEXT: Mark 16:13-16

PROPOSITION: It is called the Great Commission, but there are some obstacles to our fulfilling it.

QUESTION: Why?

KEY WORD: Mountains

SCRIPTURE READING: Same

INTRODUCTION:

  1. When I say "Great Commission" most know what I am talking about.
  2. While we know the command – we are not doing much about it.
  3. I want to discuss some of the mountains to climb first.

 

Being Fearful of our Mission

  1. I don't know what to say, how to begin,
  2. What if they ask _____?
  3. I don't know all the answers.

 

Embarrassment of our mission

  1. Football player with cross on chain, bent over and cross came out of shirt,
    Boy says, "Your religion is showing."
  2. Pray in restaurants, control tongue, ask people to stop using God's name in vain
  3. What if I knock on the door of a fellow worker?

 

Overwhelmed by the size of the task

  1. 6 billion people on earth – I am only one.
  2. Grasshopper Complex – Numbers 13
  3. What can I do? What did those 11 apostles think?

 

Turning our mission inward

  1. We are big enough, we need to train, teach ourselves first
  2. Spiritual navel gazing – "ingrownitis"
  3. All the programs of fellowship and ministry – help me, please me

 

Cheapening our mission

  1. Friendship evangelism – become a friend, teach, they reject, stop being their friend.
  2. Enroll in BCC, show filmstrips, teach OBS – they reject gospel, We drop them from the list.

 

Failing to translate the message

  1. We have our own jargon – special lingo – code words. Communion, Gospel Meeting, repent, confession.
  2. "Have you been baptized?" We have a special meaning to that question.
  3. It will take time for new converts to know our special lingo.

 

Opinionating our message

  1. We often try to convert men to our opinions.
  2. We want them to believe exactly as we do.
  3. The Pharisees did this in Jesus day. (Matthew 23:15)

 

Failure to apply the message to our lives

  1. We do not always live the message we teach.
  2. Do as I say, not as I do.
  3. People are not asking what we got, because they do not want to catch it.
  4. Our lives must demonstrate the advantages of Christianity.

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