What is lifestyle evangelism?

Nothing so effectually advertizes the Gospel as the transformed lives of those who have received it. This fact has been often noted by careful observers, but here we find that Scripture itself recognizes it. Conversely nothing so effectually stultifies the proclamation of the Gospel as breakdown and sin on the part of those who profess to have believed it. In the light of this, and of the sad conditions prevailing in the Christianized nations, can we wonder that the evangelist in these lands finds himself confronted by hard and difficult conditions today? May God give help to each one of us so that our lives may tell in favour of the Gospel and not against it.

There is such a thing as living evangelical lives as well as delivering evangelical addresses, lives in which the power of the gospel is seen, because subject to Christ, and through which the music of the gospel is heard, because walking in the Spirit. It was our privilege the other day to meet a dear Christian in the railway train. He told us that twenty-one years previous he was, without exception, the worst sinner in Stockton-on-Tees — a drunken, blaspheming sceptic; but God laid His hand upon him in a Salvation Army meeting, and he turned to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was a mechanic, and in the shop where he worked were six other infidels. They first scoffed, and often afterwards tried to draw him into argument. But his one reply was: "I will not argue with you, for you can beat me at that; but you know what I was, and you see what I am now. If you want to argue, argue with the power that saved and keeps me." That power was the power of the grace of God. They saw it, and their mouths were closed; and ere long he had the joy of grasping the hand of each of his fellow-workmen as fellow-Christians! This man illustrates what we mean by being evangelical in our lives. May we be greatly exercised in this matter, at the same time not indifferent as to the proclamation of the Lord. How greatly labourers are needed, men with devoted hearts and fervent souls, prepared to make sacrifices and to suffer hardships for the Lord's sake and the gospel's! It is God's way to take up those who are faithful in their own circle and thrust them out into a wider field. The Lord alone can thrust out labourers — this is His prerogative; ours it is to earnestly desire to be taken up by Him (1 Cor. 12:31).

It is true that it is possible for the world to form some estimate of Christ from the Word of God; but, apart from the Word — which they may call in question, or fail to understand, even if read — it is God's intention that in the lives of His people there should be a presentation of Christ "known and read of all men."

There is such a thing as living evangelical lives as well as delivering evangelical addresses, lives in which the power of the gospel is seen, because subject to Christ, and through which the music of the gospel is heard, because walking in the Spirit. It was our privilege the other day to meet a dear Christian in the railway train. He told us that twenty-one years previous he was, without exception, the worst sinner in Stockton-on-Tees—a drunken, blaspheming sceptic; but God laid His hand upon him in a Salvation Army meeting, and he turned to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was a mechanic, and in the shop where he worked were six other infidels. They first scoffed, and often afterwards tried to draw him into argument. But his one reply was: “I will not argue with you, for you can beat me at that; but you know what I was, and you see what I am now. If you want to argue, argue with the power that saved and keeps me.” That power was the power of the grace of God. They saw it, and their mouths were closed; and ere long he had the joy of grasping the hand of each of his fellow-workmen as fellow-Christians! This man illustrates what we mean by being evangelical in our lives. May we be greatly exercised in this matter, at the same time not indifferent as to the proclamation of the Lord. How greatly labourers are needed, men with devoted hearts and fervent souls, prepared to make sacrifices and to suffer hardships for the Lord's sake and the gospel's! It is God's way to take up those who are faithful in their own circle and thrust them out into a wider field. The Lord alone can thrust out labourers—this is His prerogative; ours it is to earnestly desire to be taken up by Him (1 Cor. 12:31).

It is not by great efforts that these results are produced, but by beholding the Lord's glory. Let the Gospel talk to us, in our waking moments at night, and as we walk about the streets, or whenever or wherever our minds are free from other things. Let us dwell in the grace of it, in the love of Jesus that it reveals to us. He is brighter and better than the brightest and best that the world can give, and as our hearts are satisfied with Him, our once unlovely and desert lives will blossom as a rose garden. God will be glorified, and others, perhaps, will be attracted to the Saviour whom we love, as was a rough, godless navvy whose wife had been converted. He went one day to the city missionary and said to him, “Mister, if you have any of that religion left that you gave our Betty, I'd like a bit of it myself.”

It is not by great efforts that these results are produced, but by beholding the Lord's glory. Let the Gospel talk to us, in our waking moments at night, and as we walk about the streets, or whenever or wherever our minds are free from other things. Let us dwell in the grace of it, in the love of Jesus that it reveals to us. He is brighter and better than the brightest and best that the world can give, and as our hearts are satisfied with Him, our once unlovely and desert lives will blossom as a rose garden. God will be glorified, and others, perhaps, will be attracted to the Saviour whom we love, as was a rough, godless navvy whose wife had been converted. He went one day to the city missionary and said to him, "Mister, if you have any of that religion left that you gave our Betty, I'd like a bit of it myself."

There is a bond which binds believers together. That was owned and manifested by them. (1 Thess. 4:9-10.) There is a special tie between the labourer and those who have received help and profit from his service. Of this last the apostle now goes on to speak. Gentiles and idolaters these saints had been, now they had become endeared (egenethete) to Paul, Silas, and Timotheus, who were willing to have imparted unto them, not the gospel of God only, but also their own souls. (1 Thess. 2:8.) Love working in their hearts moved them to evangelize these souls. Recently suffering for the truth's sake at Philippi, they nevertheless could not be silent when they entered the town of Thessalonica, so they were bold in their God, to speak unto them the gospel of God in much contention. How the heart of an evangelist is here displayed to us! And how did they work? Their exhortation was not of deceit, nor in uncleanness, nor in guile. They spoke as those pleasing, not men, but God, who trieth the heart. They carried on their work consciously in God's presence, so no honeyed words of flattery came forth from their lips; nor was covetousness a motive which was working in their hearts, nor of men sought they glory, nor any temporal advantage, foregoing what they might have claimed, because, as a nurse cherisheth her children, they were affectionately desirous of their souls, and laboured day and night with their hands for the supply of their own bodily wants. In such a spirit did they evangelize. (1 Thess. 2:1-9.) In what spirit, it may be asked, did they teach? Verses 10-12 give the answer. As a father does his children, Paul exhorted them to walk worthy of God, who had called them to His kingdom and glory.

It is not without significance that just at this point we read of the blessing flowing out and men being gathered in. The testimony of these disciples was in power, for their words were backed up by happy Christian lives. They were doers of the word as well as preachers of it. Where this is lacking we cannot expect to see people added to the Lord, and when worldly means are used in the attempt to convert men the case is even worse. Yet with shame be it said that the professing church has harnessed to her labour pleasures that have been conceived in the minds of godless men, and she hopes thus to draw men to Christ. They are being dragged by these methods in the opposite direction, and disaster irretrievable must be the final end of them. To add people to the Lord we must ourselves first be in living touch with Him, for only so can the grace of God find a channel through us whence it can flow out to others. We must cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart.

It is not without significance that just at this point we read of the blessing flowing out and men being gathered in. The testimony of these disciples was in power, for their words were backed up by happy Christian lives. They were doers of the word as well as preachers of it. Where this is lacking we cannot expect to see people added to the Lord, and when worldly means are used in the attempt to convert men the case is even worse. Yet with shame be it said that the professing church has harnessed to her labour pleasures that have been conceived in the minds of godless men, and she hopes thus to draw men to Christ. They are being dragged by these methods in the opposite direction, and disaster irretrievable must be the final end of them. To add people to the Lord we must ourselves first be in living touch with Him, for only so can the grace of God find a channel through us whence it can flow out to others. We must cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart.

A man once said to me, “I know what you preach is right.” I asked him, “How is that?” In reply he told me that he was brought up in a district where a well-known servant of the Lord lived and laboured. He said he had watched his life, and what he saw of that convinced him of the truth. I know this servant of Christ, and he is as watchful of his state and behaviour as he is also of his service. This life preaching is open to all of us. And often those who confess Christ as a result of public preaching have been previously prepared through this. How often, too, our own souls have been cheered and elevated by intercourse with some gentle saint of God, to whom Christ is everything, but who has not been called to public service. Great, very great indeed is this side of the truth. This living fruitfulness, this wealthy treasure brings true blessing to others and glory to God.