Develop Convictions in the Area of Evangelism
Over 10 years ago, I began working on an equipping model to help guide me as I was endeavoring to guide aspiring disciple-makers to continue their discipling ministry. The project was basically a brain drain about everything that I had learned over the years while discipling guys (and being discipled). One of the areas that a disciple-maker needs to develop is evangelism. The missing part of many discipling ministries (mine included) is evangelism. One of the descriptors of a disciple-maker is that he/she is an evangelist. Not the Billy Graham type necessarily, but at least the guys next door or the gal in the next cubicle type. I developed a Core Conviction statement that I wanted to share for your consideration (and mine as I am still very much in process in this area).
Evangelist Core Conviction: It is my conviction that men without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will spend eternity separated from God in a literal place of eternal punishment called Hell. It is my responsibility to do everything I can in the power of the Spirit (Act 1:8) to befriend the lost and share the gospel message with every non-believer the Lord gives me opportunity. It is my responsibility to take the initiative to share the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results to God.
As I re-read that I wonder sometimes if I really believe what I say that I believe. Have my conviction permeated my thinking and my life yet. Some days I would say yes and most days I would say no. Developing conviction is a lot like growing up. You grow a millimeter at a time and you move from being a little child to a strapping lad over 6 ft tall (though some of us never quite got there, 5’ 11 ¾” in my case) over time. So, in a similar way your convictions grow a little at a time until they are part of you. But, you do need something to shoot for. You need some kind of vision that will challenge and guide you. That is what the core conviction statement is about. Let my core conviction stimulate you in developing one of your own.
If you want to make a disciple-maker you have to develop convictions in the area of evangelism and help them to do likewise.
Life and times of the howitzers 