A female believer Wei Huizhu is passionate about preaching the gospel. Before retiring, she worked in administrative management. Since she came to Christ, she has served churches in two different counties and districts. Once a local Christian council had no office space and no operational funds when it was founded, she offered the first and second floors of her self-built house to the council for free as an office and gathering place for six years. Recently, Gospel Times, an online Christian newspaper, interviewed her via WeChat and asked her to talk about her experience and practices in evangelism.
Gospel Times: Wei, I know that you have extensive experience and have achieved good results in evangelism. The first question is: When did you first learn about the importance of evangelism?
Wei Huizhu: At that time, I was still working. My husband and I were in the same organization. We encountered all kinds of hostility and ridicule from the people around us ever since we followed the Lord.
Gradually people who knew us saw us living a new life in Christ, thus, little by little they became interested in the gospel. As a result, some of our colleagues who started out by hearing the truth of the Bible ended up making up their minds to follow Jesus. By participating in fellowship, reading the Bible, praying, and serving, I came to learn that evangelism was the great mission entrusted by the resurrected Lord to every child of God.
Gospel Times: How did you preach the gospel to unbelievers?
Wei Huizhu: In the past, mostly when I went out on visitation ministry with other Christians, I preached the gospel to the unbelieving relatives of the people we were visiting or people who were interested in the gospel. Whenever we worshiped, praised, and shared together, I paid special attention to the reaction of the recipients of the gospel. Later I would be willing to listen to their complaints quietly and then spread the gospel with the topics of their interest.
Our own attitude is also very important. We must not be aggressive or feel superior to others, nor should we give up easily or judge others. We must "believe what we say and say what we believe".
Gospel Times: According to our observations over the years, when sharing the gospel, some people often say: If you believe in Jesus, you will be healed, or you will be safe, etc. In general, what kind of message did you share with them?
Wei Huizhu: More than ten years ago, when I turned to God, He revealed a picture (vision) to me that I usually shared with people when preaching. This picture was about where people came from, what was the meaning of life, and where people would go afterward (after death). If the recipients had a positive response, which was like seeds being sown on fertile soil, then I would start talking about the Lord Jesus who gives life. If they didn’t accept or refute what I said, then I would speak of other topics. I never force anyone, but just try to do my duty as a Christian.
In addition, I think it’s not the real gospel if trying to convince people that God will heal the sick and promise them safety if they follow Him. Even they come to faith for it, it won’t sustain. Because regular people can all possibly fall ill sometimes since we eat all kinds of food. Moreover, God is sovereign. The true gospel is the message of salvation by grace through faith, i.e., the message of Jesus' birth, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and return as summarized in the Apostles' Creed.
Gospel Times: What do you think Christians should pay attention to when preaching the gospel today?
Wei Huizhu: I think that when sharing the gospel with others, as long as one person shares in a methodical and systematic manner, it is best for others next to them not to interrupt, in case the listeners do not know whom to listen to. Because evangelism is a spiritual battle, and to put it bluntly, it means fighting to save souls for Christ. Therefore, staff working on this ministry should pray quietly, asking God to cleanse the surrounding environment, and to give the speaker an appropriate message to open the ears and hearts of the listeners, so that they can be willing to repent, believe in the gospel, and reach a decision to turn to God.
Gospel Times: Based on your observations and understanding, why do you think Christians today do not like to share the gospel with others?
Wei Huizhu: As far as I can see, there may be several reasons. First, they don't know what to say or how to say it, lacking an entry point for evangelism. Second, it may be related to their past experiences. Every time people who heard the word "Christianity" didn't want to listen to them anymore. The intention of evangelism has got them nowhere (hit a wall) and so on, therefore, they no longer have the courage to do it. Third, they are unfamiliar with biblical truth and don’t know the soul’s purpose. Nowadays, people hear much negative information about faith every day, for which in fact, very few people really know of the Christian faith.
If everyone feels responsible for the souls of others and is willing to practice the Great Commission promulgated by God, then they will naturally practice evangelism.
Gospel Times: From your (or layman's) perspective, what can the church do today to inspire more members to carry the burden of evangelism?
Wei Huizhu: In fact, firstly, it requires the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, the pastors of the church must truly and systematically teach believers the truth of the Bible, so that they can stay rooted in the gospel truth, and then naturally continue seeking and working for the benefit of all. Thirdly, believers can be trained to become good soldiers of Jesus Christ, who understand the importance, skills, and methods of evangelism, and practice them in work and life. Discipleship is one of the ways for the church to grow.
- Translated by Shuya Wang
