CAN YOU RECOMMEND THIS CHURCH TO OTHERS?

INTRODUCTION--- Recently, I heard Bro. Harold Comer teaching about the subject of evangelizing. He had traced the history of various efforts to win souls in modern times, and observed that success went in cycles.

1. At certain periods of time, one method would succeed over another.
   
2. As circumstances changed, however, methods needed changing.
   
3. He summed up his research with an analysis of what he thinks is the best method of winning souls in today's "market."

LESSON--

1. Bro. Comer found some insinuations of evangelism by all Christians in some passages used for other reasons.
   
   1. Psalm 22:27-28, 30-31 "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto Jehovah; And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28 For the kingdom is Jehovah's; And he is the ruler over the nations......30 A seed shall serve him; It shall be told of the Lord unto the next generation. 31 They shall come and shall declare his righteousness Unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done it."
      
      1. This passage used as a prophecy of Christ (see the early verses).
         
      2. These verses, however, show how the gospel is to be spread.
         
   2. Jeremiah 31:31-34 "Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith Jehovah. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: 34 and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Jehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more."
      
      1. This passage used to show the coming of the New Covenant.
         
      2. Yet, Verse 34 implies that teaching must be done, so that all will "know the Lord," before they enter into covenant relationship with God.
         
   3. Isaiah 2:2-3 "And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem."
      
      1. This passage is used often as a prophecy of the beginning of the church.
         
      2. Yet, it implies that the growth of the church will depend on "many peoples" saying, "Come, let us go up to the...house of the God of Jacob."
         
2. Bro. Comer's research has led him to conclude that the key to evangelism in our time of work frenzy, leisure frenzy, and TV captivity should be based on this last passage, with the word "Come!"
   
   1. When two disciples of John switched allegience to Christ, they asked Him, "Where abidest thou?" Jesus did not tell them the location. He said, "Come, and ye shall see." (a good tactic to use on others we meet)
      
   2. Later, when Philip found Nathaneal, and told him, "We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph," Nathanael said, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" then Philip simply said, "Come and see." (John 1:45-46)
      
   3. The implication that all Christians should get into the habit of saying "come and see" to people they want to save, is found in Revelation 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely."
      
3. The only problem with this kind of exhortation is that we must be able to RECOMMEND the thing to which we invite others.
   
   1. Paul says, "But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, I believed, and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we speak;" (2 Corinthians 4:13)
      
      1. To speak well of something about which we do not believe is deceit.
         
      2. If we believe in something strong enough, we cannot be kept silent. (Take Peter's example, when he said, "...we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard." Acts 4:20).
         
   2. If you were to invite someone to come to church with you, what things could you recommend? (Seriously examine your answers.)
      
      1. Our physical circumstances? Nice Building? Quiet location? Good parking? (These have little to do with evangelism.)
         
      2. The Circumstances of the church? At Peace? Unity? Good people?
         
      3. The work of the church? Good contribution? Reverent worship? Newspaper articles? Good Singing?
         
      4. Our teaching program? Bible Classes? Teaching material? Teachers?
         
      5. The Preacher? Good Lessons? Sound? Fundamental? Interesting?

APPLICATION-- All of us should take part in this work of invitation and recommendation. Ephesians 4:15-16 "...speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ; from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love."