Mack Stiles Quotes

If you do not know how to teach the gospel, you may not truly understand it. And if you do not understand it, you may not be a true Christian.

So how do we know if we've assumed the gospel? Mack Stiles days so aptly that the way to know if we've assumed the gospel is this: you don't hear it anymore. Everyone talks to themselves.

The fact is, most people come to faith through the influence of family members, small-group Bible studies, or a conversation with a friend after a church service: Christians intentionally talking about the gospel.

There is much room for humility when it comes to evangelism. We need to acknowledge that God is sovereign and can do as he wills to bring people to himself. There is no formula that dictates how God must work in evangelism. And though we may disagree with the evangelistic practices of individuals, ministries, or churches, we must also recognize that when people develop good-hearted commitments to evangelism, God can produce true fruit. I, for one, will take people practicing evangelism as best they can over those who forgo evangelism until they have the perfect practice.

When Paul says that we should see people through the eyes of Christ, he means for us to have a gospel view of people. So we see people as beautiful, valuable creatures made in the image of God. Each and every one of us carries God’s mark. That is why Christians believe all people have dignity, worth, and value.

In a culture of evangelism, there is an understanding that everyone is engaged. Have you ever heard someone say, “Evangelism is not my gift,” as if that excused him from sharing his faith? That’s a kindergarten understanding of evangelism. All Christians are called to share their faith as a point of faithfulness, not gifting (Matt. 28:19).

L'uomo è cattivo. Non nasce così, ma lo diventa perché il suo stile di vita è dettato dalla legge del più forte. Dovunque passa, l'uomo deve essere il migliore, il più ricco, il più bello, il più intelligente e tutto questo per cosa? È più felice una volta che ha un corpo da sogno, una Ferrari o che il suo ambiente lo reputi il migliore in tutto quello che fa? Sono queste cose a renderlo felice? Oppure è la superficialità di questa vita in cui tutto è falso e apparenza, a renderlo veramente felice? Non credo. L'immagine, i desideri di cui non si ha consapevolezza e che sono superflui… tutto questo, io adesso lo evito. Vivere davvero non è questo. La ricerca continua della felicità non si ottiene schiacciando gli altri per arricchirsi, né credendo di essere il migliore. La vita è realizzarsi da soli, senza tanti fronzoli, e cercarsi fino in fondo, una volta che ci si è liberati da tutti quegli strati di inutilità che ci mangiano fino al midollo. Guardarsi allo specchio e vedersi davvero fino in fondo all'anima, è a questo che serve la vita, secondo me, e per arrivarci, l'uomo dovrebbe vivere da solo e non in gruppo come fa, contando sugli altri per ottenere un'immagine di felicità che è solo una menzogna. Mack crede nella bellezza dell'umanità, ma l'umanità non crede in Mack. Lei se ne fotte e continuerà il suo lavoro da formica per essere ancora più stupida e distruggere tutto quello che la circonda per averne sempre di più, senza rendersi conto che alla fine non avrà più niente. L'umanità è stupida e lo resterà. Forse potrebbe rendersene conto prima che sia troppo tardi, che sta solo correndo verso il baratro, ma questo sarebbe dare prova di buonsenso, e non ce l’ha

The quickest route to heresy and error is “relevant” evangelism. Good-hearted motivations that try to shape the church for the needs of man and not the glory of God are the death of biblical churches.

the gospel is not only a message of salvation but a way of life.

Mack Stiles’s books Speaking of Jesus and Marks of a Messenger

As Mack Stiles says, Most Christians in the world must fear the raised fist; Americans fear the raised eyebrow.

These conversations went on and on with person after person. I stood literally amazed by the grace of God, not just upon one Christian passionate about sharing the gospel, but upon an entire community passionate about sharing the gospel. As I looked around, I observed a contagious culture of evangelism across the church. It is a culture of evangelism that is not ultimately dependent on events, projects, programs, and ministry professionals. Instead, it is a culture of evangelism that is built on people filled with the power of God’s Spirit proclaiming the gospel of God’s grace in the context of their everyday lives and relationships.

Defining evangelism in a biblical way helps us align our evangelistic practice with the Scriptures. Here’s a definition that has served me well for many years: Evangelism is teaching the gospel with the aim to persuade.

God is our Creator. He is loving, holy, and just. One day he will execute perfect justice against all sin. People are made in the image of God. We are beautiful and amazing creatures with dignity, worth, and value. But through our willful, sinful rebellion against God, we have turned from being his children to his enemies. Still, all people have the capacity to be in a restored loving relationship with the living God. Christ is the Son of God, whose sinless life gave him the ability to become the perfect sacrifice. Through his death on the cross, he ransomed sinful people. Christ’s death paid for the sins of all who come to him in faith. Christ’s resurrection from the dead is the ultimate vindication of the truth of these claims. The response God requires from us is to acknowledge our sin, repent, and believe in Christ. So we turn from sin, especially the sin of unbelief, and turn to God in faith, with the understanding that we will follow him the rest of our days.

I yearn for a culture of evangelism that never trades confidence in the gospel for confidence in techniques, personalities, or entertainment gimmicks.

I long for a church that disarms with love, not entertainment, and lives out countercultural confidence in the power of the gospel.

I long for a church that understands the dangers of entertainment and sees it for what is is: a lion crouching at the evangelical door, ready to devour us. We need a culture of evangelism that never sacrifices to the idolatry of entertainment, but serves up the rich fare found the gospel of Christ.

Jesus was engaging, but he never entertained; there is a huge difference, one that is lost on the modern church.

A Shrunken Gospel We make the gospel too small by thinking it only “gets us saved,” that it is a sort of fire insurance, without understanding that it has implications for all of life.

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matt. 20:25–28)

Pastor Pete regularly has people share about any evangelistic opportunities the people in his congregation have had over the previous week. When people realized it was going to happen weekly, they not only began coming to the meeting ready to share about the ways God had used them, they became more attuned to opportunities around them during the week. It’s a simple way to keep evangelism on the front burner.

The Christian faith has no category for believers who are not members of a local congregation.

Перефразируя слова Г.К.Честертона, можно сказать, что благовестие - это не то, что опробовали и признали ущербным, а то, что сочли сложным и потому решили не пробовать.

In a culture of evangelism, the goal is for everyone to share, pray, and take opportunities as they come. We can challenge people to come to faith, but there are no instructions in the New Testament for a sinner’s prayer. We trust God to bring sinners to repentance. Our responsibility is to be faithful witnesses—together.