The Apostle Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16).  Every Christian who genuinely follows the Lord can testify to the truth of this statement as you have personally experienced the power of the gospel in our lives.  The gospel, an indication of God’s omnipotence, allows us filthy sinners to break away from the bondage to sin and be released, to be directed purposefully in our present life and thereafter after being lost and disoriented.  The grace God has given to us believers is infinite and since we have felt the love of God, we should be like Paul, be unashamed of the gospel and actively share the gospel with others.

Since the inception of Tree of Life Christian Church (TOLCC), we are very grateful to God in the increase of the number of believers.  The significance of this increase lies not on the popularization of this church but it is a testimonial of God’s work in changing the lives of people.  Through the lives of the brothers and sisters here, God is able to outreach and move the hearts of those who have yet to know the gospel.  From another perspective, the growth of this church also shows the effort and hard work the brothers and sisters have put in, contributing to the salvation of family and friends!  The Lord has already let us experience the fruits of the gospel – the salvation of friends and relatives you have prayed so long for and the jubilation of seeing them finally come to Jesus is beyond description!

It takes time for friends and relatives to come to Christ and there are many hurdles to cross too. Perhaps they consider themselves well on their own and it is alright to depend on themselves.  Maybe they do not have a good impression of Christianity and perhaps they think that a religion would restrict the way they live.  Or they may feel that Christianity is a religion for westerners and believing in Jesus will be equated to being undutiful to their ancestors.  Probably they think that religion is but a superstition.  Due to various obstacles, bringing relatives and friends to Christ can be rather challenging and we can be discouraged, be jeered at or even be scolded.  If we battle on the path of evangelism alone, we will likely be very disheartened, and even eventually give up.

We very much hope that the brothers and sisters of TOLCC will continue to support and spur each other on in the work of sharing the gospel to friends and relatives.  To foster this spirit of mutual help, we have to consider the following points seriously:

1. Value the souls of our relatives and friends and try yourKnowinf that we owe a debt to the gospel, we have the duty to share the good news of the gospel to family and friends around us.  Care for them, give them concrete and practical support in the normal course of life and also pray for their salvation regularly.

2. Share the questions and needs you may have while preaching the gospel to friends andFor friends and relatives who have yet to believe in Christ, you can also seek support in intercessory prayer for them during fellowship meetings.  Share the difficulties you encounter during evangelism.  Brothers and sisters may offer you good advice on how you can respond to the problems raised by relatives and friends.  Or if the person you are preaching to requires special care, you can invite other brothers and sisters to accompany you where appropriate.

3. If it is feasible, introduce brothers and sisters to your relatives andWhen family and friends know your brothers and sisters in church, he will not feel so foreign to Christians and Christianity.  If he has an opportunity to come into contact with the way Christians conduct themselves, witness the love, kindness within, what he sees for himself will attract him towards the gospel.

On the other hand, we who are supporting the gospel work, can take the initiative to understand the needs of our fellow brothers and sisters who are actively preaching the gospel to friends and relatives.  You can accompany them on visitations.  A simple word of hello to their friends and relatives when they come to church can cause them to feel the warmth of Christians.  Every member of the church can play a part in the salvation of our friends and relatives.  It can be offering actual support or mutual encouragement.  In this way, in face of obstacles, we will persist on.  Our care and encouragement for each other will spur us further to share the gospel.  Let us be of one mind in sharing the gospel.