How Is the Church To Be Evangelistic?


In the church today the tendency is to look at the world all the time and to see the tragedy of the world.  That is perfectly right, of course; the church is to be evangelistic.  But the question is, how is the church to be evangelistic?  And I contend that what the New Testament itself tells us, is that the church is most successful evangelistically when she herself is as she ought to be.  Why are the masses of the people outside of the church?  I do not hesitate to say that the reason is that they fail to see in us anything that attracts them, anything that creates within them a desire to receive what we have, or anything that rebukes them and condemns them for their way of living.  Not that we should necessarily put that into words, but it should be seen.

Martin Lloyd-Jones in sermon titled The Possibilities of the Christian Life

The Missionary Motive


The highest of missionary motive is neither obedience to the Great Commission (important as that is), nor love for sinners who are alienated and perishing (strong as that incentive is, especially when we contemplate the wrath of God), but rather zeal — burning and passionate zeal — for the glory of Jesus Christ. . . . Only one imperialism is Christian . . . and that is concern for His Imperial Majesty Jesus Christ, and for the glory of his empire.

John Stott, Romans: God’s Good News for the World, 53.

HT: Desiring God Blog