Intentional Manhood 14: Evangelism

Last year, I was convicted about the way many Christians (me being one of them) did not seek to reach out to their neighbors on Halloween. I read an article posted by Justin Taylor that spoke about how every day of the year Christians are trying to get into the houses of their neighbors and then how the one day a year that the neighbors are seeking to get into our house, we turn the lights off...OUCH!

Reaching out to others for the purpose of sharing the gospel (evangelism, if you will) is an area that a husband/father can greatly lead his family in. Being intentional in this area can spur a wife and children who are not naturally inclined toward this to embrace the family's mission of taking the gospel to the lost.

Here are some ways that I have observed other men in our church lead their family in evangelism. Feel free to add to the list.

1. Hot Chocolate Giveaway at Halloween--while you are giving candy to the children, you can give hot chocolate to the parents who are walking around with their kids. This is a great way to start up conversations and build friendships. (I've also heard of people grilling hot dogs and giving them away).

2. Prayer Walking--as you go around the neighborhood on a walk with your family, take turns praying for the people that live in the homes that you pass. This models an evangelistic heart to your kids and gives you an outward focus as you look at your neighborhood.

3. Invest and Invite--whether it is having your neighbors over to watch a game or just having them over for dinner, there are many creative ways to befriend those who live on your street.

4. Sports Teams--I know many families that have their children in soccer or other sports as a way to both learn the sport as well as reach out to other families.

5. Praying for Your Waiter-- "Hey, we're getting ready to pray for our food. Is there anything we can pray for you about?" My wife and I have been asking this question on date nights for a few years now and it has been wild to see the different responses we have gotten. My wife does a great job asking the female waiters and I ask the male waiters. Many have been prayed for, many have been invited to our church, and we even had one that was about to go on the mission field so we were able to encourage her.

6. The Testimony of Godly Children--I've heard of many couples who are finally able to talk with their extended family about the gospel because of the character and integrity that their children displayed. Even with unbelieving friends, some will ask why your children seek to obey and this is an open door to explain God's work and gospel-centered parenting.

Men, obviously, you are not the only ones who are to evangelize. All Christians are to joyfully fulfill this commission by the Lord. However, I think that if men caught a vision for sharing the gospel and living out the gospel with their family, we would have neighborhoods where families were converted and see the glorious joy of salvation. Intentional manhood simply serves to produce intentional Christianity in your family.