The distracted evangelist

It is not uncommon to hear an evangelist say that when they were out preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ on the streets, one of the following scenario’s happened:

• Someone came near and interrupted them.
• Children approached and mocked them.
• An atheist came to debate them
• A religious zealot came to berate them.
• Someone turned up their music to drown out the preaching
• The evangelist was distracted by one or all of the above.

All evangelists, whether they are young or old, will be tempted with a distraction or two when preaching the gospel. Distractions will always present themselves. Which is why I believe that the issue many evangelist’s face is not with the distraction per se, the issue in these cases is their ignorance. They do not know how to overcome the distractions that come their way.

So the question we need to ask ourself is: How can an evangelist overcome the many distractions that seek to interrupt and overthrow the preaching of the good news to others?

Distracted

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

The goal of any distraction is to stop the person from doing what they have been assigned to do. In these cases, distractions strategically, interrupt and divert your focus away from preaching the gospel to the unsaved. Think about it this way, a distractor knows that if you become disturbed or troubled by their intrusion, your attention will be temporally diverted away from the evangelical assignment before you. You are no longer focused on presenting the good news to the unsaved. Which subsequently means that the unsaved souls will remain separated from the word of salvation, until the evangelist refocuses his eyes back on Jesus.

‘How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?’ Romans 10:14,

so, what should you do when distractions come your way?

Stand on Guard

Proverbs 4:25-27 ESV

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

Being aware of the various forms of distractions that may come your way and knowing how to overcome them is very important for any evangelist witnessing on the streets of this land. Which is why, the following advice is based on biblical principles given to strengthen your faith during testing times.

Evangelist seeking to overcome distractions should:

Pray: Always pray into a mission. Pray. Pray. Pray. Prayer ushers you into the presence of God, leading you to trust in him. Philippians 4:6-7 says “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
1. Do not underestimate a distraction: Do not be caught off guard by a distraction. Remember, what may start of as a subtle interruption can easily escalate into a big fiasco if not discerned. When you have some time, why don’t you take a look at Nehemiah’s response to his distractor's when he discerned their deceptive strategies in Nehemiah 6:1-14
2. Ground yourself in God’s guidance – Respond to the distraction through the direction of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit led you to the place to evangelise, he will also give you the counsel to overcome the distraction before you (John 14: 26)
3. Maintain Focus: Distractions generally seek to target your weaknesses, by leading you to focus on what you cannot do, rather than what God is doing . Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:2-3 “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” Evangelist, remain devoted to Christ by keeping your eyes on him and him only.
4. Maintain humble: It is easy to operate in the flesh, when your soul wants to respond to the distraction that rudely interrupted you . But, instead of negatively responding to the distraction with your own understanding. Humble yourself and allow God to help you as he expresses his wisdom to and through you ( 1 Corinthians 3:19)
5. You have Authority: Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. - Luke 10:19. Do not be afraid of distractive attacks. Instead remember, that Jesus has given you authority over ALL the power of the enemy. Nothing can harm you. You do not have to give away your God-given authority in Christ to another, because of fear.
6. Be Joyful: James 1: 2-4 tells us to ‘Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.’ James 1: 2-4. When distractions test your faith, know that endurance is seeking conception in your life. Be joyful, knowing that just as the devil is at work, so is God. God is working out a better plan for your life.

Finally, Evangelist, keep your eyes on the Lord, even in the midst of distractions, and the Lord will teach you what to do.

And when in doubt, I urge you to pray Psalm 86:11, which says:

Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. The Lord is faithful to teach you and give you an undivided heart.