Passion for the Gospel (Greg Laurie)

from an email August 6, 2006

Over the course of this summer I've been listening each morning on my drive to work to Chuck Swindoll's "Insight for Living" on the local Christian radio station (99.5 WDCX from 8:00-8:30am if anyone wants some good listening :)

The other morning they were giving this free gift away to anyone who called in for the first time, so I did :) The free gift was a book called "Passion for the Gospel" that's cowritten by him and evangelist Greg Laurie. Here's some quotes from the little 80 page book. Enjoy.

Sharing Christ is not just a gift … it's a command, and a marvellous privilege. – Charles Swindoll (pg v)

I liked this one! Actually when I first heard him say it on the radio I let out one of the loudest "AMENS" ever! Yes, "evangelism" is one of the spiritual gifts, but sharing Christ and being evangelist is not just a gift! It's a command!

I think that people need to understand that when you engage in evangelism you are doing something that Satan hates because you're invading his territory - Greg Laurie (pg 4)

Evangelism should be a gentle dialogue, where you're building a bridge, not burning one. - Great Laurie (pg 6)

I've heard the saying "building bridges" like 1000 times this summer working in the Bridge Office of the Ministry of Transportation! So having it relate to evangelism was cool. Its kind of funny too, cause earlier in the summer I heard a different pastor say this exact same thing, about the church building bridges back to the world. Listen to this next quote too...

The world is not supposed to go into the church; the church is supposed to go into the world. - Greg Laurie (pg 77)

Its so true! Jesus said "GO" but how often do we as the body of Christ just sit there hoping that more and more people will come to us or come to our churches or meetings?!

God can use every Christian to share the gospel with great effect. And I'll even add that I believe God can use every Christian to bring other people into the kingdom. – Greg Laurie (pg 10)

Then we tell ourselves, 'Well I'm not [such and such evangelist], you know, I don't have the gift, and so that's not really my role.' But we're all to be engaged in the work of making Christ known. So I think people ought to stop thinking about whether they're evangelists or not. – Charles Swindoll (pg 11)

Even atheists have moments of doubt. – C.S. Lewis (pg 12)

This one especially encouraged me, cause at Mac, Guelph and Waterloo with Campus for Christ we're preparing for a "Does God Exist Debate" with Joe Boot in October. So being reminded that even the hard-corest atheist has doubts was encouraging.

The ones who put up the biggest fight are often much closer to conversion than those who don't fight at all. – Greg Laurie (pg 63)

Our personal testimony is perhaps the most important tool in our personal evangelism toolbox. – Greg Laurie (pg 22)

It wasn't nails that held Jesus to that cross that day, it was love for you. – Greg Laurie (pg 26)