When the Apostle Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, he was
on death row–imprisoned by Roman authorities who felt threatened by his
relentless preaching and the rising influence of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ.
Paul’s circumstances, however, only served to embolden his zeal for evangelism, which he shared with his protégé in this second letter.
Paul encouraged Timothy: “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:2-5).
Times haven’t changed that much. There are still many parts of this world where proclaiming the Gospel carries a great risk. Yet it is still our responsibility as individual Christians, wherever we are, to speak up like Paul and Timothy–to do the work of an evangelist and tell as many as we can the Good News of Christ’s atonement for our sins.
The Good News of God’s love still has a powerful appeal. In Bogotá, Colombia, we had the largest attendance for a kids’ Festival in the history of Franklin Graham Festivals. During our Rock the River tour, the crowd gathered under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was far more than we could have seated in the Cardinals’ major league baseball stadium nearby.
I begin next year with a Crusade in Chennai, India, the fifth largest city in the world’s second most populous nation. We praise God for this opportunity to proclaim the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and ask that you cover us with your prayers.
Thank you for standing with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in the work of evangelism. Your support enables us to plan, prepare and to preach the Gospel around the world and to see the wondrous fruit of evangelism–souls saved from the dominion of sin and brought into the Kingdom of God.
We are not alone in this work. The Creator of the world and the Savior of mankind is with us every step of the way. “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily” (Colossians 1:28-29).
Paul’s circumstances, however, only served to embolden his zeal for evangelism, which he shared with his protégé in this second letter.
Paul encouraged Timothy: “Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:2-5).
Times haven’t changed that much. There are still many parts of this world where proclaiming the Gospel carries a great risk. Yet it is still our responsibility as individual Christians, wherever we are, to speak up like Paul and Timothy–to do the work of an evangelist and tell as many as we can the Good News of Christ’s atonement for our sins.
The Good News of God’s love still has a powerful appeal. In Bogotá, Colombia, we had the largest attendance for a kids’ Festival in the history of Franklin Graham Festivals. During our Rock the River tour, the crowd gathered under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was far more than we could have seated in the Cardinals’ major league baseball stadium nearby.
I begin next year with a Crusade in Chennai, India, the fifth largest city in the world’s second most populous nation. We praise God for this opportunity to proclaim the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and ask that you cover us with your prayers.
Thank you for standing with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in the work of evangelism. Your support enables us to plan, prepare and to preach the Gospel around the world and to see the wondrous fruit of evangelism–souls saved from the dominion of sin and brought into the Kingdom of God.
We are not alone in this work. The Creator of the world and the Savior of mankind is with us every step of the way. “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily” (Colossians 1:28-29).
No comments:
Post a Comment