Evangelism – a word that strikes fear in the heart of many. That goes for evangelizers and evangelizees.  It’s is a very misunderstood word.  Even among the church, even among evangelists, there is some confusion and disagreement.  Imagine that, disagreement in the church.

Some hold to the classic method of sharing the Gospel Message and then leading the individual in a prayer.  The prayer is called “the sinner’s prayer,” or “the prayer of salvation,” or the prayer of commitment,” or some other creative term.  Many would argue that this prayer is not scriptural and therefore this method is flawed and potentially ineffective.   I agree… sort of.

It is our commission to make disciples.  This commitment to Jesus that includes understanding of your sinful nature and your need for a savior is critical.  This prayer is needed, but its not the end goal.  Many would present the prayer as the end of a journey to knowing Jesus and making Him your Lord and Savior. This is where we differ.  In reality, it is a start.  It is the first step in a journey called discipleship.  Personally, I see no better place to start than prayer.  It solidifies the commitment and points to the personal relationship between Savior and saved. The problem comes when we then breath a sigh of relief and act like we’re done until Jesus comes.

Prayer is part of discipleship.  It must then be followed by reading the Bible, connecting to the local church, serving, etc. We start with prayer and then get to work.  We do a great disservice to the Gospel when we do anything less.  We cause confusion when we present the gospel this way, because the idea of an instant change/turnaround is expected. The reality for most us that this is a lifelong process of change that starts with a prayer.