From the beginning, The Salvation Army has grasped the need to combine service and evangelism. Our founder William Booth once asked, "What is the use of preaching the gospel to men whose whole attention is concentrated upon a mad, desperate struggle to keep themselves alive?"
For such people, words alone do not suffice. But how do we faithfully combine the mandates to evangelize and serve? I believe that evangelism through service should always have at least three elements:
First, it should be intentional. As the church becomes more socially conscious, we must create opportunities for believers to serve others. We cannot simply assume any "random act of kindness" will result in meaningful ministry. But when we approach every effort with a spirit of expectation, believing that we are partnering with God to both change circumstances and transform lives, amazing things happen.
Being intentional begins with simple prayers for God to show us opportunities where we can go deeper by investing more ...
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