When I first saw this I found myself simultaneously stunned, in awe, wonder, and captivated by the talent of both of these artist’s which lead me immediately to being thankful to our great God who gives us such incredible talents and gifts. I can’t imagine the risk that Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood took as they collaboratively decided to do this particular song on such a large stage. Their example gives us some important reminders about evangelism and the importance of presenting the gospel in a variety of ways to a variety of people.

Excellence:

Excellence is important. One of the things I love about this video is the response in the crowd. As they listen to these epic words that have been sung by countless christians throughout the decades, the audience is first impacted by the excellence of musicianship and the vocal ability. This excellence paves a path for the reception and consideration of the words of this hymn. In fact, towards the end of the clip you see some famous artists moved to tears. This pursuit of excellence is important for every christian. The way in which you share the gospel can be multi faceted. This can be done through speech, music, the arts, and more. Therefore, pursuit of excellence should be a priority for believers.

Conviction/Execution:

They followed through with both conviction and executed flawlessly. There was not a hint of hesitation. Possibly the most crippling challenge for anyone is the lack of conviction which results in the in ability to execute. We all have great ideas when it comes to evangelism and how we can share Christ with those that we love, but how often do we actually execute that idea? Being able to follow through is important. This simple act of execution is crucial for everyone.

Boldness:

This song choice was not without risk. Both Vince and Carrie knew the possible negative press that could come from their song choice. In fact, I can imagine some PR specialists asking them to reconsider the song based on recent events with religious freedom and the issue of homosexuality in Indiana that has hit the front page of news. Regardless of the potential risk, both Vince and Carrie were bold in their decision and followed through with excellence. At times the possible negative outcome can sway our decision making process. In fact, it can cause us to question not only our decisions but our motives and beliefs. Acts 4:29 is worth noting, the first century church believers plead with the Lord to give them boldness as they speak truth about what Christ has done. Therefore, it would be wise for us to echo this same prayer for our lives.

The post 3 Things Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood Taught Us About Evangelism appeared first on Joel's Travels.

As beautiful as the view was, it wasn’t enough. I woke up at 5am with my friend Jason so we could hike up Hanauma Bay Ridge in Hawaii. We wanted to see the sunrise before we left Hawaii after the conference we just attended. By the time I got to the top and watched the sunrise I was stunned. It was breathtaking. The warm orange glow began to burn through the dark clouds. In an instant it burned right through and lit up the bay in front of me. And then I had the realization. As powerful as this view was, it was not enough. This view in and of itself did not proclaim the Gospel to me. I began to consider how many people have hiked up to this very same point, surveyed the beauty in front of them, and then walked down without ever hearing the beautiful proclamation of the gospel. That God not only created all this but Christ  conquered sin and death that he might restore us in our relationship with God.

What Does Creation Do?

It causes us to ask questions. How did something so beautiful come into existence. Who crafted such beauty? John Calvin is correct when discussing creation he states, “The clarity of God’s self disclosure strips us of every excuse”. The excuse he describes is the acknowledgment that there is in fact something greater than us. We must consider and come to the realization of our finite stature in the midst of this creator. However, in regards to our ability to take the next leap in knowing God, Calvin rightly states, ”

“But although the Lord represents both himself and his everlasting Kingdom in the mirror of his works with very great clarity, such is our stupidity that we grow increasingly dull toward so manifest testimonies and they flow away without profiting us” – John Calvin

I fell trap to this stupidity. Almost immediately as I walked down away from the sunrise and the view, I began focus on everything except that which would profit me. As soon as I realized this was happening, I came to the conclusion that the scenic beauty was not enough.

What Creation Does Not Do:

• Proclaim who Jesus is
• Declare that God created all things simply by speaking it into existence
• Identify our great sin and need for rescue
• Proclaim the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ

Creation does not Proclaim the Gospel to us, but when we know the Gospel; creation becomes so much more impressive.

As we understand the Gospel and the goodness of God we tend to grow in our appreciation for all created things. Not only do we value creation but we are lead down a road where we realize that God values us even more than creation. Unlike creation, in Genesis 1 he blesses man and gives man dominion over created things.

Clear and Bold Proclamation of the Gospel is Necessary:

If creation is not enough, than the responsibility falls on Christians to clearly communicate the goodness of the Gospel.

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It’s not ok to wait and hope that someone else will share the gospel. – @Muddamalle
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Or that creation itself can do the work of gospel proclamation. That is our job. We declare the goodness of the gospel and then rely on the Holy Spirit to do the work of conviction, restoration, and sanctification.

Enjoy the goodness of Gods creation. And allow the next sunrise or sunset you see to remind you of the opportunities that you have to share the gospel.

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