July 11, 2024 / by Jyothi Kudari
Evangelism or outreach stirs up emotions of uneasiness, fright, a sense of obligation, indifference, reluctance, or excitement to varying degrees.
At times, we are tempted to think that it is the church’s responsibility, not ours. In his book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney says, “Evangelism is a natural outflow of the Christian life. Every Christian should be able to talk about what the Lord has done for him or her and what He (the Lord) means to him or her.” He persuades that evangelism is a Spiritual Discipline. Whitney encourages us, “Unless we discipline ourselves for evangelism, we can easily excuse ourselves from ever sharing the gospel with anyone.”
That may have sounded preachy, but as an encouragement, I would like to share how the Lord has enabled us, in a small way, to be part of such a noble and “task unfinished” of sharing the Gospel, not at all in our own strength or ability but through the grace of the Lord. When we arrived in Bloomington, we were pleasantly surprised with the number of Indians in town. Over a period of time, God placed a burden on our hearts to reach them with the gospel, as that alone offers hope to them. We began to pray and explore possibilities to bring them together, at least a few, and to present the gospel. We had some idea that if we invited them for Christmas, Easter, Good Friday, or Thanksgiving, they would join us without much resistance, reluctance, or hesitation. Praise the Lord! And in His enormous grace, he provided us with such opportunities time and again. A few of them turned into hundreds of them. To our joy, many began to enquire about such gatherings even before we organized them!
This Easter, we hosted a gathering where we invited many families with whom we’ve developed good friendships. These relationships were made through personal interactions at parks, playgrounds, shopping centers, doctor’s offices, children’s activities, workplaces, etc. With my limited communication skills, I simply introduce myself to others and share my testimony.
Most of the time, these conversations grow into friendships. In our outreach invitations, we transparently communicate the purpose and the program of our gatherings, which enables us to freely and openly share the gospel. This Easter, God allowed us to host more than a hundred people, including many children. We presented them with children’s activities, songs, action songs, and the gospel. Of course, Indian gatherings typically end with a good lunch or dinner. At the end, we offer gifts. We intentionally prepare these gifts with goodies, gospel literature, and a Bible for every family and child. We pray that God would grant them a desire to read them and change their hearts by His word.
Evangelism or outreach, though what we do is very small, has been allowing us to witness the manifestation of God’s work in people’s lives, to experience the joy of the Lord, and to have the privilege of sharing the Gospel, which is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
Jyothi and her husband, Elia Kudari, have been attending East White Oak Bible Church for the past 15 years. They have three daughters: Doxa, Hannah, and Joy. Jyothi is a homeschooling mom who participates in the nursery and children’s church. She enjoys hosting outreach events, meeting people, and sharing her testimony.
Learn more about Neighboring!
Consider how you can serve your neighbors by visiting the East White Oak Outreach page and discover creative ways to serve your neighbors, make disciples, and read some fantastic stories! Download this Community Engagement Guide or grab a printed copy at the Gospel Resource display at church to learn how to engage with and share your faith with a simple 3-Circle Gospel Outline!
We’re praying for your outreach! Do you have a story to share? Contact [email protected].
