Where did Jesus do His evangelism? Did Jesus conduct His evangelism in the synagogue in Nazareth on Friday nights? He may have, but it is not recorded that He did! In fact, Jesus spoke to people wherever they were, usually individually:
- As Jesus was walking along a beach, Jesus saw Peter, James, John fishing with their nets and boats.
- He spoke to them right there and then. He did NOT ask them to come to church before He spoke to them!
- Sitting by a well Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman.
- Jesus spoke to Matthew as he was collecting taxes!
- In a graveyard, Jesus ministered to a demon possessed man. He did not take the demon possessed man to the synagogue!
- Jesus saw Zacchaeus up a sycamore tree, and spoke to him whilst in a tree, not in a church!
- When the Jews were about to stone the woman caught in adultery to death, Jesus spoke to her about her sin!
- Jesus spoke to the rich young ruler whilst he was on his horse!
- Jesus spoke to the repentant thief on the Cross!
What about Jesus’ disciples?
Jesus actually sent out 72 disciples, not 12 as is commonly supposed! Did He send His disciples to have evangelistic meetings in synagogues?
“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’
If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.” Luke 10:1-12.
- Jesus sent His 72 disciples out into the villages and towns to minister to the people in their own homes, or on the streets of their neighbourhood.
- Guess what! Jesus Christ is sending you and us into the world in the same way!
- Do not expect the world to come to your church to be saved!
- Jesus told us to go into the world to meet people.
- Jesus and His disciples did not conduct their evangelism in the local synagogues!
- Their evangelism was on beaches, in market places, and in people’s own homes and streets!
- In fact the spoke to people wherever they were!
- They took the church to the people!
- Do not try to hard to get the people to your church!
- It is not what Jesus recommended!
- And it does not work as well as going to the people!