Often the pastoral staff at Tomoka Christian Church, where I am privileged to serve, is asked this question, “What do you do for evangelism?” We pondered this question the first time we were asked, but now have a standard response of “Everything!”
Every ministry that Tomoka Christian Church is a part of is an evangelistic weapon. The church was given only one mission.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ ” –Matthew 28:18-20
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” –Acts 1:8
Why do churches think they exclude evangelism and still please God or even be called the church of Jesus Christ? We have one target, one aim, one victory: SOULS SAVED! Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians 9:19-26: “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.”
What an amazing statement of purpose. Paul says that whatever it takes we should win souls for Jesus! He also says we should become all things to all men so that some might be saved. This vision should drive the church of Jesus to work both locally and globally. Soul winning should be the goal of all ministries. If it is not, the ministry should be eliminated as dead weight from the body of Christ.
Therefore, a few of the evangelism ministries that Tomoka Christian Church is involved in are:
- Nursery Ministry
- Preschool ministry
- Grade School ministry
- Middle school ministry
- High school ministry
- College ministry
- Amazing Grays (Senior citizens)
- Daytona Outreach Center
- Celebrate Recovery
- Worship & Creative Arts
- Sandwich Ministry for homeless
- Prayer Ministry
- Church Camp
- Vacation Bible School
- Nursing Home ministry
- Prison/jail ministry
- Food Pantry
- Hispanic Ministry
- Home School Ministry
- Jesus Clinic – free medical care
- Sports Ministry
- Angel Food Ministry
- Biblical Counseling Ministry
- Hospital Visitation Ministry
- Life Groups
- Holy Ground Café (benefits mission teams)
- Sermons on CD Ministry
- Thrift Store (proceeds benefit missions)
- Biblical Counseling
- Adoption Ministry
- Celebrate Recovery
- Parking Ministry
- Christian Motorcyclists
- Fall Carnival to the community
- Legal Counsel Ministry
- Community Clean-up Ministry
- Guest Relations
- Military Ministry
- Homeless Sandwich Ministry
- Pro-Life Ministry
- Radio Ministry
- Transportation Ministry
- Sermons online
- Weekly Email Express
- Ministry to shut-ins
- Widows Ministry
- Griefshare Ministry
Next we address the big issue of global evangelism. One of our goals at Tomoka Christian Church is to plant a church in every nation in the world and every state in the United States, in every major city in Florida, and in key cities in Volusia County. This is being carried out through our Missions Ministry.
More tomorrow!
