Honest Thoughts from a Pastor

Each of us is passionate about something. For some, it’s sports. Others are passionate about yard work, hunting, or fill in the blank with one of your favorite things.

Today, I had the privilege of attending the Creative Evangelism Summit at Southern Wesleyan University. It included three generations of the Clyde Dupin family. Clyde is the patriarch. His two sons (both are pastors) and three grandsons (two pastors and one who is not in vocational ministry) were all on stage. My friends, Pastors Mark Wilson and Heath Mullikin led the discussion. They shared several things about this often dismissed subject of evangelism. Many pastors and churches have emphasized discipleship to the point that they fail to remember that disciples share the gospel and led unbelievers to Christ. There were three key elements that kept popping up to me in this event: passion, love, and the Holy Spirit.

Passion is contagious. When someone is passionate about something, you see that in the way he or she talks about and actually does anything related to it. Clyde Dupin was very passionate about the times he shared the gospel. This man who is in the latter years of his life is so passionate about sharing Jesus with those who don’t know Him. Passion is key to a thriving ministry.

Love is also a key ingredient in a thriving ministry. As Clyde Dupin shared about the times he shared the gospel, you could hear the love for the souls of people as he spoke. He did not share the gospel out of obligation. He shared because he wanted to see unbelievers cross from death to life. No matter how wicked someone had been, Clyde Dupin lovingly and relentlessly shared the gospel with people.

The Holy Spirit is the One who does the work. We are obedient vessels, but God’s Spirit moves in the hearts of people. One of the Dupins spoke of the need for us to seek and invite the work of the Holy Spirit into the work we do for the Lord.

I know I need these three ingredients in what I do. I want to be fully passionate about my service for the Lord and for people to pick up on it. I want to love people so much that I will relentlessly share the gospel until they are saved. I want to be full of the Holy Spirit and see Him working at every corner. May we all long for these things and see God’s power at work through them.