Scattering Seeds of Hope by Jeremy Marshall and Mary Davis

 

SEEDS OF HOPE

by Jeremy Marshall and Mary Davis

The first chapter addresses the elephant in the room namely the excuse we all make - I'm not an evangelist. What we are really saying is we are afraid. Afraid of how people will react, what they will say specifically if they ask questions we cannot answer but Jeremy shows that we are all being evangelistic at present in our day to day lives. We just need to practice more and where better to start than with our own families and friends or even those we work with. Yes it would be nice to have training and it is something out local churches should actually address by offering helpful seminars if possible. But at the end of the day we should start with our own story. It doesn't matter what people think of us, God knows and He is aware we might experience difficulties. Remember the verse - "greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." Also remember "he came into his own and his own did not accept him" the point is simple - Jesus went through similar opposition but he didn't give up. His own disciples failed at times but on the day of Pentecost they were given the Holy Spirit who helped them and set the world on fire as a result.

I loved chapter 2 in this book! It was all about Scattering Seeds. Jeremy uses a classic example - how do we respond on a Monday morning when asked how our weekend went? So often we fudge the issue about attending church. Why? We are actually embarrassed about our faith. Yes everybody's situation is different and we need to adjust our approach to those we meet but it is God who works in us and through us for his own good pleasure. What encouragement this is! To know that the little we do can have such an impact ... And sometimes we think it is wasted or a useless effort.

Jeremy goes on in the book to talk about the power of ...

Stories

Questions

Weakness

Enthusiasm

Social media

Prayer and the Holy Spirit

God's word

Yes I loved each aspect particularly as some of these have worked in my own life but what was amazing was hearing Jeremy's own story and his own efforts in respect of each. Jeremy battled with cancer for 10 years and he was never afraid to tell everyone and use his story to focus on Christ. It is clear his faith meant everything to him and impacts this life so much.

There is a lovely story used as an example. A person who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer travelled a lot of miles one night to hear Jeremy speak and afterwards Jeremy took time to talk with this person. A short time after this person died and Jeremy received a letter thanking him for taking the time with this man as it helped him on his journey of faith.

The power of stories

How we can use stories from the bible to show people their need of Christ. Using this method helps people to relax. Why? They are personal and intriguing. For example - how do you relate to a person who has lived all their life as a scoundrel, has taken alcohol and drugs yet at the end of their life came to faith? Yet their brother lived a very moral life, given lots to charity but never thought of Christ. The example here is the Prodigal Son and in particular the reaction of the elder brother when the son came home. God is the father and we are either one of the sons. The younger relies on his father's love whereas the older son believes his father owes him. 

I am not religious - example Nicodemus in John 3

I cannot believe in a living God with so much suffering - think of the widow of Nain in Luke 7

Doubts and fears - example of Jesus in the boat with his disciples in the middle of the storm in Mark 4

Why use stories?

They are a model drawn straight from Jesus

The word of God is powerful than anything we can say from our own intellect or creativity

We want to make much of Jesus

The power of questions

Jesus asked a lot of questions. Questions make us think. They show interest. They help clarify. They build relationship.

The hardest people to talk about the gospel and keep it on the agenda are close family or friends who have heard it all  before. We need to ask for their permission as to how much we say and show respect when they don't want to talk. Then prayer becomes our default and belief in the power of the seed.

Jeremy makes reference to Becky Pippert (I have read her books on evangelism) and how she always looks for common ground to connect with people.

Questions give us an opportunity to listen, to get to know people, to be a real friend. Sometimes they give us an opportunity to speak of how Christ has helped us and what he means to us.

The Power of Weakness

Jeremy's first book Beyond the big C tells the story of how Jeremy suffered with cancer and it is this suffering that has made people willing to listen to him. 

When something awful happens or someone dies we think about the world  differently. As Christians we have an enduring hope and during weakness and suffering we have an incredible opportunity to talk about it. It is really a matter of picking our opportunities carefully and using them to show that in weakness we are made strong. We have no choice in regards to suffering but we must remember the greatest example of all - Jesus suffered, bled and died for our sins to bring us back to God. We can do nothing more than bring people to the suffering God-man who can and will help  us as well as others.

The power of enthusiasm

Sometimes we can be half-hearted when we talk about Jesus. We don't talk about him much because we don't feel much. Why is this? We need to go deeper into Christ, to know him more and love him more. Then we will have something to talk about.

Evangelism and how we live should go hand in hand. We need to look and feel radically different. But are we this in practice? Are we really living for Jesus? Loving Jesus? Following Jesus as we should and delighting in him?

Jeremy talks about creating a virtuous circle - little by little our lives become distinctive and at the same time we become more willing to talk about our faith.

"Evangelism is man's work but the giving of faith is God's." J I Packer

Remember Jesus' last instruction to his disciples included the words "Lo I am will you always." Through the power of God's word he can change lives. When this happens our faith grows and we realise his promises are just as true today as they were 2000 years ago.

The power of social media

Jeremy used social media and called it ministry. He believed there were real opportunities to share your faith through social media. He includes in this chapter examples of how he has posted various small pieces including gospel verses on social media and the response he had received.

He looks at how our evangelistic efforts need to go beyond the church attendance which used to be more common . We have become unimaginative in our methods expecting people to come to us. The biblical command is not only to invite people to come to meetings but in particular for us to go out

As we meet people in informal and accessible settings the word of God will do its work and people will get to hear what is in the bible. Then when they eventually come to church they will understand what it's all about.

The power of prayer and the Holy Spirit

"Prayer is work. Prayer is hard work and it needs to be the engine room of church life. If truth be told, we would rather make plans than pray." John McKinnon

We need to pray. Pray before we talk to our friends, pray while we're talking to them about Jesus - and pray afterwards as well.

The only thing we need are a quiet place, a quiet heart and a quiet hour - David McIntyre said.

Do you remember someone who prayed for you before you came to faith in Christ?

Remember the devil actively tries to block the truth. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ. With the intervention of prayer all things become possible and the devil's grip is loosened. People are born again only by the work of God not by us but we are his agents. We can spread the word and he uses that to transform people and enable them to be born again. The ultimate evangelist is God not us. He uses us for sure but we must ask for his help. We are reminded that without Christ nothing is impossible.

The Power of God's word

We have an amazing resource in God's word. It is only our job to scatter seeds, pray and let the word do the work. Think of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8.  What an amazing example of how to look at God's word with someone else. Small amounts of God's word can work miracles and Jeremy shares examples of that in this book. Sharing a cup of coffee and God's word is all that is needed with an individual. 

Did you know that one in three people want to know more about Jesus after having a conversation with a Christian friend about their faith? About 24% of people who come to follow Jesus do so through reading the Bible.

At the end of this book Jeremy encourages the reader to share their faith with someone. He says start with your own story and work from there. Pray about those who God really wants to hear his story, that you will be given the opportunity to share with them - it is all about scattering seeds wherever we go.

I have really been blessed and encouraged by reading this book and recommend it to every Christian to read it and put what is said into practice. I know I certainly will be doing just that!