I said on Tuesday that my goal for 2008 was to share the gospel with more people than I did in 2007. Easier said than done. I've made these types of resolutions in the past and haven't always followed through with them. After hearing a convicting sermon on the importance of evangelism I get myself all ramped up to go out and start a small revival in my town. I envision myself confidently sharing the gospel with strangers and them falling at my feet crying out, "What must I do to be saved?" I imagine myself walking into Starbuck's and hearing one employee say to another, "Boy, I wish someone could tell me how to get to heaven." But it never works out this way. Evangelism is hard, and the constant presence of the fear of man and selfishness doesn't make it any easier. That's why I need a plan of attack. My plan for 2008 has two parts:

Plan to pray

The simple truth is, I'm never going to change apart from the supernatural help of God. I can't change on my own. I'm too weak, too sinful, to easily discouraged. I need the power of God Himself. And so I plan on praying regularly that God would do two things. First, I'll be praying that He gives me opportunities to share the gospel. I'll be praying that God opens many doors for me to proclaim the message of salvation. Second, and perhaps even more important, I'll be praying for courage to take those opportunities. I'll be pleading with God for Spurgeon-like boldness to share the gospel. I need doors, and I need courage to step through those doors.

Plan to plan

Sharing the gospel also takes a certain amount of strategic planning. If I'm going to grow in evangelism, I need to plan on spending time with non-Christians. This planning isn't anything fancy. I won't be going out to Staples and purchasing a new PDA to help me with this strategic planning. All I need is a cellphone and a calendar. I'll pick up my cellphone, call a non-Christian friend, and ask him if he wants to go to lunch. When he says yes, I'll then write down the date in my calendar. Then I'll return to step one, and plan to pray. Evangelism requires a plan.

I'm glad I've got a plan, but my hope for change isn't ultimately in my plan. It's in God Himself. God is eager to help me change. He's eager to help me grow evangelism. He wants to see sinners saved even more than I do. So my hope rests not in the plan, but in God. May He receive all the glory.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some phone calls to make.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

Okay, I think I've figured out my New Year's resolution. Actually, 'resolution' isn't the right word. It's more like, my 2008 spiritual goal. My goal for the year 2008 is (cue drum roll and semi-angelic sounding choir in the background): hang out with Christians less!

I need to explain this one. I've noticed that I hang out almost exclusively with Christians. I go to church with Christians. After church I play basketball with fellow Christian jocks. I go out for lunch with Christians, watch movies with Christians, and write blog posts to help Christians. Rarely do I find myself in the company of non-Christians. In fact, I don't even like hanging out with non-Christians that much. I would much rather hang out in my comfortable little Christian bubble, where everybody smiles and music by Steven Curtis Chapman is always on in the background. I'm a selfish Christian.

This really needs to change. I've been changed, radically changed, by the message of the gospel. God found me, saved me, changed me, cleansed me, freed me, and is sanctifying me by the power of the gospel. I must share this glorious, life-changing, soul-saving, God-glorifying message with others. I can't be silent when millions of people around me are on the fast-track to a blistering eternity in hell. The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. It's a powerful, explosive, life-changing message. Oh how I want to share that power with others!

And so by God's grace I'll share the gospel with more people in 2008 than I did in 2007. By God's grace I'll spend less time hanging out with Christians and more time hanging out with those who don't know Jesus.

I like Steven Curtis Chapman, but I'm ready for a different soundtrack this year. It's time to bust my bubble.

What's your spiritual goal for 2008?

Many of us have unsaved relatives that we see infrequently, or only once a year at Christmas.

What if they're not open to the gospel? Maybe they're downright opposed to Christ. What if God has yet to open a door to share the good news with them? What's a believer to do? Here are some suggestions.

1. Pray

Before they come, pray that the Lord would open doors for the gospel and give you an opportunity to share it with them. Ask the Lord for a sincere love for them, the grace serve them and that they would see Christ in you.

2. Serve

I can easily sink into a selfish malaise at family gatherings, especially after meals. I find myself lying on the couch drifting into oblivion or staring comatose-like at the television. By God's grace, what I try to do is to look for opportunities to serve. It may be something as simple as clearing the table or doing dishes. Unbelievers are watching us. Let our goal be to show them Christ, who did not come to be served but to serve and give his life for others.

3. Serve their Children

Before family get-togethers I have often told my kids that our goal for the evening is to try to make sure our relatives have the best time they possibly can, especially their children. Serve your relatives' children, and encourage your children to serve their children. For many years after our Thanksgiving meal with relatives, I would do a Christmas craft with all the kids. We'd make Christmas ornaments with Play Dough or 3-d Christmas trees out of construction paper, glitter and beads.

Remember, Jesus welcomed children, blessed them, and said that when we receive a child in his name we receive him.

4. Take an Interest in Them

Seek to take a sincere interest in your relatives. Ask them about their jobs, hobbies and interests. Ask them what kind of Christmas traditions they had as kids. Ask them about their favorite childhood Christmas presents or memories. Ask them about their health if you are aware of any problems. You could offer to pray for them if it seems appropriate.

Look to the interests of others as Christ looked to our interests.

Let your light shine

The whole goal is to "let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Mt. 5:16). Perhaps God will give you the opportunity to share the gospel with them. If not this Christmas, maybe next. Keep praying for their salvation. Who knows, God may do something in the future that will make them open to the good news of Jesus Christ.

I'd love to hear any suggestions or ways that you have found to love, bless and show Christ to your relatives. Thanks.

Here's the truth: I stink at evangelism. I know some people that are really gifted in evangelism, people that are able to share the gospel with anyone at any time. They share the gospel with Starbuck's Baristas, Wal-Mart cashiers, doctors, car mechanics, and anyone else that happens to cross their path. They have unnatural, God-given boldness. They don't fear rejection, or the awkward silence that follows telling someone about Jesus.

I'm not like this at all. I'm timid and I hate awkward situations. I'm not a big fan of rejection. I would be more comfortable inviting a Starbuck's Barista to a manure shoveling party than to church. But I desperately want to grow. I hate my fear of man that keeps me from proclaiming the glories of Christ crucified to a dying and desperate world. I hate my sinful timidity. I want God-given, unnatural, gospel-preaching boldness.

Which brings me to this past Sunday. The sermon was on the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian, and one of the application points was that the Holy Spirit gives us boldness to proclaim the gospel. When these words were spoken I felt my heart stir within me. After the sermon I asked one of the small group leaders in the church to pray for me that God would increase my boldness and help me to grow in sharing the gospel.

Fast forward approximately 4 hours. I've just finished playing basketball with a number of guys from church, plus two guys I don't know. After the game, I walk over to one of the guys and start talking to him. We make small talk for a while, discussing college, the business world, and wearing a shirt and tie everyday. Then I ask him about church. He doesn't do church too much he tells me. At this point I would normally end the conversation with a half-hearted invitation to the church. But things keep going.

We talk about what it means to have a personal faith in Jesus, and I'm able to share about how God has changed my life. I'm also able to share a portion of the gospel with him, explaining that I'm a sinner before God, and that I need Jesus in my life. He listens while I talk. Doesn't argue, doesn't put up any smoke screens. Just listens. Then we go our separate ways.

I went home rejoicing! God had answered my prayer for boldness, giving me both the opportunity and the courage to share the gospel. How grateful I am to God.

And so now I hereby proclaim this "International Share The Gospel" week. Ask God for two things today. First, ask for the courage to share the gospel. Second, ask Him for the opportunity to share the gospel. These are prayers that God loves to answer.

After you share the gospel with someone this week, tell us about it via comment. I can't wait to hear the stories.