That is an interesting perspective, and probably pretty accurate. I know of one or two cases where a person came to faith without a human evangelist involved. (His testimony: I saw a Gideon Bible in the hotel and I took it and read it from cover to cover and that’s how I came to faith.”) But that surely doesn’t happen very often.

Your post brings me back to a verse that I’ve been pondering for a couple months as I’m trying to learn more about what faith really is and where it comes from: Romans 10:17 “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

From this verse it seems that evangelism (coming to faith) happens in the context of the word of Christ. I suppose the usual vehicle for the word of Christ is a person, but it could be a book or a tract or even a TV preacher–just some way for the word of Christ to be put forth.

I agreed rather strongly with this article especially these points:

Anyone who ever truly came to faith in Christ did so after the Holy Spirit convinced him of his sin and revealed to him the way of salvation. We must keep in mind, however, that the Holy Spirit’s ability to convict unbelievers of sin hinges on our obedience to communicate the Gospel. Without the preaching of this message the sinner would not have a basis for repentance, and would not be able to receive Jesus.

This is a point that a lot of modern evangelism misses. It’s as though many in the church abandoned the Holy Spirit and instead presumed that a Christian version of How to Win Friends and Influence People was the way to gain converts.

I have heard believers pray that someone would get convicted of their sin and come to faith in Christ. Such prayers are really useless if no one ever bothers to share the Gospel with them because God has ordained that men, not angels or the Holy Spirit, preach the Gospel. A more biblical method of prayer for the lost is described by Jesus himself.

This is indeed a sad and (my personal feelings) repulsive truth. I see this often and I normally point out (in private, or at an opportune time) that while we’re in here praying for the Holy Spirit to convict someone, we are avoiding our responsibilities. The Holy Spirit is not a person who “bears the load” of evangelism for us, rather he gives us the wisdom, courage and content by which to evangelize ourselves.

I believe you are correct, but in cases where someone comes across a tract or a Gideon Bible, a “laborer” is still involved. We can never rule out the ability of God to get in touch with someone through unusual means, but we should never forget that a person must hear the Gospel in order to be able to respond to it, and therefore we should not make the Holy Ghost responsible to fulfill the Great Commission. He will do his part, but we must do ours. We shouldn’t confuse the biblical role we have with the biblical role he has. That was my point as far as prayer is concerned.

When it comes to prayer, I try to keep these scriptures in mind:

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7)

13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

14And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
(1 John 5:13-15)

So first, our prayers must be based on the Word. And secondly, when we ask according to his will as clearly revealed in the scriptures we can “know that we have the petitions” that we desire of him. There is a vast difference between wishing and being confident that what we will get what we ask for.

I’m sure I’ve been guilty of thinking incorrectly about this in the past. Such an approach only leads to compromise, and diminishes the operation of the Spirit. That’s why we must allow people to respond instead of forcing them into a prayer.

I’ve seen people come under the “conviction” of high-pressure sales tactics and succumb to a prayer without any real salvation experience. Its like, “Yeah, whatever you want man! I’ll buy your vacuum cleaner! Just please get out of my house!” Then they stop payment on the check. No commission from that prospect.