Scripture engagement

Jose Bernardo

Reading: 2 minutes

In our ministry for the Lord, when we decide to bear fruit, it is necessary to define a clear indicator of success, something that we can measure to demonstrate that our mission is being accomplished. This is so important that Jesus conditioned our discipleship and worship to a fruitfulness that can be counted: “This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8. However, churches frequently fail in defining such indicators. Even worse, when they are done, the wrong indicators are defined, for example, the mere quantity of people attending events. Worst of all, sometimes churches will define false indicators showing mercy in a way that does not please the Lord.

Still Life with Bible (1885), Vincent van Gogh

Focus on the process is one of the main causes for this failure, particularly in a culture resulting from colonization, where people do not work for their own prosperity, divorcing work from its results. Besides, we have the pressure of religion for more adherents, a remnant of the entrepreneurism in evangelization, inherited from the baby boomers generation. However, the way politically correct generations capitulate to the pressures of humanism is the main cause for this false mercy. This deviates the Church from biblical indicators to manifestations of individualism and selfishness, such as tolerance to sin, ecumenical universalism, and humanitarian redemptorism.

When the evangelists describe the mission of Jesus, we hear that he preached the Good News of the Kingdom of God. This is also what we received as the mission for the church: to preach the Gospel. Thus, if we want an indicator that truly speaks about success in evangelization, this is Scripture engagement, as we read about Ezra: “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.” Ezra 7:10. If evangelization leads people to study, practice and teach the Word of God, then we will bear fruit that remains, fruit that glorifies the Father.

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Jose Bernardo is the OneHope vice-president for lusophone countries. OneHope is a global agency of the Bible that has worked in 145 countries giving the Word of God to every child.