Dear Friends and Family,
As a student of The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI), Frank recently completed Module 8, entitled Evangelism and Spiritual Warfare. Frank’s tearful testimony about what he learned from the class was so moving I wanted to share it with you (with his permission).
The course recognizes that our evangelistic efforts, like everything we do, take place within the context of spiritual warfare. Moreover, an important concept for evangelism is the biblical term oikos, usually translated household or extended family. In biblical times, a household might number as many as 50 to 75 souls and include extended family, indentured servants, business associates, and others. Perhaps you recall such passages from the Book of Acts as “He (Cornelius) was a devout man and one who feared God with all his household” (10:2); and “They (Paul and Silas) said (to the Philippian jailer), Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (16:31). The principle of oikos evangelism teaches that our extended families, employees, and associates comprise a network that is or should be our Jerusalem—our home base for our personal evangelism efforts.
For Frank, the concept of oikos evangelism, within the context of spiritual warfare, was powerful. Since he and his wife have children from previous marriages as well as some born out of wedlock, his memories of how he led his life before meeting Jesus are painful ones, and he has tended to view his relations negatively. But now Frank knows the God who brings good out of evil circumstances (Genesis 50:20) and who redeems whole families! Like many families in our nation, Frank’s oikos is comprised of a series of broken relationships. His challenge, and ours, is to listen to the Savior: “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.”
Blessings,
Bob and Chris