Prayer Evangelism

adapted from Ed Silvoso's book, Prayer Evangelism

Prayer Evangelism According to Jesus

[This passage] is the only occasion where Jesus spells out an evangelistic method. Here he calls for four things to be done in a sequential manner for the benefit of the lost:

5 When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’" - Luke 10:5-9 NIV

In essence, Jesus is calling us to become shepherds to the people in our circle of influence... Rather than trying to coerce or convince the lost into the Kingdom, we are taking the Kingdom to them. Prayer evangelism is very much like driving through the desert in an air-conditioned truck stocked with cold drinks, and then spotting a weary hiker. You don't need to beg him to come on board; all you need to do is pull over near him or her and open the door...

His Ekklesia [church] is designed to bring His presence and His power to bear as an expression of the Kingdom of God, first in our immediate sphere of influence, and eventually in our cities and our nations...

BLESS > BEFRIEND/FELLOWSHIP > PRAY/MINISTER > SHARE/WITNESS

1. BLESS 

Bless the people and the places God has called you to, with His peace, love, and Holy Spirit's activity

Speak peace to them... (Luke 10:5) 

In prayer evangelism, the initial blessing part is generally quiet and private, mostly done in secret - not so much for the ears of people but for the ear of God. We bless others in prayer, directed to our heavenly Father, because we are seeking God to come and open their eyes and hearts to the light of the Gospel of salvation and to the deep work of His Spirit. We are seeking for God to fill the atmosphere of our workplaces, schools, and homes with His presence, His peace, and all that is His Kingdom values.  

Blessing unbelievers opens the door to fellowship.  

2. BEFRIEND/FELLOWSHIP

Befriend and fellowship with them

Eat with them... (Luke 10:7

Fellowship provides an opportunity to show unconditional acceptance by embracing our neighbors, friends, and acquaintances the way they are instead of the way we want them to be. Our befriending and loving on people shows them the instrinsic value they each have as created in the image of God. In a sense, out of the private blessing we are doing for people flows our own being a blessing to those very people through our friendship, and later through our prayers for their felt needs. 

Fellowship opens the door to prayer.

3. PRAY/MINISTER

Pray for their felt needs in person and minister with faith and action

Take care of their needs (heal the sick)... (Luke 10:9

This is about gaining an opportunity to meet their felt needs through prayer, needs they feel very deeply and have not been able to meet on their own.  Prayer is the most tangible trace of eternity in the human heart. When you pray for felt needs you touch your neightbor at the deepest level—the heart level. This is the closest you can get to them. Be patient and available.  God will reveal His love, His power, and goodness through the tangible display of brotherly/sisterly love in the action of prayer and also when there is answered prayer. To be truthful, in praying for people, they generally feel God's peace, love, and presence, even outside of any answers to prayer. 

4. SHARE/WITNESS

Proclaim The Good News through your story (testimony), God's story (a gospel presentation), and the way you live your life (character and lifestyle)

Proclaim the Kingdom has come... (Luke 10:9) 

As people feel the love and the support we bring, they often open themselves up to hear the reason for the difference that Christ makes on our lives - the why we care and look beyond ourselves. We are then ready to share our story of how God touched our own lives, releasing transformation. And we can then share the Gospel, the story of how God is wanting to break into their lives to bring transformation.