"Handle, Code-3" -- The Need for Urgency in Evangelism

The below article was originally posted in November 2006 by Tony Miano. If you didn't see it then, I want to make sure you get a chance now.

Introduction

Modern evangelism methods have convinced many Christians that spiritual conversations with unbelievers are to be entered into slowly and cautiously while avoiding, at all cost, offending the sensibilities and sensitivities of the unbeliever. Subjects such as sin, judgment, and hell are rarely spoken of, and many Christians, if they do share their faith, believe that they must have the permission of the person with whom they are going to speak, before talking to them about Jesus Christ.

When it comes to evangelism, one thing that is lacking in the thinking and practice of many Christians these days is a sense of urgency. The message of God’s pending judgment, and His amazing grace for those who repent of their sin and put their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation, is an urgent message. The message is an urgent one because it has been appointed once for a person to die (Heb. 9:27), with each person having no idea when his or her day will come. The message is urgent because, as Christians, we should share the loving heart of God whose desire is for none to perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9).

The police officer continually operates with a sense of urgency. The man or woman who dons the gun and badge realizes that any given call, traffic stop, or contact could be his or her last. In addition to this ever-present stress is the reality that during any given shift an officer may have to save a life, or take a life. The police officer daily faces the real possibility of dealing with emotional and physical trauma, tragedy, and death. The worldview of the Christian officer should be such that he or she recognizes the spiritual component of every aspect of the job—none more important than the responsibility to bring the truth of the Law and the gospel to lost people, whenever the Lord provides the opportunity. These are urgent times, and this is the day of salvation (Isa. 49:8; 2 Cor. 6:2).

The Question

So, when should we share the Law and the gospel with people? Should we wait until we feel led by the Holy Spirit before we talk to people about the consequences of breaking God's Law and their only hope for escaping the wrath to come? I say no. I do not believe Scripture supports it. I believe Scripture supports the premise that the born again follower of Jesus Christ is always led by the Holy Spirit to live a life pleasing to the Lord, which includes engaging in evangelism, because Scripture commands every Christian to be engaged in evangelism (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8). Some would argue that these Great Commission passages were directed specifically to the apostles and are not to be applied to every Christian today. If that were the case, then Christianity would have died by the end of the First Century, along with the apostles.

The Holy Spirit's leading will never contradict His Word. And nowhere in Scripture are we told that we shouldn't engage in evangelism. Therefore, the determining factor in one's decisions regarding evangelism should not be one's subjective feelings, but one's obedience to the Word of God.

The Holy Spirit is God (the Third Person of the Trinity) and should be believed as such, worshipped as such, and obeyed as such. But does the Bible teach that we should only engage in evangelism when we sense or feel the leading of the Holy Spirit?

"Led By The Spirit"

There are only two New Testament passages of Scripture in which the phrase "led by the Spirit" or "led by the Spirit of God" appears. They are Romans 8:12-17 and Galatians 5:16-18.

"So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh--for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him" (Romans 8:12-17, emphasis added).

According to the above passage of Scripture, if one is led by the Spirit, he or she understands that they have been adopted into God's family, because there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1).

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law" (Galatians 5:16-18, emphasis added).

The person who is led by the Spirit of God will behave as such (see Galatians 5:22-26). Through their righteous behavior, their holy living, and their obedience to God's Word, a Christian's life will continually reflect the Holy Spirit's leading in their life.

Neither of the above passages speaks to following a subjective feeling about the Spirit's leading before sharing the Law and the gospel with lost people. In fact (and I agree with Pastor John MacArthur on this point), "believers are not led through subjective, mental impressions or promptings to provide direction in making life's decisions--something Scripture nowhere teaches. Instead, God's Spirit objectively leads His children sometimes through the orchestration of circumstances (Acts 16:7), but primarily through: 1) illumination, divinely clarifying Scripture to make it understandable to our sinful, finite minds (Lk. 24:44-45; 1 Cor. 2:14-16; Eph. 1:17-19; cf. Eph. 3:16-19; Col. 1:9); and 2) sanctification, divinely enabling us to obey Scripture (Gal. 5:16, 17; 5:25)" (MacArthur Study Bible, pp. 1707-08).

Should We Wait To Be Asked?

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15).

Some Christians believe that they should wait to be asked about Jesus Christ before they share the good news with them. With more than 90% of Christians admitting that they do not mention Jesus Christ to a single lost soul, in a year's time, apparently not too many people are asking. I have traveled throughout out country, as well as to Canada and South America in order to minister to the law enforcement family. I have visited dozens of different law enforcement agencies, spending many hours with officers in briefing rooms and patrol cars. If my belief and practice were to wait for an officer (or anyone else for that matter) to bring up the things of God, I would rarely share the gospel with anyone. And as a follower of Jesus Christ, I am not called to rarely share the gospel.

Some of those who hold the position of not speaking about Christ until asked to do so might turn to 1 Peter 3:15 to support their position. They might emphasize the portion of the verse that speaks about giving a defense to "everyone who asks." However, this is a misinterpretation and misapplication of the verse. The emphasis of the verse is not waiting to be asked, but always being ready to defend your faith.

There are scenes in the Bible where people approached Jesus or the apostles and asked them questions (ex. Jn. 3; Lk. 18; Acts 16). However, none of these passages serve as a mandate for waiting to be asked before warning people about the wrath to come and presenting the gospel to them. Nowhere in Scripture are we told that we must wait to have a person's permission to speak the truth to them, in love. Nor does Scripture say we must first have a long-term relationship with a person before sharing the Law and the gospel with them. What we see in Scripture is Jesus and the apostles quickly developing a relationship with a person, by simply establishing rapport with them (ex. Jn. 4:7-26; Acts 8:25-40).

While it may be helpful information, we do not need to know someone's personal history or what may be troubling them presently before we can or should share the gospel with them. The reason is that our purpose for sharing the Law and the gospel is not to help a person feel better about themselves or to promise them a solution to their current problems--which, more than likely, have been brought on by their own sinfulness.

A Tourniquet, Not a Band-Aid

The Law and the gospel is not a self-adhesive band-aid designed to merely cover the superficial wounds of a sinner's felt needs. It is the tourniquet that must be applied with care, firmness, and urgency to the sinner's mortal wound. For the Law and the gospel is the only thing that will stop their eternal bleeding and the death of their souls, as they are brought to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Consider the following scenario. You are a police officer who receives a call of a traffic collision, with injuries. As is sometimes the case, you arrive before fire and paramedics. You see a man on his back, in the middle of the street. He was thrown from his car, by the force of the collision. You rush to his side and see that his arm is broken and that he has a gaping wound in his chest, which is bleeding profusely. The man is in shock and is unaware of the seriousness of his condition. He can't see his chest, but he can see his arm. Still conscious, he looks up at you and screams, "Help! My arm is broken! Do something about my arm!"

It's obvious to you that the wound in the man's chest is far more serious than his broken arm. You bend down and begin to apply direct pressure to the wound in his chest. Your hands are now covered with his blood. The man screams again that his arm is broken. You holler back at him to lie still. The man demands that you stop putting so much weight and pressure on his chest and instead get a splint and bandage for his arm. What would you do?

Would you stop addressing the potentially mortal chest wound in order to make the man feel better about his arm? Of course you wouldn't! You have been called to protect and serve; and, under the circumstances, you are a better judge of what the wounded man needs than he is. Why? Because you see the extent of his injuries when he can't. You don't know how much time the man has left. But you do know that if you spend too much time addressing the injury to his arm he will die as a result of the chest wound. You don't want him to simply feel better. You want him to survive.

The man continues to be uncooperative--yelling and thrashing about--because all he can think about is his arm. "Look!" You tell him. "You have a terrible wound in your chest. You are bleeding severely. If we don't get this bleeding stopped, it won't matter that you have a broken arm. You'll be dead! Now, hold still so I can help you."

The man calms down. His arm still hurts, but he now realizes there are more important issues than his broken arm. He doesn't want to die. He understands that not only do you want to help him, but that you also know what you're doing. Instead of complaining about the pressure you are putting on his chest, he is thankful that you are trying to stop the bleeding.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, you have received the "Code-3" call to reach the entire world with His gospel. People are dying all around you--most of them now facing eternity in hell--and you know it. In the law enforcement family, one of our brothers or sisters behind the badge sacrifices his or her life, in the line of duty, every 57 hours. 2-3 times that many commit suicide every year. They are troubled with broken relationships, work stress, alcoholism and other forms of substance abuse, and a bitterness and hardness of heart that often comes from seeing the worst of what man can do to his fellow man. Yet most of them are completely unaware that they are bleeding to death, spiritually. They are blind to the fact that once they pass from this life they will stand before a holy and righteous God who will judge them in righteousness. "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Heb. 9:27).

Conclusion

You have the answer--not an answer to making all of their problems in this life go away. Remember, Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). You have the answer (the cure) for their mortal wound--the terminal disease of sin. You know the One who has overcome the world, the One who can and will forgive their sin and grant them everlasting life--if they will turn from their sin and, by faith, trust Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

When will you tell them? Will you wait until they ask? They may never ask. Will you wait until you feel "led," when you have already been commanded by Scripture to share your faith? When you are working the streets, you don't need a supervisor to tell you before every shift to go out and make arrests. You don't need the dispatcher to come on the radio and encourage you to make a traffic stop or to contact a suspicious looking person walking down a darkened alley. You know your job. You know why you are out there. You know the law and your department's policies and procedures. You know how to talk to and treat people. You know the right thing to do. The same is true when it comes to evangelism. "Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).

These are urgent times. An estimated 150,000 die every day. Thousands of people died in the time it took you to read this article. Don't wait any longer. When it comes to evangelism, you do not love people with your silence. Handle evangelism the same way you would handle a "Code-3" call--with care, courage, wisdom, discernment, and authority (in the case of evangelism, the authority of Christ and His Word). If you have been saved, then you have been led to share the Law and the gospel with lost people. Now, go share your faith, while you still have time.

A Retirement Ceremony Like None Other

I've been to a lot of retirement ceremonies within law enforcement and to be honest they are very forgetful. It has always been a somewhat sad occasion for me. I've seen great police officers that have spent decades making a difference in their community and many agencies simply don't give these heroes the going away that they justly deserve.

You have to take a look at the retirement ceremony of Navy Senior Chief Hank D'Alelio. I get the distinct feeling that this retirement celebration will not be forgotten.

A Picture For The Atheists

I took this picture a few years ago at Newport Beach. How can this exist without a Creator?

Here Is Your Drink

I will be the first to admit that I have an addiction. When I drive by a Sonic Drive In, my mouth becomes dry and I immediately thirst for a cold drink. It doesn't make sense. I can be in any other restaurant or at my house and not get the obsessive thoughts that Sonic seems to do. Yes, I hate to admit it but I am guilty of spending close to $2 for a 44 ounce Diet Coke when I could buy gallons of it for the same price at the grocery store. I know in my mind it is all the same but there is simply something about the drinks at Sonic that will ruin it everywhere else.

Fortunately, on a recent trip to this forsaken watering hole I met Whitney. Whitney brought mine and my wife's drink to us on a very cold day. I knew she was cold but I also felt an extreme urge to tell her about this awesome God named Jesus Christ. I had a strong feeling in my heart that this needed to be done and it didn't need to wait. So as I handed Whitney a $10 bill and awaited change....."How would you like to keep the change. If you can pass a quick test, you can."

Whitney: "Cool, I'll take the test"

Do you think you are a good person?

Whitney: "Yes"

Are you familiar with the Ten Commandments?

Whitney: "I Guess"

Have you ever told a lie?

Whitney: "Yes"

What does that make you?

Whitney: "It makes me what everyone else is"

Which is what?

Whitney: "A Liar"

Have you ever stolen anything?

Whitney: "Yes"

What does that make you?

Whitney: "A thief"

Now Whitney, I only went over two of the commandments with you. It is cold out here and you look like you want to walk away. Please give me a few more minutes. I promise you it is something you really need to hear. Whitney, here is the deal. The Bible tells us that when we die we will be judged by God's Holy Law. I just asked you a few questions from that Holy Law and you did not pass. Whitney, listen this is very important.

If you died right now, where would you go?

Whitney: "I wouldn't go anywhere. I don't believe in that"

Whitney it doesn't matter what you believe. You see, If I got on top of that building and believed I could fly and jumped off do you know what would happen? I wouldn't fly, I would fall to the ground. You may not believe in heaven or hell but they are real places and I want to make sure you understand how you can avoid going to hell. I believe we are talking to each other for a reason. Please give me a few more seconds (at this point, Whitney wanted to walk away).

Do you know what God did for you to keep you from going to hell?

Whitney: "What"

He sent his Son Jesus Christ to this Earth and he died a horrible death on the Cross. Whitney, you and I are the same. I have broken those commandments just like you have. By dying on the Cross, Jesus provided a way for us to be forgiven for those sins and go to Heaven.

That gift is free and here is what we have to do to receive it. We have to repent of our sins or turn around from our sins and we have to place our trust in Jesus Christ. We must hate our sin. We must do everything we can to not sin and we must trust Jesus at all times just like we would trust a parachute while jumping out of a plane.

Whitney, you did not pass the test but I am going to let you keep the $10. That is an example of grace. Thank you so much for talking to me. Please think about what we spoke about. It is so very important.

Ambassadors' Alliance Announced

Living Waters (Way of the Master) has announced the newest outreach of their ministry, The Ambassadors' Alliance. The founder of Ten-Four Ministries, Tony Miano, is the director. Ten-Four Ministries will definitely play a part in this exciting venture. We will keep you posted. Until then, you can read about the Ambassadors' Alliance here.

Will We Be Sleeping?

This song by Casting Crowns made an incredible impact on me. I hope it blesses you as well.

Every Day is a Mission Trip

I believe that each day we wake up is a mission trip. God is giving us another day on this planet and we must spend that day serving him in any capacity that is presented to us. I spent last week in Mesa, Arizona. While it wasn't an official Ten-Four Ministries Mission Trip and there were no sermons planned, it was very much a mission trip.

I travelled to the Mesa Police Department to expand on the research of a major project I am involved with at my agency. I spent two days with various officers from the agency and many great contacts were made. More importantly, I was able to place the book, Take Up The Shield, in the hands of several officers including the Chief of Police. Many tracts were left for waiters, hotel employees and others. It was a great opportunity to plant many seeds and we should all thank God each day for these opportunities.

What is the Motive?

It seemed like an innocent invitation. My wife wanted me to go to a Health Fair. What was she trying to tell me? What did she want to buy? Why do we not have something else to do? All of these questions and more went through my head but the cop in me was going to figure this out. I was going to find out the motive and it didn't take me long.

Alison Sweeney, a longtime soap opera star and the host of the Biggest Loser was there. My wife had read her book and wanted to meet her. Well, I had very little interest in this adventure until I found out that Alison is married to a California Highway Patrol Officer. Now you are talking business.

Armed with a copy of Take Up The Shield and a patch, I stepped into the building with a mission.

It was a great encounter. While Alison was getting a ton of gifts from others, this may have been the first time someone gave her a gift for her husband. She was very appreciative and told me that she would give him the book. While I don't know the faith of Alison or her husband, I pray that both of them look at this great book. It is certainly a powerful tool to tell others about Jesus and how you must repent and trust in Him to have eternal life.

Last Words Ministry Radio - Show #1

I've had several requests for the premier show of the Last Words Ministry Radio Show. You can listen to last Saturday's show here. Remember, the show will air live, every Saturday night, from 10:00 to 11:00PM (PST) on 99.5 KKLA.

A Million Dollars Laying Around

It is always a blessing to have an opportunity to pass out tracts and one of my favorites is the Million Dollar Bill. My family enjoys passing these out at restaurants and when we entered the local pizza place tonight, I was pleasantly surprised to see one behind the counter.

Imagine, the potential this one tract had. I thought of all of the workers that would possibly pick it up and read it or the customers that would ask about it. When I asked to take a photograph, the young man behind the counter said "would you like to look at it." We don't always know what may happen to tracts once we give them away or place them on a table. This was a great reminder of how powerful and lasting they can be.

Last Words Ministry Radio Begins Tonight!

Tonight I begin a new adventure as the co-host of the Last Words Ministry radio show. The show will air live, every Saturday night, from 10:00 to 11:00PM (PST) on 99.5 KKLA. You can listen to the show online, from anywhere in the world, on the KKLA website.

Tune in every Saturday night as The Crew equips you to share your faith, biblically, during this fast-paced and humorous, live talk show. Call in with your questions and comments, and share your evangelism adventures with the Last Words listening audience.

New Season for Ten-Four Ministries

Like many of you, I have been both inspired and blessed through Chaplain Tony Miano and Ten-Four Ministries over the years. Tony and his family have worked very hard for the Lord and I join with each one of you in expressing my sincere appreciation for everything they have done for Ten-Four Ministries. I am humbled and honored to accept the position of Director and it has come after many hours of prayer, counsel, and discussions with my family. We are aware of the dedication and work that will be required as Ten-Four Ministries moves through this transition and into the future and we are also aware that despite the recent change in leadership of the ministry, God will continue to steer and direct Ten-Four Ministries just as He has for almost six years. Tony will remain on as an Advisory Board member and close confidant to Ten-Four Ministries.

I encourage you in the next several weeks to follow our transition progress closely. We will keep you updated through the weekly “Briefing.” The website updates and The Centurion Papers blog will continue to serve as the sources of information to which you have grown accustomed. Much of the activities with which Ten-Four Ministries are so identified will continue and, in some cases, expand.

Our visitors to the website and the newsletter recipients will be given opportunities to not only hear about Ten-Four Ministries but participate directly in the mission. The first opportunity to do this is Ten-Four Ministry’s New Year Challenge. We will also be sponsoring scholarships that will give each of you an opportunity to further develop skills in witnessing to the lost. Gospel tracts and resources designed specifically for the public safety arena will be developed and we will be working very hard to make those resources attractive to everyone in the public safety profession. In the first quarter of 2008 we will be announcing some of these unique concepts and we will be introducing a new, dynamic website that will make your visit to Ten-Four Ministries both informative and exciting.

As Tony previously mentioned, I have been with the Tulsa Police Department for 14 years and I currently serve that agency as a Captain based out of the Headquarters Division. While God has certainly blessed my career and given me a lot of opportunities, the opportunity to serve Him and lead my family is His greatest blessing. I have been married to Traci for 12 years and we have two sons – Trevor (age 7) and Tanner (age 4).

I want to thank each of you for your years of prayer, encouragement and financial support to Ten-Four Ministries. Your commitment to Ten-Four Ministries has enabled the presentation of the Law and Gospel to thousands of individuals within the first responder community and countless others across the world. 2008 certainly looks to be an exciting year; and I invite each of you to take this journey with us.

I am so humbled to be a part of Ten-Four Ministries and I look forward to partnering with you as we bring the Gospel to the lost.

Where Will You Spend Eternity?

I often have Christians tell me that they are not capable of witnessing and that they aren't comfortable with it. It isn't always a "comfortable" feeling and all of us can do something to carry out the Great Commission. Not everyone will be standing in the streets preaching but something must be done......What if every Christian did just something? I saw this truck the other day:

I really liked the effort but it was certainly not complete. Most people will say they are going to Heaven when you ask them. Sadly, many do not know the Gospel or why they are going to Heaven. They just want to go. Of course everyone wants to go to Heaven. They just don't always want God there. With that said, is this effort at evangelism as effective as it could be?

I thought of a few alternative sayings and I would like to hear your ideas. Remember, the words have to be big enough to be read and you have limited space. Here are some of my ideas:

Are You A Good Person?
Find Out - www.goodpersontest.com

Or

Will You Go To Heaven?

Find Out - www.needgod.com

These websites are easy to remember and the saying not only will catch the reader's attention but gives them a resource to pursue their curiosity.

Read The Bible In A Year

January is a great time to make the decision to read the entire Bible. Specific Bibles can be purchased to help you do this or you can utilize various websites to help you. I have used this website for daily e-mails for some time. My cell phone receives e-mail and I have been blessed countless times by scripture in the middle of a hectic day.

Cross Walk has an excellent resource that enables you to read the entire Bible in several different translations.

Let me recommend that you give this a try and let your co-workers know about this great method.

A New Year - A Renewed Passion

As we welcome a new year, it is time to not only reflect on the blessings our Lord has given us over the last 12 months but how we can renew our passion for reaching the lost. I've talked to many people about how they can help spread the Gospel and how everyone can do something now to tell others about Jesus Christ. One way is the use of tracts.

The calendar tract is great for this time of year. It's just the right size to go in someone's wallet or their uniform pocket. Everyone in your department could probably use one and almost everyone you meet will want one. I spent some time today handing them out at a local Wal-Mart and dropping them off at a local ATM machine. Everyone I met enjoyed them and thanked me for giving it to them. Ten-Four Ministries wants to enable you to do the same.

Ten-Four Ministries wants to give out thousands of these in the Month of January and we would love your help. If you will commit to handing them out to public safety officials in your department or community, we will provide them to you. Simply e-mail us with your address, how many you need and what agencies you are going to focus on. We look forward to hearing from you.