Table of Contents

Interview with Thomas E. Trask

Our culture is more complex than any previous one. A swelling number of unbelievers are teetering on the edge of a Christless eternity. The challenge to the community of faith is to present the gospel to unbelievers in a form that is both understood and relevant.

Completing the task of sharing the gospel will require increasing the intensity of our evangelistic efforts. Addressing the important subject of evangelism is Thomas E. Trask, Assemblies of God general superintendent.

DO PENTECOSTALS NEED TO RENEW THEIR FOCUS ON EVANGELISM?

I believe so strongly in evangelism because you can't separate evangelism from the Pentecostal experience. The baptism in the Holy Spirit has been given to believers so that they might be more effective witnesses (cf. Acts 1:8).

Many church bodies do not embrace, as we do, the baptism in the Holy Spirit or speaking in tongues as the initial physical evidence of the Baptism. However, a number of these organizations and churches do a good job in the area of witnessing. We cannot depreciate that. In many cases, they put Pentecostals to shame. Furthermore, many of them take the posture: "Look, if you Pentecostals are so strong on the Baptism and are supposed to receive power to be witnesses, why aren't you greater witnesses?"

The truth is: First of all, the baptism in the Holy Spirit empowers believers to live to be witnesses. The greatest witness is not what we say; it's how we live. I believe the Spirit's baptism empowers men and women to live victorious, overcoming lives for Jesus Christ. A Spirit-filled life reflects Christ to those we work with and move among day after day.

Second, the infilling of the Holy Spirit is an empowerment to be witnesses with our mouths--by our testimonies. Effective evangelism is witnessing and seeing people saved in outreach ministries. It's reaching the lost. If there is any group of people that ought to be strong advocates of evangelism, it is those who are empowered for that purpose--the Pentecostal church. That is what we are. That is why I am such a strong proponent of evangelism because evangelism is a natural outgrowth of the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

HOW CAN PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN EVANGELISM?

I am amazed at the many opportunities for evangelism. For example, a pastor was telling me the other day that his church takes the newspaper birth announcements and sends congratulatory notes to every parent. They also send condolence notes to families listed in the newspaper obituary column.

I am thrilled at the many innovative ways our pastors are finding to do evangelism. It's not just cut-and-dried tract distribution. That is valuable and has merit. We have to be alert to the creative opportunities God has afforded the church for evangelism. I believe the Holy Spirit knows how to reach and touch each city. If the Pentecostal church will pray and say, "Lord, give us insight into how we might reach our city," God will do that. It may be out of the ordinary--whatever it takes.

HOW CAN PASTORS COMMUNICATE THEIR BURDEN FOR EVANGELISM SO THEIR CONGREGATIONS ADOPT THE SAME BURDEN?

Pastors must believe in the Great Commission. Jesus commanded: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matthew 28:19,20). Pastors must believe Jesus' command to evangelize is not an option. The Assemblies of God does not view evangelism as an option; it is a direct command, and one we must respond to. Every Pentecostal church must respond to the Great Commission. How they attempt to fulfill it is where the variety and the innovativeness comes in. But it has to be believed in the heart and then carried out through an act of the will.

WHY DO SO FEW EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS LEAD SOMEONE TO CHRIST?

I don't believe it's because they do not want to or there isn't opportunity. Most people are fearful and feel inadequate to lead someone to Christ. That's unfortunate because He becomes our adequacy. People usually do not have a problem introducing a friend to another friend. Leading a person to Jesus is much the same. It's introducing an unsaved friend to Jesus. It is very simple and most rewarding. Scripture says: "He that winneth souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30).

Not winning souls also comes from a lack of teaching. Many people don't know how to do it. Their fear is an outgrowth of not knowing how to lead a person to Jesus Christ.

DO YOU BELIEVE JESUS COMMANDED THE CHURCH TO GO TO THE UNSAVED RATHER THAN THE UNSAVED TO GO TO CHURCH?

Yes. Most of the time we have been fishing in an aquarium--the church. It's wonderful when the unsaved come to church, but that's not the method or directive Jesus gave. We are to go outside the church to the unsaved in the world and tell them about Jesus.

It's proven that most people have been won to Christ by a friend or acquaintance. Jesus did it. The Early Church did it. It has been carried out successfully down through the years, and it works today.

Someone said: "You win them to yourself, then you can win them to Jesus." In other words, when they become a friend of yours, you can introduce them to Jesus Christ. It will happen if we watch for the opportunities.

ARE THE CONGREGATIONS EXPERIENCING REVIVAL MORE INVOLVED IN EVANGELISM?

Absolutely. There is a direct correlation between revival and the renewal of evangelism within the church. During revival, the Holy Spirit quickens our spirits and makes us aware of eternity, the lost condition of humanity, the shortness of time, and the value of souls. When there is revival, evangelism takes place. The unsaved are witnessed to, and people are introduced to Jesus Christ.

HOW CAN MINISTERS AND THEIR CHURCH FAMILIES DEVELOP A BURDEN FOR THE LOST OF THEIR CITIES?

God has to give the burden for the lost. You can't manufacture it. A burden for the lost comes through prayer, and it has to start with the leadership. If the pastor and the church pray, God will give them a burden for their city. That's why I've said to ministers over the years, "You must know that God has sent you to a particular city." You can't say, "Well, I think this would be a nice place to pastor." You've got to know that God sent you because He will give you a burden for the community, for the lost, and for the congregation. The pastor carries the burden.

Then the pastor begins to communicate the burden to members of the congregation. They are sheep. They'll follow the shepherd. If the shepherd has a burden for the lost, the sheep will have a burden for the lost.

THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD HAS OVER 900 EVANGELISTS MINISTERING EVERY WEEK. WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THE OFFICE OF THE EVANGELIST?

The office of an evangelist is a gift to the church. It's the same gift as a pastor and a teacher. The ministry of an evangelist is to stir up the saints to believe God for renewal and revival. The pastor has also been instructed to do the work of an evangelist. It is important that the local church have altar services and give opportunities for the unsaved because that's what the evangelist does.

Our Fellowship is becoming increasingly aware of the importance of evangelists and their ministry. It's a wonderful day. Many of our evangelists have said to me: "Brother Trask, for the first time in my years of evangelistic ministry, I'm seeing a marvelous stir within the church. I'm seeing revival get there before I get there." Our evangelists are having a hard time finding dates on their calendars for the demand that is placed upon them. This is an outgrowth of the fresh wind of the Spirit that's blowing upon the church today.