Evangelism professor David Mills (right) engages a young man in an evangelistic conversation. Mills and other Southwestern professors help train local churches in evangelism efforts.
Darkness,” he never intended it to be a tem-
see evangelism as an abnormality rather than
perversion of Christianity is no evangelism
porary program. “This is the Great Commis-
as God’s design for local churches. Since
and no outreach. That is not normal Christi-
sion, and I want this to be the DNA of Cana
1985, Mills has worked with associations and
anity. That is subnormal. Vance Havner said it
Baptist Church.”
churches throughout Georgia and Texas to
best—most Christians today are so subnormal
train believers for a lifestyle of evangelism.
that if one of them became normal, we would
Many seminary professors and students have been drawn to the church for this reason
“Today, we are surprised when someone
think he was abnormal. The New Testament
precisely. According to Tommy Kiker, assistant
comes to the Lord, follows him in baptism,
professor of pastoral ministry at Southwest-
and begins sharing the Gospel,” Mills says.
In order to meet this standard for evange-
ern and a member at Cana Baptist, the church
“We think, ‘Wow. Maybe God is calling him
listic normalcy, three foundations must be laid
makes evangelism a “weekly emphasis, and
into ministry. Maybe she will be a missionary.’
in churches. First, Mills says, the congregation
that is the key if you’re going to change the
We are surprised when someone has that lev-
has “to have a heartfelt, soul-shaking, hell-rob-
DNA of a church.”
el of commitment.
bing commitment as a church to pray for lost
norm is much higher.”
But according to David Mills, assistant pro-
“But it is not the witness who is unusual. It
fessor of evangelism at Southwestern and an-
is not the Christian witness, the soul winner,
Second, the pastor must “set the exam-
other Cana Baptist member, many Christians
who is the aberration. The aberration and the
ple,” Mills says. “The people will hardly ever
20 SouthwesternNews WINTER 2013
people and to pray for them by name.”