Lausanne World Pulse – Themed Articles – Prayer, Evangelism and Human Methodology

By Phil Miglioratti

After a lifelong ministry devoted to evangelism, Dr. Bill Bright, as quoted by Eddie Smith of the US Prayer Center, said, “I am waiting for the day when I can retire from Campus Crusade [for Christ] and be promoted to intercessor.”

Is it possible that Dr. Bright has given to us the secret to successful evangelism? Does this simple quip actually have much to teach us about the relationship between prayer, evangelism and human methods? Is this legendary leader an illustration of how talking with God about people and talking with people about God are meant to relate to one another?

According to Dr. Bright, “Successful evangelism depends on prayer.” It is instructive that he does not credit human methods, resources or training as the source of success in witnessing to others. Referring to the worldwide ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, a strong and strategic source of methods, resources and training for the Church, Dr. Bright states, “It was born in prayer, its growth has been through prayer and its future depends on prayer.” We all concur, but we must understand this indicates something beyond merely adding more prayer to our personal lives and ministry meetings. The challenge is to discover the biblical relationship between prayer and human methods as we seek to obey the Great Commission to make disciples of all peoples by communicating and sharing the good news of God in Christ.

Though I had flown in jet airplanes many times, it was not until I surveyed the six-seater airplane that was about to take me deep into the bush villages of Zambia that I made an obvious and elementary observation. For the first time I thought about the need for an airplane to have two wings. Had the pilot pondered our journey with only one of the wings, I would not have needed any counsel to wait for the next plane! This is a silly notion to make a serious point.

Prayer and human methods are the two wings required for the airplane of evangelism to successfully get off the ground, fly safely at the appropriate altitude and arrive at its intended destination. Prayer without evangelistic objectives, goals and plans produces personal piety but little witnessing activity. Human methodology that fails to precede and proceed from prayer, is merely human effort and hence, ineffective. As Dr. Bright states, “What is the greatest thing you could do to help somebody else? The answer…is obvious: To introduce them to Jesus Christ.” The answer is obvious. It is the method of introduction that is not.

It is my contention we operate evangelistically with an overrated reliance on human methods and an undervalued partnership with prayer. For some, progress has been to add a prayer support team to an already planned activity. Serious training in intercession or spiritual warfare has become a newfound goal in many circles. Our leaders are beginning to see the need to spend more quality time in prayer, hence, the rise of Prayer Summits and Pastors’ Prayer Groups. These are good and each indicates a growing awareness of the greater role we must afford to prayer. But we must go further.

Looking Biblically at the Importance of Prayer
The first recorded prayer in the Bible is closely linked to human methodology. In Genesis 1:27-30 we are told the Lord created man in his own image (presumably so that relational communication could take place). After blessing both the man and the woman (or, possibly as a sign of blessing them), God spoke to them, assigning them the role of stewarding their environment. By speaking, God initiated a conversation between the creator and the created which we define as prayer. By assigning, God issued the authority and responsibility to decide how to creatively apply themselves to the accomplishment of his command.

Phil Miglioratti is facilitator of the National Pastors’ Prayer Network/US.