Evangelism Lectures to Offer Antidote for Sin-filled World: The Gospel

Dr. Burn Page, professor and chair of the Department of Christian Studies at MC, said to redeem a lost world, evangelism must be a priority.

Recent news headlines reflect an urgent need for the Gospel message.

From people in positions of trust abusing their power to strangers harming strangers to parents mistreating their own children, the cruelties of a fallen world are almost impossible to comprehend.

“We are one generation away from losing the Christian faith,” warns Dr. Burn Page, professor and chair of the Department of Christian Studies at Mississippi College. “We have heard about bombings, burglaries, and shootings. We are now seeing the depraved mind acting in a hostile way toward family members, including children being not only abused, but tortured.

“Evangelism must be a priority if we are to partner with Christ to redeem a lost world.”

The Institute for Christian Leadership at MC has chosen to take up that mantle of evangelism by providing a variety of excellent venues for faculty, students, and Christian ministry leaders to develop their skills. The annual Evangelism Lectures, sponsored by the Department of Christian Studies, is part of that effort.

The lecture series brings outstanding speakers who share fresh ideas and interesting topics with faculty, staff, and students at the Baptist-affiliated University. Awareness and passion are the themes for this year’s series.

“Cultural Awareness” will be the subject of the first lecture at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 7, in Provine Chapel’s upstairs meeting room. The fundamental lesson for the Christian Related Vocation students in attendance is that evangelism will be more effective when they invest more time in being culturally aware. It’s a message based on the significant Biblical foundations for cultural awareness in ministry demonstrated by Jesus and Paul.

“Worthy Is the Lamb That Was Slain” is the title of the chapel presentation at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8, in Swor Auditorium in Nelson Hall. Gaining inspiration from the Moravian missionary movement – the first large-scale Protestant missionary effort – the message will encourage MC students to seek a greater apostolic passion in relation to evangelism. Although some may shy away from the term “apostolic,” the word will be correctly defined in the presentation, which will delve into what it means to have “apostolic passion.”

Page said the presentations will be filled with messages of hope that students can carry with them as they navigate a world seemingly consumed by sin and in desperate need of justice.

“Laws cannot change the hearts of the pagan,” Page said. “Only the Gospel can do that.”