As the world becomes increasingly secular and skeptical of organized religion, the Christian church faces new challenges in evangelism and discipleship. Many people today, especially younger generations, are drawn to alternative spiritual practices and forms of “secular mysticism” rather than traditional church. This presents both obstacles and opportunities for spreading the gospel.
On one hand, the rise of practices like meditation, astrology, crystals and New Age philosophies can make it harder to reach people with the message of Christ. These alternative spiritualities often promote a vague sense of the “divine” or “higher power” without the need for the biblical God, Jesus or the church. People seeking spiritual fulfillment may be satisfied by these more individualistic forms of mysticism and have little interest in organized Christianity.
However, the yearning for the supernatural and mystical that drives much of this secular spirituality can also be leveraged for the gospel. At its core, the Christian faith is profoundly mystical—rooted in encounters with the living God, the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit and the miracles and mysteries of the kingdom of God. We must reclaim and celebrate it as the foundation of our faith.
This is where the strategy of “supernatural evangelism” comes in. Rather than relying solely on intellectual arguments or moral exhortations, we must demonstrate the power and reality of the spiritual realm. This means being bold in sharing testimonies of divine healing, prophetic words, deliverances and other manifestations of God’s supernatural activity. It means praying for miracles and expecting to see them.
Of course, supernatural evangelism must be grounded in sound biblical teaching. We are not peddling some New-Age facsimile of Christianity, but the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Our goal is not to entertain peoples’ spiritual curiosities, but to lead them to repentance, faith and transformation.
In this age of secular mysticism, the church must not be afraid to embrace and demonstrate the supernatural power of our faith. Doing so with wisdom, discernment and hearts burning for the lost, we can see a new great awakening and the building up of Christ’s church like never before. The time is ripe for supernatural evangelism to reach a world hungry for the divine.
The church can spread the gospel and serve this yearning for the supernatural and mystical using these six strategies:
1) Emphasize the Biblical Supernatural: The church can highlight miracles, healings, prophecies and encounters with God. These supernatural aspects of the Christian faith demonstrate that Christianity is not devoid of mystical experiences but is, in fact, deeply rooted in the supernatural.
2) Provide Authentic Encounters: The church can create environments of authentic encounters with the supernatural power of God through prayer, worship and prophetic ministry, where individuals can experience the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in a tangible way.
3) Share Testimonies: Sharing testimonies of supernatural encounters and transformations demonstrate the reality of God’s power. Personal stories of healing, deliverance and divine intervention are inspiring tools for reaching all who seek spiritual experiences.
4) Offer Spiritual Discernment: The church can provide spiritual discernment to help people find clarity between genuine encounters with the supernatural and deceptive or harmful practices.
5) Engage in Supernatural Evangelism: Supernatural evangelism looks like prayer for miracles, prophetic words and demonstrating Holy Spirit power in tangible ways.
6) Foster Culture of Prayer and Spiritual Gifts: Prayer and spiritual gifts are where the church can build an environment inviting the supernatural power of God regularly manifested, drawing people to the reality of the gospel.
The church can reach those seeking spiritual fulfillment and experiences through Bible teaching, authentic encounters and supernatural evangelism, demonstrating Holy Spirit power and the reality of the gospel in a way that resonates with those who are drawn to the mystical aspects of spirituality. Secular seekers then can be shepherded each step closer to the life-changing connection with the living Lord Jesus and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Charlie Shamp is Co-Founder and President of Destiny Encounters International. He is a sought-after international keynote speaker, having ministered nationally and internationally with radical demonstrations of faith seeing lives transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit.
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