This sermon by Greenville Senior Pastor Matt Humphrey concludes the "Do Hard Things" series by addressing the challenging topic of evangelism. Pastor Matt frames evangelism as a difficult but essential command for all followers of Jesus, not just church staff. He grounds the call in Jesus's Great Commission from Matthew 28, which charges believers to go and make disciples of all nations.
The message examines the biblical story from John 9, where Jesus heals a man blind from birth, and the healed man's simple testimony becomes a model for sharing faith. Pastor Matt shares a personal story from his youth ministry days, recalling the logistical effort of busing kids from difficult home situations to church, including an instance where a boy injured himself with a knife on the bus. He argues Christians do hard things not for the sake of difficulty, but because eternal lives are at stake, referencing James 4 on sins of omission. The sermon critiques viewing evangelism as merely a program or method, instead positioning it as the natural overflow of a transformed life, illustrated by the pastor's enthusiasm for recommending good restaurants.
A key insight is that effective evangelism begins with personal transformation, not a memorized system, comparing it to how loving his wife naturally changed his behavior. The healed man’s honest reply—“I was blind but now I see”—is highlighted as a powerful template for a simple, personal testimony. Pastor Matt advises starting with prayer for opportunities and carrying a spare $20 to act on promptings to help others as a conversation starter. He cautions against leaving gospel tracts as tips instead of engaging servers directly and emphasizes living a joyful, generous life so that people are curious about one's faith.
The tone is pastoral, conversational, and encouraging, often using self-deprecating humor and personal anecdotes to make the challenging topic relatable. Listeners who feel intimidated by evangelism or seek a practical, grace-centered approach to sharing their faith would find this episode valuable. Those opposed to Christian teachings or seeking a purely theological debate might choose to skip this pastoral sermon.
