It's All God

Pocket Full of Quarters Journey 2015
It's All God

Written In: Seattle, Washington
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. Psalms 28:7

"You are so good at this. I could never do what you do."

I hear those words often. People think they're complimenting me but they feel like daggers going through my heart. It means I've failed at communicating that everyone can successfully give the Gospel and that the only secret I have is that the power comes from God. Yes, I'm an evangelist but Biblically, that means I'm supposed to equip Christ's body to give the Gospel. It doesn't mean that people with similar gifting are the only ones who are supposed to lead others to Christ.

Also, I hear that "Cheryle has a great formula for giving the Gospel." The formula I use and teach is tried and true and has been used by evangelists for centuries. Billy Graham used it in his crusades. Evangelist Riley Stevenson with Kenneth Copland Ministries uses it to lead thousands to Jesus each year. Jacksonville Florida's amazing evangelist, Mrs. Lindsey, used it. I could go on and on but faith in words like "the harvest is ripe," "the word of God will not return void," and "I am always with you" frees everyone up to find out if someone is saved, give Gospel scriptures, and ask people to meet Jesus.

People are amazed that I seem to know "exactly what to say" in each situation when in fact, I depend on a process, the scripture, and the fact that the Holy Spirit will supply the exact right words. If you hear just the right words coming out of my mouth at exactly the right time, you can pretty much figure those words came from the Holy Spirit. In my flesh, I have no filter - just ask my kids.

One of the reasons I enjoy evangelizing with my friend Kathy Hollenberry is that she gets where the source of the power is. It's all God. She isn't in awe of my gifting as an evangelist. She knows God gives gifts and is respectful of the gifting but is in awe of the source of the gifting. Kathy and I are different personality-wise and a good example that any personality type can successfully give the Gospel. By her own words, she isn't naturally a "people person." I am. Kathy and I both understand that God has called everyone to the Great Commission and that He will supply our needs. Kathy and I get together several times a year to evangelize and when we do, God multiplies the harvest.

Trust me, it isn't that Kathy and I always agree on evangelism processes. Over the years, we've had our struggles with working out joint processes. What makes us a strong team is that we both trust prayer and the scriptures. That allows us the humility and the confidence to challenge each other, seek truth together, work out conflict using scripture, and become better individually and at working together. What has developed over the years is a strong Gospel Team and a deep friendship.

I love it that Kathy isn't so in awe of my evangelism gift that she hangs back in my shadow. I love it that she doesn't try to compete with my gifting. I love it that she knows her value to the team and walks up right beside me and confidently joins the conversation. I love it that she is almost always right when she feels led to talk to a particular person. I love it that if I'm doing something else, she goes off and gives the Gospel by herself. I love it that when she takes the lead, she doesn't mind if I interject. I love it when she says, "Cheryle, don't you want to tell them..." I love it that she lets me use my evangelism gifting to teach her and when she is sure that what I'm saying lines up with the word of God, she applies it. I love it that I learned another evangelism technique from her just this week. I love it that she cares so much about people meeting Jesus.

I particularly love that I have had the privilege of watching her grow into an evangelist herself. Since she became a Christian, she has cared about and given the Gospel. Now she is growing in her ability to "equip the body of Christ." When we take groups out, she keeps evangelism going while I stop to teach. She encourages the timid (and occasionally the lazy) to step up and give the Gospel. She takes the lead in training certain individuals and adds to my teaching if I leave something out.

Kathy and I evangelized together for 3 days in Seattle. 27 people met Jesus in a city where people have said that evangelism doesn't work. We'll be doing the same thing in Phoenix in a couple of weeks. We would love for you to join us any time we go out. If you join us, don't try to tell us that you can't give the Gospel like we do. We know better. The Lord is our strength and our shield. Our hearts trust in Him. He helps us and He will help you. We'll pass on a process that if you stick to and trust God, you will lead people to Jesus. Our hearts will leap for joy and we will praise Him when you lead people to Jesus. Your only limitation will be your willingness and your faith in God.

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