Apocity: The Greatest Omission...

Hello Sermon Index family. There is a new book out that is called "Apocity: The Greatest Omission." It is a book that coins a word that describes the sin of not evangelizing. A sneak preview can be found here: http://www.watersourceministries.com/apocity/sneak-preview/

And it can be purchased here: http://www.tractplanet.com/Book--Apocity-The-Greatest-Omission_p_274.html

So the question is, does anyone else believe it is a sin to not evangelize? Why or why not?

So the question is, does anyone else believe it is a sin to not evangelize? Why or why not?

I do not believe that it is a sin. Those who consider it as a sin are those who consider Evangelism as the only ministry in New Covenant. It is like saying white Color is only made of Violet.

The great commission says - Matt 28-19:-I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make DISCIPLES of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. TEACH these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Evangelism is to spread the Gospel but to make a disciple it takes lot more than to just tell the Gospel to someone. It involves teaching him the way of Christ, teaching the way of Cross, self denial etc. A Church has lot more responsibility than just stand in the street and preach. The main purpose of a Church is for believers to be converted to disciples and not for unbelievers to know the Gospel (I know I will be hit for saying this by those who see only Violet as white color). It is true that many unbelievers get convicted when they come to a church service and become believers. But that is not the main objective.

1 Cor 3-6:-I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.

Paul spread the Gospel and planted God's word in the heart of unbelievers to make them believe in Christ. He did not stop and think that his job is done. Instead, he brought them to a Church, if a Church already existed there or made them as a Church and appointed Apollos to water the plant. Now Apollos was teaching them everyday to make them a Disciple of Jesus. Both these ministries of planting and watering are important.

One cannot say that if you are not planting then you are sinning, what if I am called to water what is already planted? If everybody becomes a planter then who will water? I have seen even even good preachers make this mistake and urge listeners to be planters.

We are all called to be a personal witness for Jesus in the place where we are placed, no question about that. But we are all not called to be evangelist. If every Christian takes this personal life witness serious we would have Gospel spread way more than how it is now.

Sree, you would really benefit from this book. I would highly encourage you to read it.

@ Sermonindex. Thanks for the PDF's. They at least encourage evangelism in true believers.

@ New member,

The book goes into detailed and doctrinal information as to why not evangelizing (making disiciples) is a sin. The most basic anwser is that it is a command of God. There are more detailed and descriptive answers that are listed in the book, but you are hitting the nail on the head about having deeper issues. The book reveals why false converts and "apocites" have a lot in common.

The word used (apocity) is a word that was coined to describe the sin of not evangelizing. An apocite is someone that is in a state of apocity. In teh sneak preview that was posted, you can read in the first chapter the basic structure of why the word was put together. As I said already, I think we could all benefit from this book.

I definitely believe it is a sin for us not share the gospel when given the opportunity. We quench and grieve the Holy Spirit in our disobedience in this and other areas. I will also share a chapter from the Principles book which I just got done reading today.

Principle 58
New Converts Every Church Meeting

It is now a normal thing to see many new converts in Iranian House Churches. Iranian believers expect to see new people coming in repentance to Jesus every week. This is very much like the account of the Book of Acts where it says the Church was: "Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”771 In some cases, when they have meetings where there are no stories of a conversion they examine what they have done wrong to hinder the Lord working. Such growth has happened in the last 30 years to where many say conservative estimates put the size of the Iranian house Churches at over one million people.

Iranians find the Lord Jesus Christ through evangelization by Iranians and personal one-to-one witnessing. The Lord commands us to make disciples. After the person makes a decision, they need discipleship. It involves walking and talking with those that have accepted Christ and teaching them what the Bible says. As Iranian Christians rely on the Holy Spirit they are Spirit-led to reach those that should be saved. They risk their lives to do so because they
believe it is a sin not to share the Good News of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their commitment to Jesus Christ is reflected in many reports.

771 Acts 2:47

The cost to see this growth in the Church is at the price of great persecution and imprisonment. Rev. Mehdi Dibaj was in prison for 9 years for refusing to deny his faith in Christ and return to Islam. He said: "I am a Christian. As a sinner I believe Jesus has died for my sins on the cross and by His resurrection and victory over death, has made
me righteous in the presence of the Holy God. The true God speaks about this fact in His Holy Word, the Gospel (Injil). Jesus means Savior ‘because He will save His people from their sins.’772 Jesus paid the penalty of our sins by His own blood and gave us a new life so that we can live for the glory of God by the help of the Holy Spirit
and be like a dam against corruption, be a channel of blessing and healing, and be protected by the love of God.

"In response to this kindness, He has asked me to deny myself and be His fully surrendered follower, and not to fear people even if they kill my body, but rather rely on the creator of life who has crowned me with the crown of mercy and compassion. He is the great protector of His beloved ones as well as their Great Reward.

"They object to my evangelizing. But if one finds a blind person who is about to fall in a well and keeps silent then one has sinned.773 It is our religious duty, as long as the door of God’s mercy is open, to convince evil-doers to turn from their sinful ways and find refuge in Him in order to be saved from the wrath of the Righteous God and from the coming dreadful punishment.”774
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Three months after he was released from prison, Rev. Mehdi was abducted and later found hanging from a tree.

Such dedication in the life of Iranian Christians brings the results that God desires. Heaven rejoices when a sinner repents. God gives the eternal reward, that of a martyrs’ crown, to His faithful servant. We in non-persecuted countries take the easy road. We say, Let our life speak. Yet we are drowned in the sea of the world. Our voices are
not raised and therefore are not heard. We have lost the salt from our Christian lives. When Jesus prayed for us He talked to His Father about future Christians that would believe on Him because of their word: "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message.”775 By saying their message Jesus
is indicating that we Christians are to use the words of our mouths to testify about salvation. We are to share with others by word of mouth what Jesus has done for us. We are to speak with our voices about our faith, humbly, gently, and with much love. "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”776

In Iran, confession of the faith is also transmitted through
technological means. A wonderful testimony is that of a family in Iran that watched a Gospel broadcast on an illegal satellite station. In response to hearing the Good News of the Son of God and eternal life in Him they prayed this prayer together as a family:

"Dear God, we confess that we are sinners. I confess that I cannot save myself through my own good works. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins. And they put You in the tomb and You rose from the dead after 3 days. I believe that You are alive and have the authority to forgive my sins. And to make me righteous in front of the Everlasting
God. I ask that You accept me and as You promised, please give me new life. I thank You for hearing my prayers, Amen.”

With this prayer they wrote in to the Gospel station and asked if the prayer was correct. Such simple faith and response to the Gospel is how God is working in a powerful way in this country to turn people from a harsh religion that demands many outward religious forms to the true and living God.

772 Matthew 1:21
773 Matthew 12:11
774 Mehdi Dibaj (1935-1994)
775 John 17:20
776 Romans 10:10

Do you think that coining a word to describe this sin is helpful?

James 4:17 If anyone knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is considered sin.

It is a catch all verse for anyone who is not yet saved but thinks he is good enough to warrant salvation by his own righteousness.

For the true believer, what sin lies in the act of withholding good? Is not the same truth true for all? It is not a pleasant though to think of how many times the Spirit has convicted me of such missed opportunities?

So are you saying you committed the sin of apocity?

I agree. But I am not making an idol out of apocity. I am merely realizing the importance of diagnosing the problem by giving this sin a name.

OK, here we go!

As Paris Reidhead notes, the worst verse you can use in evangelizing is John 3:16. It has become the great turn off verse, and sends people flying in the other direction. Quite frankly, nobody wants to be hammered into the kingdom- I know I sure don't.

Jesus used the model of preaching, because one of the functions of that is that individuals hear and freely make decisions in their own mind. It is like the parable of the sower, all the seeds fall, but the response depends on the ground where it hits.

In my experience, some preaching has captured my heart and convicted me, other preaching has left me thinking maybe I should be home washing the car.

One thing I have learned about evangelism is that without a person's permission, it is unlikely that you will get very far into their inner decision making process. When I was younger, I tried the door to door method, and they either blow you off as a Mormon or JW, or even worse try to work you for money and services you are not prepared to do. If I find myself in a situation where it may be appropriate to lead a person into a spiritual conversation, I always ask permission to go there. No permission, we'll try the weather or somesuch.

But using fundamentalist guilt for a motivator? Perish the thought. Just-in is quite right, there are usually much deeper issues. What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. Grab by the lapels evangelism is not in the verse.

A little twist back to the original meaning of the verse "Go ye into all the world and make disciples" might make a more accurate translation (as I have learned from people who know Greek and Hebrew) to say, "As you are going..." which changes the pressure considerably. In other words, live your life in a way that is honoring God, and you will have credibility with people who are open to hearing the gospel- wherever you go.

By keeping oneself in the nearness of God, opportunities for personal evangelism will always present themselves, and it will be great pleasure in your spirit as you respond. Guilt free!

A little twist back to the original meaning of the verse "Go ye into all the world and make disciples" might make a more accurate translation (as I have learned from people who know Greek and Hebrew) to say, "As you are going..." which changes the pressure considerably. In other words, live your life in a way that is honoring God, and you will have credibility with people who are open to hearing the gospel- wherever you go.

By keeping oneself in the nearness of God, opportunities for personal evangelism will always present themselves, and it will be great pleasure in your spirit as you respond. Guilt free!

Excellent post. Not just because it agrees with my view in this thread earlier but because this is the spirit of Mary instead of the spirit of Martha. Brother Zac Poonen says that in heaven the angels do not run here and there asking lets do this for God and let's do that for God. They wait patiently for God to give them a task. This is what Mary chose.

In remote villages in India, one family will invite another unbelieving family to come to their church. They come not out of compulsion but to find out the reason for joy and hope that they see in the family that invited them. Once they come they hear the word, fall convicted of their sins and accept Christ. Also the elders visit such newly coming families frequently to understand their problems and encourage them. It is not easy for a person or family to come out of Hindu tradition without facing problems. They need encouragement. Standing and preaching in streets will not solve their problems and bring them to Christ. This is personal evangelism and I have witnessed many families come to Christ.

None of what was written here is in no way contradicting that apocity is indeed a sin. And if what you said concerning Wurmbrand is true, then he did commit apocity. Finally, "in your going" actually proves that apocity is a sin. Why? Because it was assumed that they would go. Preaching the gospel is natural to true believers. This is something that is also addressed in the book.

In any case, I already see that this is something that is definitely necessary and needed just by looking at your posts. This sin needs a name, and it now has one. I pray that all of us will take heed to this command and will fufill the great commission as it was intended to be fulfilled. God speed to you all.

One more note concerning Wurmbrand. He (the Jew) asked God for someone, and that someone was sent to him. Had he held his peace, he would have committed apocity. Just for clarification.

I have edited and removed certain sections of my previous post in which I spoke about the spirit of Martha. It is not my job to judge the spirit of others. Forgive me if my post has hurt anyone. I apologize for the judgmental content of my post.

Thanks for asking and thanks for the clarification.

Going into the world is inclusive of all things you do in the world. I agree with you. When I say inclusive, that means it also can be going to another country should you feel called to do so. However, when a person does not fufill the Great commission, and they are not regularly, consistently, and purposfully, sharing their faith with others in the world (whether verbally or graphically) with loved ones or stangers, they are committing apocity. And no, lifestyle evangelism and friendship evangelism are not suitable substitutes, nor are they commanded. This too the book clarifies.

There may be some confusion here as to what I am trying to convey because of the limitations of this kind of medium. I would definitely pick up a copy of "Apocity: The Greatest Omission" for yourself so that you can see what I am talking about.

Any other thoughts?

I agree. That is why in this book, the author reveals that being a false convert and being an apocite often go hand in hand. It is not so much the act, but the true nature of a believer. Liek I said, you should really get a copy. I don't think you would have any problem with it at all (well, for the most part. I don't know exactly everything you believe). :D

The systematic theology is from the scriptures. The word is coined to place a name to what the scriptures already declare is a sin.

No you don't have to tell a true believer to share the gospel. That is one of the points in the book. However, I can see you are not attracted to it. I still would encourage you to read it. If not, that's fine. God speed.

That is good. I would expect nothing less. At least you now have a word to use for the sin of not evangelizing, should you decide to use it. :)

Does anyone else have anything to add to this conversation? Do you believe not evangelizing is a sin? Do you think it is needful to have a word to describe this once nameless sin?