Southwestern online student uses lessons from evangelism class in church, home

A pastor in Louisiana who is an online student of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has found what he’s learning in his evangelism class has applications in the church he’s pastoring—and his own home.

Adam Rainey, a Master of Divinity in Christian Leadership student, knows that all believers are “called to share the Gospel.”

“It is not on us to make the decision for them,” said Rainey who serves as the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Lake Providence in Lake Providence, Louisiana, and attends his Southwestern Seminary classes online.

One of the classes Rainey is taking this semester is Contemporary Evangelism taught by Interim Provost Matt Queen. Queen also serves as professor of evangelism and L.R. Scarborough Chair of Evangelism (“Chair of Fire”). During this class students are required to have several evangelism encounters throughout the semester to fulfill the course practicum requirement. “Even though this is an assignment, it is so encouraging to realize that I should be doing this more,” said Rainey.

Recently, Rainey was able to use the knowledge from his class to help refine his evangelistic strategy. This came to fruition when he was able to help lead his own daughter to Christ. According to Rainey, for about six to eight months leading up to his conversation with their daughter, he and his wife would discuss what they learned in church each Sunday with her. “While talking, she provoked a question from me and I shared the Gospel with her,” said Rainey.

Rainey described his daughter as “realizing her need for Jesus” as he shared with her. He said he “noticed that she was wrestling with this decision” so he asked her if “this was a decision she wanted to make?” to which his daughter answered “yes.”

“It was a very special moment, especially as a parent,” said Rainey. “It is just so exciting to see your daughter, or any child period, to come to faith in Christ.” After his daughter received Christ, Rainey walked through the Gospel with her to ensure she knew what decision she was making. According to Rainey, he was “able to baptize her a few weeks later.”

“We try to read God’s Word together each night as a family as well as before bed,” said Rainey. “We try to constantly put the Word before our children and then we talk about the text that was read together.” He gives “all credit to God” for working in the life of his daughter. He said that “God just wanted to reveal Himself to her in that moment for her to realize the need for Him” and that he is “so grateful that God did.”

Rainey recalled that through his classes at Southwestern, God has been providing the insight and instruction needed for growing his ministry. “We’re currently going through a series on evangelism on Wednesday nights at church,” said Rainey. “It has been so encouraging to be able to use what Dr. Queen has taught us in class to help teach the people I am called to lead.”

“Our church started a series in early January about evangelism before even taking the class with Dr. Queen,” said Rainey. “I was able to help my church find out who we are as a church and what our mission is.” The church was able to capture the vision well according to Rainey as the church members “have really been able to take the aspects of discipleship and evangelism I have preached on and make them a priority for our church.”

There was another encounter that Rainey had with an eighth-grade student from his church as well. “We were talking together and I felt led to share the Gospel with him that day,” Rainey explained. He recalled that the student “looked like he was wrestling with something” when the student looked to Rainey and said, “I have already done that.”

“He told me about his salvation experience during youth camp last year and that he just didn’t tell anyone about it,” said Rainey. “I made sure to tell him that this is a decision that you should tell people about so people can rejoice with you.” Rainey said that he “walked him through Scripture” to show him the next steps of discipleship. The next Sunday the student walked before the congregation to share his decision and his desire for baptism.

“It was a really neat deal especially because he had lots of family with him that Sunday,” said Rainey. “My ultimate goal for him was to celebrate and rejoice with him about what the Lord has done.”

Through his classes at Southwestern and the leadership of his professors, Rainey has been shaped by the seminary to be more mindful of evangelism. “I constantly pray for the Lord to put me in a place where I can speak to someone about Him,” said Rainey. “That has really changed how I share the Gospel with people and the why behind sharing the Gospel with people as well.”