Welcome to the Gospel Coalition podcast, where we help to renew and unify the contemporary church in the ancient gospel.

Today's podcast is a talk by Bobby Jameson on how to do evangelism according to Eccases.

It was recorded at TGC's Nashville chapter meeting.

If you'd like more information on regional TGC chapters, visit TGC.org slash chapters.

Good to be with you, brothers.

It's a joy and a privilege to address a room full of like-minded

in the gospel and who are laboring together to faithfully preach and herald Christ and shepherd

Christ's people. So it's a privilege to be with you, a joy to be with you. Let me open this

message in prayer and we'll jump right in. Heavenly Father, we thank you

for this time. We thank you for this time to encourage each other and the labor you've given us.

We thank you for this time to encourage each other with the truths of your word. Father, we pray

that you would bless this time to equip us. Bless me as I consider again your word in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Bless us. Help us to be strengthened for the work you've given us. Help us to have fresh eyes

to perceive the beauty of the hope we have in Christ. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

As Matt mentioned, and as you might have experienced if he came to this last session a quarter ago, the kind of theme of these regional quarterly gatherings for now is equipping for evangelism. And so in keeping with that, I want to take my cues from someone who's become an increasing help to me in thinking about apologetics and evangelism, that is the 17th century Christian philosopher

of Blaise Pascal. Pascal made notes for a big apologetic that he never finished because he died

real young. Those are called his poncée. Ponce number 12, Pascal writes,

men despise religion. They hate it and are afraid it may be true. The cure for this is first to show that religion is not contrary to reason, but worthy of reverence and respect. Next, make it attractive. Make good men wish it were true and then show that it is worthy of reverence

because it really understands human nature attractive because it promises true good.

Now, only God can give the new birth.

Only God can make these truths appealing to the fallen human heart by giving a new heart.

And yet we're all committed to the reality that God works through means.

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