What do we learn from a dramatic cave rescue?

In January, George Linnane joined the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team. He volunteered after he had spent 54 hours trapped in a cave in the Brecon Beacons and was rescued by 300 volunteers. He joined the team ‘so I can help the next poor soul who finds themselves in this situation’.

As we approach the A Passion for Life Mission, and our churches begin to return to normal ministry after Covid, this story is a reminder of the essence of evangelism.

Risk and inconvenience

First, it points to the effort needed to rescue others. Rather than giving up on Mr Linnane, the 300 volunteers devoted their time and energy to getting him out. They risked their own safety.

We need to remember that evangelism is a rescue mission. Our task is to work to rescue people from a far-greater peril, namely eternal judgment. We need to be willing to go to extraordinary lengths to share the good news of Jesus with them. We need to risk our friendships to speak the truth of the gospel, and to pray without ceasing for opportunity to speak and for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. We need to be willing to be inconvenienced, because the best gospel opportunities rarely fit with our plans and programmes. We need to be like the shepherd in the parable of the lost sheep, not ceasing to search for the lost. Our efforts will ultimately be a pale reflection of the supreme effort of our Lord Jesus, who came from heaven to die on a cross to save us.

Motivated by joy and compassion

Second, our evangelism ought to flow from the joy of our salvation. Mr Linnnane was motivated by the relief and joy that he felt at being rescued. He said that he felt an ‘overwhelming sense of relief’ and ‘lucky to be alive’. All too often we feel that evangelism is a burdensome duty to be undertaken out of guilt. This is generally because we have lost the wonder of our own salvation. We take it for granted that we are now alive in Christ and eternally secure. Our evangelism starts with recapturing grace-filled joy.

Third, our evangelism ought to be motived by compassion for those who are still lost. Mr Linnane wanted to join the team that would rescue people from the same danger he had faced. As those who have been spiritually rescued, we ought to want to join the team that will help the ‘poor souls’ all around us who are still trapped in darkness and sin. Our hearts ought to go out to them. All too often we are fearful because we see them as the enemies of the gospel rather than those in desperate need of the grace of the gospel.

Finally, Mr Linnane reminds us that the newly converted are often the most effective in personal evangelism. They are filled with the joy of their salvation, know the need of others, have confidence in the gospel because it has saved them, and have a wide pool of non-Christian friends who can see the difference in their lives. They are like the Samaritan woman evangelising her village, or the Gerasene demoniac telling his own people all that God had done for him. We miss an opportunity when we do not make evangelism a top priority of immediate discipleship for new converts.

As we refocus on evangelism let’s remember that we have joined God’s ‘Sin Rescue Team’ and pray that we might be refilled with the joy of our salvation and compassion for the lost. May we make every effort to save others and might God in His mercy add many new ‘volunteers’ to His church.