Thanks Mark, for the excellent questions and sorry for my slow reply. Let me give some quick answers and then I’ll come back and elaborate later.

First, some Calvinists are considered poor evangelists because they are. We could both give examples. This is a point I’ll take up later.

Second, Calvinists are often considered poor evangelists by anti-Calvinist evangelists because they have been taught that Calvinism quenches evangelistic zeal, and undermines the motive for missions, and those same anti-Calvinists have simultaneously mis-identified certain man-made approaches to evangelism with the evangel itself and with biblical evangelism, and thus have viewed the use of these man-made methods as the final measure of faithfulness in and zeal for evangelization.

Third, Calvinists are often considered poor evangelists because of historical ignorance. The standard fare of anti-Calvinism (Calvinism kills evangelism and missions) so often served up in the SBC and in wider evangelicalism is, of course, wrong. Dead wrong and demonstrably wrong. The greatest evangelists and missionaries of Protestant era have been Calvinistic or Reformed. That is, they have embraced and preached the doctrines of grace. Whether it is Bunyan or Spurgeon, Carey or Nettelton or Whitfield or Duff or Stott, that you are talking about – the Baptist tradition, the Congregational tradition, the Anglican tradition, the Presbyterian tradition and so on – find the hall of fame evangelists and missionaries and you’ll find folks who live, breathe, teach and preach the doctrines of grace.

Fourth, Calvinists ought to be better evangelists because we (only by God’s mercy) have gotten a clearer hold on the Bible’s teaching on man’s sin, God’s grace, Christ’s cross and free salvation – the very heart of message of evangelism. Those who have been forgiven much, love much, and love to tell the story. And we realize the depth of our own sin, the greatness of God’s grace to us, the cost of Christ’s work and the freeness of God’s grace shown to us – so we love to tell others about it.

Fifth, I well remember your remark to me a number of years ago, that "Calvinists will be the last people sharing the Gospel." I agree with you wholeheartedly and that statement is true at so many levels (again, I want to explore it some more, later). For instance, in the last fifty years in evangelicalism (as its Calvinistic moorings slip) we have seen an erosion of commitment to the exclusivity of Christ and the absolute necessity of the Gospel for salvation. This is the consequence of an encroaching, incipient, Arminianism. It has led many an Arminian to stop sharing the Gospel. The evangelical Calvinist, on the other hand, will be the very last one to cave in to universalism in its various forms, or to accommodate the spirit of the age. The evangelical Calvinist is a supernaturalist and a particularist in ways that the Arminian is not, and thus is less vulnerable to the siren call of the spirit of the age that compromises bold Gospel witness.

Sixth, this being said, the growth of the PCA (and other strong reformed churches like CHBC and CLC and GCC and BBC) is not because we are better evangelists but because we have a better evangel (that is, a more biblical one) and a gracious, sovereign God who is at work changing hearts by his Spirit. The PCA motto has been from the beginning – "true to the Bible, the reformed faith, and obedient to the Great Commission." Not a bad slogan. In the PCA though, we earnestly desire to see more adult professions of faith, and in no way are patting ourselves on the back or resting on our laurels. God gets all the glory. The rest is our fault.

Seventh, reformed types (in the SBC and PCA and elsewhere) are more likely to be able to find their converts than non-reformed types (who might have to put out an APB to locate 75% or more of their decision-makers). So, multiply Shiflett's results for reformed church growth by at least four. The reason for this is that we reformed folk are interested in making disciples (see Matthew 28:19), not simply getting someone to pray a prayer or sign a card or raise a hand or walk an aisle, etc.

Dear CJ, I do read this blog.  Thus I know to pray for Al's busy schedule (can anyone name the 4 states Al ISN'T in this month?), Lig's ministry of teaching, and your ministry of godly modeling and provoking.

My Evangelism book recommendations:

1) Will Metzger, Tell the Truth--best book out there at showing what a God-centered presentation of the Gospel is.

2)  J. I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God--good book helping to motivate us for evangelism by helping us understand our role and God's.

3)  Mack Stiles, Speaking of Jesus--wonderful examples of turning conversations to Jesus.

Get these books.  Read them.  Practice them. 

Mark, first I want to thank you for your kind (and mischievous) encouragement (Mahaney “Opens the New Testament Canon”?) about the book I wrote on humility. Although, I would advocate leaving the N.T. canon in its current condition.

You followed that post with CJ CONFRONTED, where you accused me of saying “I am worthless for this blog”! So, now the readers can get a feel for what our times together are really like, and why I enjoy them so much. No one is better at making false accusations (with a smile on his face) than you are, my friend.

Hey Mark, are you even reading our blog? Though I don’t have the depth and breadth of knowledge and insight you guys have (I won’t be writing seven-part series on reading like Lig), I will occasionally contribute (and already have, I might add) comments that I hope will serve--in some small way--those who honor us by reading our blog. So, I don’t think I am “no good for this blog.” Where I can serve, by drawing from the past 32 years of pastoral experience, I will do so. Given all the mistakes I have made over the years, I certainly think I can impart hope to all pastors that God is faithful to help them be fruitful and persevere by His grace. And perhaps, I can provide brief moments of humor to punctuate the ten-part series each of you guys are going to provide for us.

By the way, I will keep asking you guys questions, because that’s a way I can serve the readers. Putting you boys to work is my job when we’re together. And if you guys don’t answer my questions, then I will quit the blog, or only post on a theological perspective of sports. Of course, if I only write about sports, I know that will annoy you, my friend, and that would bring me a peculiar joy.

Since not one of you guys has answered my question about your recommended books on evangelism, I will answer it myself, in hopes of provoking your response. So, here are my three recommended books on evangelism and why:

Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, by J.I. Packer—because it’s by J.I. Packer

The Gagging of God, by D.A. Carson—because it’s by D.A. Carson

Gospel and Mission in the Writings of Paul, by P.T. O’Brien—
because it’s by P.T. O’Brien.

Finally, I would like to assure everyone that I don’t think of myself as an apostle. I think of myself as the worst sinner I know.

My most recent post and my time with Mark yesterday reminded me of one of the finest messages I have heard on evangelism, given by none other than Mark Dever! It was after this message that I began to pester Mark about writing a much-needed book on evangelism that would combine sound theological foundations with compelling personal examples, all rooted in the local church. If you are interested in this message, you can obtain it by clicking here.

This message will give you a preview of Mark's book that will be written this fall. More importantly, this message will instruct and inspire you and make a difference in your interaction with everyone from your neighbor to the person making your drink at Starbucks tomorrow morning.

Mark, Al, and Lig, please provide us with a short list of the books you recommend on evangelism with a brief description of why you recommend these books. Thanks, my friends.

In a recent post (Snow and Evangelism), my good friend Mark Dever humbly asked for our prayers. He wrote, "Pray that I be a better, more obedient, more active personal evangelist." My friend, I will pray for you, but first I want to express my gratefulness to God for your compelling example of personal and pastoral evangelism.

Reading your post on evangelism reminded me of when I first had the joy of meeting you. As I arrived at CHBC for our lunch together, I had no idea that God was about to introduce me to someone who would become a close friend and from whom I would learn much. The first lesson I learned from your life was your heart for the lost and your passion to reach them with the gospel.

You asked me that day if we could eat at Subway, and I gladly followed (trying to keep up with you, as I immediately discovered you walk as fast as you talk) on the brief walk to this location. And just before we entered Subway, you informed me that you ate there often--not because of the cuisine, but in order to reach those who worked there with the gospel. I then observed your conversation and interaction with those who served us. As we sat down, I immediately began to draw you out about your heart and strategy for reaching the lost. You told me that you try to frequent the same places when you eat out, run errands etc. for the purpose of sharing the gospel. Since that day, I have followed your example and have shared the gospel with many I have come to know. Whatever heart I have for the lost is the result of your example and influence (second only to that of my very good friend Kenneth Maresco).

And just last week you served me big time once again. On Tuesday you devoted an entire day teaching pastors and future pastors at the Sovereign Grace Pastors’ College. And I was not surprised when I received the following e-mail from Kenneth Maresco (who appropriately led the conference): "Mark Dever opened us up, and no one--and I mean no one--could have done a better job with the theological, historical, gospel-centered view of evangelism he provided." For those wondering, Mark taught the following sessions:

What is Evangelism?
A Biblical Theology of Evangelism and the Evangel
The Pastoral Practice of Evangelism-Personally and in the Pulpit
The Church's Practice of Evangelism

In my experience both personally and as a pastor, there is no area that is more difficult or challenging than evangelism. So Mark, thanks for your example and teaching. You can't write your book on evangelism fast enough, and there is no one I would rather write this important and much needed book than you. By the way, where are we in the writing and publishing process of this book that I have been pleading with you to write for years now? I will continue to annoy you until I hold this book in my hands. I need you to write this book. The church needs this book. Please write this book.

I am looking forward to lunch tomorrow, my friend. Let's go to Subway.

Snow has cancelled services at Hillcrest Baptist Church (where I was to preach this morning) so I will have the joy of attending Capitol Hill Baptist Church and hearing Greg Gilbert preach on Ezekiel 24.  It's wonderful to have a church that a large portion of the congregation walk to.  It makes our gatherings snow-proof!

One more thing.  Having been deprived of an opportunity to preach the gospel this morning, and having written recently on this weblog about conversions, I am reminded of how much I need your prayers for my personal evangelism.  Pray that I be a better, more obedient, more active personal evangelist.  I am surprised that I, as someone who goes around speaking on evangelism, evangelize personally as little as I do.  It grieves me, and so I pray and strategize.  I am encouraged by a statement of the late Bill Bright, “Successful evangelism is sharing the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God.”  I am thankful to leave the results to God, but I cannot leave the evanglism to God, as well!  Pray for me, friends.

I was struck not too long ago by an account I read of the worst kind of well-intended but poorly done work for God.  In his 1940 autobiography, The Big Sea, Langston Hughes (d. 1967) recounted his "salvation" experience:   “I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen.  But not really saved.  It happened like this:  There was a big revival at my Auntie Reed’s church.  Every night for weeks there had been much preaching, singing, praying, and shouting . . . . Finally all the young people had gone to the altar and were saved, but one boy and me.  He was a rounder’s son named Westley.  Westley and I were surrounded by sisters and deacons praying.  It was very hot in the church, and getting late now.  Finally Westley said to me in a whisper, ‘. . . . I’m tired o’ sitting here.  Let’s get up and be saved.’  So he got up and was saved.  Then I was left all alone on the mourner’s bench.  My aunt came and knelt at my knees and cried, while prayers and songs swirled all around me in the little church.  The whole congregation prayed for me alone, in a mighty wail of moans . . . . God had not struck Westley dead for taking his name in vain or for lying in the temple.  So I decided that maybe to save further trouble, I’d better lie, too, and say that Jesus had come, and get up and be saved.  So I got up.  Suddenly the whole room broke into a sea of shouting, as they saw me rise. . . . I couldn’t bear to tell her that I had lied, that I had deceived everybody in the church, that I hadn’t seen Jesus, and that now I didn’t believe there was a Jesus any more . . . .” 

I assume that many of those people speaking to Hughes were genuine Christians.  And I have no doubt that many people have been saved through such experiences.  I regret all the millions of people whom, I fear, have wrongly taken an assurance of God's having forgiven their sins because of such an experience in church.  Not that Mr. Hughes had any such illusions; nor, it seems, any idea that there was such a God who would judge him at some point for his own sins. 

One sweet aspect of fellowship is to see the lasting, continuing, enduring nature of true gospel work.  Evangelism done faithfully and carefully brings not merely relief by escaping a meeting, but a life changed and changing from that point on.

Being here in England, wandering around Cambridge yesterday with some friends, having dinner with the Chapman's & seeing a whole host of people at the Riddington's last night, I was reminded of the continuing grace of God in the lives of those that I've known and loved.  Foretastes of heaven.  Encouragements to evangelism.

I also saw my 3 friends at the fish & chips shop near our house.  There they were, all 3 still there, just as they had been when we left Cambridge 12 years ago.  I invited them to church this coming Sunday at Eden (where I'm preaching).  I pray they'll come.

Now, CJ, as to your question about reading schedule.  It is true that I have what I call my "canon of theologians".  These are a group of writers from the past, from which I try to do at least a little misc. reading each month, specifically so that I'm not just talking to people from now about what I'm interested in.  Instead, I want to make sure that I get some people from "then" about what they're "interested in."   

Should I say more?