In the New Testament the words "elder," "shepherd" or "pastor," and "bishop" or "overseer" are used interchangeably in the context of the local church office.The Church: The Gospel Made Visible (Kindle Locations 1386-1387). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
According to the Bible, converting people is not in our power. And evangelism may not be defined in terms of results but only in terms of faithfulness to the message preached. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (79)
The final responsibility of the congregation does not contradict or undermine the elders' general leadership, but it provides an opportunity to confirm it when it is right and to constrain it when it is in error. This position is called elder led...The Church: The Gospel Made Visible (Kindle Locations 1474-1476). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
While every true local church is part of this universal church and is an entire church itself, no local church can be said to constitute the entire universal church. Therefore, Christians must exercise care in their assumptions about the correctness of doctrines or practices that may, in fact, be peculiar to their own time or place.The Church: The Gospel Made Visible (Kindle Locations 682-684). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
you are not loving your neighbor as yourself if you're not trying to persuade him toward the greatest and best aspect of your own life - your reconciled relationship with God. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (48)
The fall did not leave people neutral toward God but at enmity with him. Therefore we must not pretend that non-Christians are seekers by the simple virtue of their having been made in the image of God. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (56)
Who can deny that much modern evangelism has become emotionally manipulative, seeking simply to cause a momentary decision of the sinner's will, yet neglecting the biblical idea that conversion is the result of the supernatural, gracious act of God toward the sinner? The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (80)
Have you heard it said that the doctrine of God's choosing some for salvation (the doctrine of election) undercuts evangelism? It didn't in Paul's life. As he later wrote to Timothy, "I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory" (2 Tim.2:10). The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (104)
We need to know what "sales" we can "close" and what "sales" we can't-not so that we won't preach the gospel, but so that we won't allow the gospel that is preached to be molded by what finally gets a response. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (109)
If you think that the gospel is all about what we can do, that the practice of it is optional, and that conversion is simply something that anyone can choose at any time, then I'm concerned that you'll think of evangelism as nothing more than a sales job where the prospect is to be won over to sign on the dotted line by praying a prayer, followed by an assurance that he is the proud owner of salvation. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (110)
The Christian call to evangelism is not simply a call to persuade people to make decisions, but rather to proclaim to them the good news of salvation in Christ, to call them to repentance, and to give God the glory for regeneration and conversion. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (112)