December 27, 2009
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What is evangelism?
If you asked me the question 1 year ago or so, I would have answered without thinking, “Sharing the good news of the Gospel verbally to anyone who would listen.” However, today I think I would pause and give it some good thought before blurting out an response.
Evangelism in its most simple form is in fact sharing the good news, because that is what the word “evangelism” means. However, the complexity comes apparent when we examine the phrase “sharing” the good news. I will pose a question, answer it and then give an explanation.
Is having a non-christian over for dinner with the intention of speaking the gospel with the person considered evangelism? Do I need to actually speak the gospel in order for it to be evangelism? Does evangelism always need to have the gospel word included?
Pause for a moment and think before reading on.
I would say that having a friend over for dinner is evangelism if in fact my intention is to share the gospel word. I also believe that it is still evangelism even if I don’t speak of the gospel on that particular night. I would also say that the gospel word does not need to be present in order for evangelism to take place.
If you have been exposed to any American evangelism such as Way of the Master, Evangelism explosion or anything similar to it you are ready to protest. I have been involved heavily with this style of evangelism in the past, so I understand the paradigm quite well.I have read many Ray Comfort books and listened to enough Way of the Master radio to fill a hard drive with Podcasts.
Evangelism is not ONLY sharing the gospel word verbally! It surely is part of evangelism, but it is not the only component. The book “Total Church” explains this in detail complete with a sweet diagram.
Evangelism is a 3 cord rope consisting of sharing the gospel word, building relationships and inviting people into community. One of the three need to be present, but not in any certain order or time for it to be evangelism. All 3 three things God uses to convert people. True as it may be, the gospel word is the crowning jewel of evangelism and normally is the definition of evangelism. However, all 3 components are crucial in evangelism and to remove any from the equation hamstrings the task at hand.It is true that God can save people with whatever means he wishes, but this does not mean he always works in the same ways. God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick and can save people with the most imperfect efforts. The phrase “Well God uses it” is completely ridiculous considering the fact that God uses all things including a Jackass in the OT. This would mean that almost any form of evangelism would be acceptable according to that vague standard. I believe there are good forms of evangelism and bad ones. The only difference between one working and the other not is whether or not God chooses to save the individual. (Different conversation)
Having said all of that, evangelism is any effort in which we do something as simple as eating dinner with a non-christian with the intention that they hear about and know the God of the Bible. This is why Jesus spent a considerable amount of time going to parties, hanging out with people and getting to know them. All of the things he did were in fact part of evangelism. Evangelism is not simply speaking the gospel word, but living out the gospel, sharing life with people and inviting them into our gospel communities (assuming of course we have them). Evangelism is any effort done with the hope that people will know and love God. Only God can make people Christians, but the Bible lays out a pretty simply plan for this to happen. God saves people through community, one only needs to look at the OT for an example. There are very few instances in the NT of “personal evangelism” that we can point to. Instead, I am insisting in a different form of evangelism which I believe to be more effective and Biblical. I have tried both, and I can tell you for sure which one I prefer. In my next post, I will explain this in more detail.
