To Spread the Faith
Evangelism is a very misunderstood subject for being such a basic Christian activity. And as we can all testify to, it is also an easy “muscle” to go into atrophy in the body of Christ. Normally, that would be surprising for something that I just called so basic. But when it comes to evangelism, we have problems at the theoretical and the practical levels. Most of the reasons we give for not doing it (or thinking we can’t) are really a matter of misunderstanding what it is to begin with.
So, first things first—What is evangelism? Evangelism is just the preaching or proclamation of the gospel to unbelievers. It is called that because of the Greek word for gospel or “good news” (euangellion). It can exist within a diversity of forms, but the key is that the content of the biblical gospel is what is communicated. Typically we are anxious to skip ahead to the practical application. Perhaps that is because we have never quite done it. Perhaps we have, but we are too busy comparing ourselves to someone we think to be especially gifted.
We should start more realistically: How do I spread the gospel? Part of the answer will be person-specific. By that I mean that it will depend on how God has built you as an individual. It will depend on who God has put into your life, as the audience of the gospel you will tell. But then we must actually not skip ahead to the person-specific. We have to start with the gospel itself.
Getting the Gospel Right
A new anxiety haunts many here. “What all do I include and exclude?” “If I have sixty seconds with them, what is most important to say?” In one sense, that can be a very helpful exercise. However, it can also be over-thinking it and even doing God’s job for Him.
As long as we keep the emphasis on the actual object of their repentance and faith—namely, their sin against God’s law, and Christ’s perfect work in their place—then we are on the right track. If their focus is outside of themselves toward the gospel itself, then the exact mode of walking them through it matters less.
Of course there are some biblical passages that are more obvious gospel passages, especially in Romans and John. But it is crucially important to be able to understand such truths on the concept level. I have written elsewhere on the basic parts of the gospel.
Unfortunately, Evangelicals have settled for a notion of evangelism that is either a mere “sharing” of their faith, which comes to mean the telling of personal testimony, or worse yet, the invitation to “belong, then believe,” so that to be an evangelist is to “get” people into the big tent full of community programs. Both the content of the gospel and the seriousness of the call to follow Christ are sacrificed on the altar of “getting the message out.” Nevermind whether the message has been lost in translation.
On the one hand, the Great Commission is evangelism because we are proclaiming the gospel to the nations, but on the other hand the point is to make disciples. So the two ideas are inseparable. One cannot do true evangelism without calling people to submit to the Lord as disciples, and one cannot make disciples without people who believe the gospel.
Some may be inclined to push back against any restrictions on personal testimonies. “Isn’t this just the way that many get to evangelize who are not as gifted at preaching or debating?” We would have to say no. The idea of a “personal testimony” can be appropriate in various contexts. However, when speaking to unbelievers, especially when we only have a limited time to declare the gospel to them, we do not want to make our own lives “the good news” that they are to believe in. As thankful as we must be to God for changing our hearts and lifestyles, we do not want to send the message that people need to believe in us, or that we can guarantee that x, y, and z, will “happen to them” just like it happened for us. We may have good intentions, but this is not the gospel.
A General Call or Specific Gift?
Let’s start our answer to this with the biblical use of these words. There is some distinction between “evangelist” as it was historically used about the Gospel authors, or potentially of those understudies of Paul: Timothy and Titus), as those in Ephesians 4:11, on the one hand, versus the gift of evangelism in each generation. But is it a spiritual gift like those other gift-ministries mentioned in the New Testament? The Bible does not designate it as a spiritual gift with the same level of specificity as others are listed in 1 Corinthians 12 and elsewhere. However, there is a general and specific treatment of it. So it is true that in one sense all are evangelists, yet some are specially called, and the Spirit empowers for each of those. Whether any such office as mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 has continued has always been a matter of debate. It was at least an office in Acts 21:8, and 2 Timothy 4:5 could be argued both ways.
Such are very biblical distinctions to observe, first, because we all have different gifts. The great truth of 1 Corinthians 12 about the many parts to one body does not cease being true when the question comes to evangelism. Now what exact positions churches create to support such a ministry is a matter of Christian liberty that is neither mandated nor prohibited. What is not in keeping with 1 Corinthians 12 is if the whole church comes to expect one person, or a small group of persons, to do “all the evangelism.” Again, this would fundamentally misunderstand what evangelism is. It is the task of every Christian. If 1 Peter 3:15 is rightly used as an apologetics mandate for all Christians (as I believe it is), then it must at least prove the same amount about evangelism. What does it say?
“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
The reason for the hope applies to that “reason behind the reason,” which makes apologetics what it is. But let us not miss that the more direct reason for hope is the substance of the gospel. This is what all Christians are duty-bound to have ready for all of the lost souls who we encounter.
“So,” you may ask, “how do I start bringing the gospel to the lost?” Just start with the people in your immediate life who you know (or suspect) are unsaved. Start with two other things by way of preparation: 1. first, praying for them, that the Lord would open up their heart to the message and then 2. make sure that you have a good grounding in the gospel yourself. The exact form that it takes can vary. It ought to always be conversational if it is one on one and with the use of questions to draw them out: but serious questions about meaning in life and what they think about death, and about God and their prospects being forgiven by Him.
