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Evangelism, Mission, and Gospelism with David Bosch

By Jeremy Myers
11 Comments

Evangelism, Mission, and Gospelism with David Bosch

We are in a series of posts about how it is better to think of gospelism than evangelism.

Transforming Mission
Boring book cover .. GREAT book

Much of my thinking in the areas ofย mission, evangelism, and discipleship has been reinforced by David Bosch, and his book, Transforming Mission.ย Below are a few pertinent quotes. Note that he doesn’t use the term “gospelize” but I have included it in brackets where his thinking helped my thinking in this area.

Later today, I will post a story about one group of people who decided to live the gospel in their community (gospelize), rather than just “evangelize.”

So here are the quotes from David Bosch:

We cannot capture the evangel and package it in four or five “principles.” There is no universally applicable master plan for evangelism, no definitive list of truths people only have to embrace in order to be saved. We may never limit the gospel to our understanding of God and of salvation (p. 420).

Evangelism [is] that dimension and activity of the church’s mission which, by word and deed and in the light of particular conditions and a particular context, offers every person and community, everywhere, a valid opportunity to be directly challenged to a radical reorientation of their lives, a reorientation which involves such things as deliverance from slavery to the world and its powers; embracing Christ as Savior and Lord; becoming a living member of his community, the church; being enlisted into his service of reconciliation, peace, and justice on earth; and being committed to God’s purpose of placing all things under the rule of Christ (p. 420).

Mission [or evangelism] is not narrowed down to an activity of making individuals new creatures, of providing them with “blessed assurance” so that, come what may, they will be “eternally saved.” Mission involves, from the beginning and as a matter of course, making new believers sensitive to the needs of others, opening their eyes and hearts to recognize injustice, suffering, oppression, and the plight of those who have fallen by the wayside (p. 81).

The primary responsibility of “ordinary” Christians is not to go out and preach, but to support the mission project [i.e., gospelizing] through their appealing conduct and by making “outsiders” feel welcome in their midst (p. 138).

The church is that community of people who are involved in creating new relationships among themselves and in society at large and, in doing this, bearing witness [i.e., gospelizing] to the lordship of Christ (p. 169).

The church is the only society in the world which exists for the sake of those who are not members of it. [Bonhoeffer said] “The church must share in the secular problems of ordinary human life, not dominating, but helping and serving” (p. 375).

Mission [gospelizing] is the church sent into the world, to love, to serve, to preach, to teach, to heal, to liberate. …Evangelism is integral to mission.ย …One may never isolate it and treat it as a completely separate activity of the churchย (p. 412).

Evangelism is only possible when the community that evangelizes – the church – is a radiating manifestation of the Christian faith and exhibits an attractive lifestyle. …If the church is to impart to the world a message of hope and love, of faith, justice, and peace, something of this should become visible, audible, and tangible in the church itself (p. 414).

A talk-alike, think-alike, look-alike congregation may reflect the prevailing culture and be a club for religious folklore rather than an alternative community in a hostile or compromised environment. …The focus in evangelism should, however, not be onย the church but onย the irrupting reign of God (p. 415).

[Mission] is the good news of god’s love, incarnated in the witness of a community, for the sake of the world (p. 519).

See more on this gospelism series:

evangelism is gospelismEvangelism is Gospelism (Part 1)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 2)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 3)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 4)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 5)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 6)

The Gospel According to ScriptureWant to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."

The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!

God is Redeeming Theology Bible & Theology Topics: David Bosch, Discipleship, evangelism, good news, gospel, gospelism, mission, missional

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Is there a difference between gospelism and discipleship?

By Jeremy Myers
5 Comments

Is there a difference between gospelism and discipleship?

In previous posts (here and here) I suggested that since the gospel contains truths for all aspects of temporal and eternal life, then “gospelism” (aka evangelism), is anything we do, whether word or deed, which reveals these truths to others.

evangelism is gospelismBut the question may arise (at least, it did in my thinking), “If gospelism is basically just teaching and living the truths of the gospel, then what is the difference (if anything) between gospelism and discipleship?” After all,ย doesn’t discipleship take place when we reveal the truths of Scripture to others through word and deed? Isn’t this the same as gospelism?

Gospelism and Discipleship are Similar

I think the first thing to remember is that disciples are followers of Jesus, whether or not they have believed in Him for eternal life.

I find that a lot of people think that only believers in Jesus can be disciples of Jesus, but this is not supported by Scripture.

A cursory reading of the gospels reveal that there were many disciples of Jesus who were not believers in Jesus. People followed Jesus and learned from Jesus for many reasons, even though not all of them believed in Him for eternal life. Judas is the prime example.

So I take from this that discipleship is open to all people, whether they believe in Jesus for eternal life or not. This is true of gospelismย as well, so at least in this regard, gospelism and discipleship are identical.

The Primary Difference between gospelism and discipleship

But there seems to beย a fewย primary differences between gospelism and discipleship. As I read Scripture, it seems that discipleship is more intentional than gospelism.

That is, rather than simply living the gospel as a way of life before anybody and everybody, discipleship is when we live and reveal the gospel to a select group of individuals for an extended period of time so that they might learn to model their life after ours and ultimately, after Jesus.

So here are a few distinctives of discipleship which separate it from gospelism:

  1. While gospelism is somewhat random in who it touches,ย weย eitherย seekย out others to disciple, or they seek us out. It is intentional in who it touches.
  2. Discipleship must beย regular. It is for the same group of people, over an extended period of time, with a specific goal in mind.
  3. All who are discipling others must themselves be a disciple of someone else.

online discipleship groupSo while gospelism is for all people, discipleship is when we gospelize a select group of individuals.

Tomorrow, I will share a story showing how some of this looks in real life.

See more on this gospelism series:

Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 1)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 2)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 3)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 4)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 5)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 6)

The Gospel According to ScriptureWant to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."

The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!

God is Redeeming Theology Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship, evangelism, good news, gospel, gospelism

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A definition of Gospelism

By Jeremy Myers
5 Comments

A definition of Gospelism

evangelism is gospelismYesterdayย I introduced the idea that “evangelism” might be better termed “gospelism.” Doing so will help us see that evangelism is about revealing the gospel, whether by word or deed, andย should not beย equated with giving a one-size-fits-all, prepackaged, bullet-point presentation.

Let me try to explain in more detail what gospelism is.

A Definition of Gospelism

I propose the following definition of gospelism (aka Evangelism):

Gospelismย is aย way of lifeย whereby, through ourย actions and words,ย we reveal the good news about Jesus to those who are being drawn ever closer to Jesus.

Let me unpack this definition of Gospelism

First, gospelism is a way of life.

The gospel is way more than just a set of Bible facts; it also contains truths about how live in light of those Bible facts. Therefore, while you can believe some of those facts without living them, those who do so don’t really understand the full gospel or it’s ramifications for our life.

Also, we can never assume we fully understand and live according to the gospel. There is always more to learn, and more to practice.ย Gospel truths are aย way of life that take an entire life to develop.

Second, gospelism does not just about what we say, but also about what we do.

Since the good news about Jesus concerns all aspects of our physical and spiritual life, then we can live the gospel just as well as speak it. And how liberating this can be! We don’t have to beat ourselves over the head if the words didn’t come just right, or if we forgot eight of the fifteen points in the “gospel outline” that our pastorย wrote up.

Sometimes, the best way of sharing the gospel will not require words at all. Among other things, “evangelism” can be simple acts of honesty, service, kindness, and grace toward other people. But most people don’t think about such things as evangelism, and so they don’t think they are “evangelists.”

Remember what St. Francis of Assisi said: “Preach the gospel always; if necessary, use words.” If we are living a life of love, grace, generosity, forgiveness, patience, honesty, sacrifice, etc, then our lives are living testimonies to the gospel, which is always more winsome than words.

This is why you should live intentionally for the gospel. Fill up at the same gas station every week. Use the same check-out person at the grocery store. Request the same server at the restaurant (and tip well). As we consistently live the gospel before people, theyย do take notice, and over time, the service aspects of the gospel may result inย verbally sharing theย eternalย aspects of the gospel as well.

Finally, gospelizing is revealing the good news about Jesus to those who are being drawn ever closer to Jesus.

Thisย liberates us from trying to pack the gospel down into oneย five minute conversation. It can’t be done, so don’t try. Since there is so much information to the gospel, it is impossible to share it with any one person in any one setting. Rather, only bits and pieces can be shared at any one time.

serving othersTherefore, “evangelism” can be viewed as a process, rather than a one-timeย event.

If we share or show a bit of the gospel to a person we will never see again, that’s okay, because they are in process just like we are, and God can bring others into their lives to show them more light. We must do our part, but we don’t have to do the whole part. We must always be looking for ways we can show or share the gospel with any and every person we encounter.

Similarly, if we are developing a relationship with a person, we know that we can’t dump the gospel truck on them, because (1) there is too much to share in one setting, and (2) we don’t know or practice it all ourselves. If we share the gospel with words, and they reject it, we can still be friends, because our life is “gospelism” (evangelism)ย just as muchย as our words.

So, start with gospelism today

To put is as simply as possible, I believe that Gospelism is anything, whether word or deed, which reveals the gospel to others.

See more on this Gospelism series:
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 1)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 2)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 3)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 4)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 5)
Evangelism is Gospelism (Part 6)

The Gospel According to ScriptureWant to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."

The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!

God is Redeeming Theology Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship, evangelism, good news, gospel, gospelism

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The Gospel is Full of Good News

By Jeremy Myers
8 Comments

I still have an exciting announcement which I want to make (well, it’s exciting to me…), but it will have to wait until after I am done with this current series on the gospel and evangelism.

In two previous posts (here and here), I introduced the idea that to properly proceed in our mission to others, we need a proper understanding of the gospel and evangelism. In this post, I will discuss briefly the content of the biblical gospel. But first, let me give some background.

Background
Aboutย twoย years ago, I published an article called The Gospel is More than ‘Faith Alone in Christ Alone’ in the Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society.ย In the article, I challenged two of the more popular definitions of the gospel. First, that the “gospel” is equated with nothing more than “believe in Jesus for everlasting life.” There are some who think that this is the entirety of the gospel message, and those who askย others to believe more than this are adding to the gospel. I argued that the gospel is wayย  more than such a pared down message.

A second view I argued against was that the gospel could be limited to a set number of theological propositions. Depending on who you read, mostย Christians have between five and ten propositions which they say constitute the entire gospelm, all of which must be believed for a person to receive eternal life. This view is based primarily on a faulty understanding of 1 Corinthians 15. Generally, they include the following in their gospel definition:
-human sinfulness
-the deity of Jesus
-the death of Jesus on the cross for our sins
-the resurrection of Jesus
-the necessity of faith in Jesus to receive eternal life

Against these twoย views, I argued that the biblical gospel is pretty much everything related to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, including the prophecies about Him, and the ongoing empowerment for life with God that we receive as believers. I wrote:

This gospel contains everything related to the person and work of Jesus Christ, including all of the events leading up to His birth, and all the ramifications from Christโ€™s life, death, and resurrection for unbelievers and believers (p. 50).

Response
Understandably, I received a lot of criticism from various groups for questioning their traditional teachings and practices regarding the gospel. One primary criticism was that my idea was new, and nobody else was saying such things as I had written. This is a weak argument, but interestingly, since I wrote the article, is seems that nearly every book I read has ideas which parallel the content of my research. One book in particular really helped my thinking.ย  It is Transforming Mission by David Bosch, and it is now one of the top three most influential books I have ever read. He shows over and over that the gospel is not only a set of facts or propositions to be believed, but is information about how these beliefs will change our lives and how we interact with others.

Gospel of Faith, Love, and Hope
Let me provide a few quotes from Bosch which show this, and then I will close this already-too-long post with a few summary ideas.

“The good news is that the reign of God, present in Jesus Christ, has brought us all together under judgment and has in the same act brought us all together under grace. And yet, this does not mean that the gospel is an invitation to mystical introspection or to the salvation of individual souls, climbing out of a lost world into the safety of the church. Rather, it is the proclamation of a new state of affairs that God has initiated in Christ” (Bosch, 148).

The gospel of the early church “was practiced not as a stratagem to lure outsiders to the church but simply as a natural expression of faith in Christ” (Bosch, 49).

Similarly, salvation is way more than just “entrance into heaven when you die.” Salvation involves all aspects of life and living. It is a full redemption. “Whatever salvation is…it includes the total transformation of human life, forgiveness of sin, healing from infirmities, and release from any kind of bondage. …It does not have only a ‘vertial’ dimension” (Bosch, 107).

What is the Gospel?
The most basic definition of the “gospel” (Gk. euangelion) is “good news.” But that is not really what the biblical gospel is. Based on my years of studying this issue, and especially on my reading over the pastย few years, I am more convinced than ever that the gospel is message for all people about all the temporal and eternal benefits available to us through Jesus Christ.

Certainly, the message ofย eternal life is central to the gospel. However, what we Christians often neglect is that there is more to the gospelย – much more. The biblical good news also tells us about how God wants to rule and reign over all aspects of life, how there is nothing beyond the scope of redemption, how there is hope for the future, a source of joy and gladness to be had, true community to beย experienced, andย peace to be introduced. It is good news for the poor,ย the lonely, the hurting, the despised, the neglected, the abandoned, the abused, the slandered, the outcast –ย  indeed, for all who areย suffering mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

The gospel is more than “believe in Jesus for eternal life.” The gospel is even more than “Jesus died on the cross for your sins,ย was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, so that all who believe in Him might have everlasting life.” These are the “bulls eye” centralย tenantsย of the gospel, around which everything else has power and significance.ย Without the truths of the death and resurrection of Jesus, there is no gospel, butย the gospel is wayย more than a message about justification and how to get eternal life. If we limit it only to that, we are proclaiming a partial gospel at best.

The full gospel is full-orbed in the claims it makes about our present life andย eternal existence, and what Jesus wants to do with both.

Now, if this is true, what does that do to our “evangelism”? I will address thisย question in the next post.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship

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Good News!

By Jeremy Myers
4 Comments

Have you heard the good news? There is something better to this life than what you are currently experiencing – not necessarily easier, but definitely better.ย  And the best part is that what I have to tell you is not onlyย for this life, but also about the life to come!

In our culture, conversations about the biblical gospel could possibly begin in such a way. Such a conversation would be awkward with a stranger, and maybe only slightly more natural with a friend.ย Regardless, it will lead to way more dialogue than the following statement:

Did you know that you are a sinner, and are destined for hell? However, God, because of His great love for you, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for your sins, and rise again from the dead. If you will just believe in Jesus for eternal life, you can go to heaven and be with God forever when you die.

If you have ever tried to “evangelize” with such a line, you know how (in)effective it is! And yet, the vast majority of Christians today seemtย to think that evangelismย us best accomplished with option number 2.

Here is a nice rule to remember when trying to engage people in discussions about spiritual matters: Yourย immediateย goal is not to win a conversion, but to win another conversation. ย (I read that somewhere, and cannot remember where.) Of the two options above, which one is most likely to win another conversation?

Only pick the second one if your idea of a conversation is someone saying “F*** you!” as they walk away. Sadly, many Christians are fine with such a response, because, asย I shared in my last post, they believe that as long as they “share the gospel” the “blood of that person is on their own head.” In my view, this reveals a very poor understanding of the gospel.ย Of course, I am not even sure that the first option aboveย is a good beginning point either. Whileย the first optionย is more likely to result in dialogue, if you start off with such a statement, it reveals a misunderstanding of the nature of evangelism.

To truly engage people in discussions about Jesus and the gospel, a few things are necessary. Many believe thatย a relationship or friendship with the person is necessary,ย but I disagree. While a relationshipย is incredibly helpful, it is not required. Instead, at the most basic level, two things are required: First, an understanding of what the biblical gospel is, and second, a good grasp of how to share this gospel with others (aka “evangelism”).

I willย briefly discuss both over the next couple of posts.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship

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