In previous series of posts, we have looked at two areas where churches often spend too much time talking and not enough doing: Doctrinal Statements and Prayer Meetings. The third area is evangelism.
Talking About the Gospel
For far too many people, evangelism is equivalent to talking. Preachers give evangelistic sermons where they tell people about the Gospel; evangelists go out to street corners and pass out gospel tracts while shouting Scriptures through a bull horn. When churches engage in door-to-door evangelism, they walk around a neighborhood, knocking on doors to tell others about Jesus.
Which is why I say, “Enough with Evangelism!” Or at least, enough with this kind of evangelism. I am all for evangelism, but not for the kind which does little more than inundate people with words upon words. In the following chapter, I will issue a call to cancel several word-heavy evangelistic programs, and exchange them for a way of life that lives and shares the gospel in a tangible way with others.
Background to Evangelism
But first, a little background. While it is true that many of the evangelistic events we read about in the Gospels and Acts by Jesus and the Apostles were heavy on words, there is a big difference between then and now which we must not overlook.
The early message of the church was so revolutionary and hopeful, that it rarely took much more to get people’s attention than to proclaim, “Jesus is Lord!” In the Roman Empire, where it was commanded that citizens confess “Caesar is Lord,” to say instead that Jesus was Lord was interpreted by many as an act of treason. And yet for those who were tired of oppression and abuse from the Roman government, such a cry was filled with hope for change and deliverance.
But today, if you go into a shopping mall and shout, “Jesus is Lord!” nobody will even turn their heads. In his book, Naming the Powers,
Today we live in a different culture and a different time, and so different approaches are necessary to reveal the truths of the Gospel to other people. Words alone are no longer enough. And besides, sharing the Gospel by words alone is not even biblical. But more on that later.
What do you think about evangelism? Do you evangelize? If so, what does it look like? How do you go about it?
Don’t denigrate words. The gospel is specific words about Jesus formulated as statements which must be believed in order to be saved. Ro. 1:16,17.
Steve,
I am not denigrating words, but am understanding them in their original context, as written by their original authors.
When Jesus, Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, etc. wrote about “gospel” they had a LOT more in mind than words about Jesus formulated as statements.
One place to begin seeing this is here:
The Gospel is more than Faith Alone in Christ Alone
our committee stuggles with the concept of evanglism. each member with a different view. the modern church stuggles for attendence and so there for budgets for evanglism seem to have a goal of membership. our evanglism members in the past few years have started a weekly free meal open to all and any who are in need. money, companionship, prayer, as examples.this endeaver has helped to spread the words of jesus threw testimonies and bible scriptures. so I guess my thought is words are very important but actions of love show the gospell in its truest form.
You are right that most evangelism strategies focus more on numbers than anything else.
I love what you are doing in your group with the free meals and such. In this ongoing series on evangelism, you will see that this is the sort of thing that true evangelism includes.
Great question, Sam.
One for all of us… continually, eh?
M.
Ditto that.
I agree with you Jeremy. I think the key is to ask ourselves What is keeping this person from believing?
If it is lack of knowledge, then they need words (given through discussion, not monologues) and example.
If it is spiritual enlightenment, they need prayer.
If they have been hurt by christians, they need love.
If they don’t see the relevance, they need to see love in action.
If their mind is already made up against belief, they need prayer, friendship and love longterm.
etc
It seems to me that in our western societies, friendship, love, action and prayer generally need to come before words, but in some other parts of the world words and prayer may be first.
UnkleE,
I am beginning to think that this series on evangelism is pointless! You and Sam and others are stealing all my thunder!
Ha!
That’s good though. I shows that we are all thinking along the same lines.
Words without effective power are just words – ineffective and meaningless.
The gospel should be put into practice, including casting out demons, healing the sick, cleansing the leper and raising the dead because Jesus told us to do all he commanded, the supernatural lifestyle was part of it.
I love to do treasure hunts by asking the Lord to highlight someone for me to be on the lookout for that day, such as a description of clothing, or a name and then I ask God to give me a word of knowledge about that person (such as Jesus` example with the woman at the well), and then as the conversation opens up, I can share the hope to which I`ve been called. Most often, people are touched to know that God highlighted them and knows them and loves them.
I want and expect signs & wonders – signs to make people wonder.
I am not a real signs and wonders person, but I do think they have their place and role.
However, I completely agree that words without power are just words. And there are so many ways to put power behind our words. I will suggest some in the posts that follow.
Have you seen Rob Bell’s “Bullhorn Guy”? A lot of “evangelism” is almost as bad as what that guy does. It is not being Jesus in the world, but selling someone’s version of their religion. It doesn’t sell well, does it?
It’s cold and raining here in San Diego this morning and I can’t get the Christians I know to help me buy (I’m paying) and distribute tarps to the people sitting in the rain getting soaked to the skin. Even when it’s not raining, they’re afraid and unwilling to go with us to the inner city, the bad neighborhoods, and mix with the people on the streets.
We tell them they’re safe with us, but they don’t want to go. But they’re also afraid of their very own neighbors. They have invented this thing they call “evangelism”, which somehow lets them off the hook for loving people, especially those they don’t know, the unlovely, the poor, the stinky. They think Jesus took off a long time ago and does not walk the streets today. They’re not looking in the right place. They’re following someone else on a different street, a safe and pretty street.
If you’re reading this, which street are you walking on? Who are you following?
Sam,
I have not seen “Bullhorn Guy.” Is it one of his Nooma videos?
I have never watched one of those…
GREAT point about evangelism which lets people off the hook. Excellent, excellent point.
I have said all I want to when I responded to Enough with Evangelism. Lets have a go at those who are unbelivers if we find it necessary to have a poke at someone. Don’t you think the Church does enough in fighting as it is, which is tearing it apart. There is a very fine line between advising and criticising. Clive
Here is what I said.
on
December 12, 2011 at 3:49 pm #
Dear Sandor, I don’t really get what you are saying, you are obviously a person of few words.
I believe we are all called to evangelise, but I am told by my Church leaders that is not the same as an evangelist. I am not convinced I think it’s more about semantics than the reality. One could say I evangelise to an indivigual therefore I am an evangelist.
At the end of Matthew Jesus said go into the world and tell. Can’t get more clear than that.
Remember when a non believer was healing in the name of Jesus, (Mark 9 v 38 to 40). What would we Christians say about that today. I’m in the Church of England and because I am not an ordained minister I am not allowed to bless the Bread and the Wine for communion. Or if I see an accident and a man laying on the floor dying I cant give him his last opportunity to confess and repent of his sins before he meets his maker.
I obviously disagree, and when you look at the state of some of our so called ordained ministers I don’t think I would want them to be giving me my last rights. Does not God look at the heart. All that say Lord Lord may not necessarily enter into His Rest, (Matthew 7 v 21 to 23).
In the same chapter Jesus talks about false prophets in verse 15 to 20 maybe that is what you are saying Sandor. Jesus also said to the people “practice and obey what they tell you but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach” Matthew 23 v 1 to 5a, Jesus says a few other things up to and including v 36.
So, if we stop evangelising who will tell the lost. If we ban all the more flowery Evangelists who make a very good living out of it, who will take their place. When we listen to anyone do we not engage our brain and heart and discern what is being said, then check it out with the Holy Spirit through scripture. Paul said “don’t follow me or Apollos” follow Jesus teachings. They and we are not The Good News we are bearers of it.
God can use a talking donkey to get His message over He can even use people who bray like a donkey. Lets not get hung up on the messenger but listen to the message.
The Muslims and in the past the Christians think it’s a good idea to judge people on what they say and do about God. We used to torture them until they submitted. Have a look in the Bloody Tower in London, those instruments of torture were invented and used by the Church, plus other stuff like Hung, Drawn and Quartering people.
God and Jesus never ever told anyone to abuse his people in such barbaric ways, but we continue to do so, the Christians in more subtle ways.
Let’s move away from evil ways and follow The Way. When we point an accusing finger at someone, remember you are pointing three back at yourself, the boomerang effect is to triple the curses on yourself that you pour on them. Be careful, God does not need defending, He can look after Himself. When we judge others we are dethroning God and taking His place. The devil tried to do that and see where it got him, hell bent into hell.
Clive.
I was looking back to a previous statement which says we all deny The Christ. I agree so who therefore has the authority to point the finger at anyone.
Denying the Lord who Bought Them
Posted: 16 Nov 2011 08:16 AM PST
Second Peter 2:1 talks about false teachers denying the Lord who bought them. What does this mean?
First, note that Peter says these false teachers bring heresies,which, as we have seen previously, refers to divisions within the Body of Christ.
And what is it they teach which brings these divisions? According to Peter, their primary error is that they “deny the Lord who bought them.” Most translations render it in such a fashion, but I must say that such a translation is hopelessly weak.
Denying the Master who Redeemed Them
A better translation might be, “denying the Master who redeemed them.”
The word Peter uses for “Lord” or “Master” is not the typical kurios, but is rather despotēs. It is where we get our word “despot,” which has more negative connotations today than it did in Peter’s day. Back then, it referred to a Master who owned slaves.
The word “bought” is the Greek word agarazō, which in a Master-slave relationship refers to being redeemed (cf. Rev 5:9, 14:3-4). So what is Peter saying? He writes that these false prophets, these false teachers, these bringers of divisions, have been redeemed by Jesus their Master, and yet, as shocking as it sounds, they have the gall to deny Him!
Denying Christ
And what is the significance of their denial? Here is where the text gets even more interesting. The word that Peter uses for “deny” is arneomai, which is exactly the word used in the gospels when Peter denied Jesus (cf. John 13:38; 18:25, 27). Certainly when Peter wrote this sentence, he was thinking of his own earlier actions and behavior in denying his Master who redeemed him.
And if the words of Jesus in John 13:10-11 where He says that Peter is already “clean” means that Peter was justified and had eternal life, then what all of this means is that Peter recognizes that it is very possible for a redeemed and justified follower of Jesus Christ to be a false teacher and deny their Master, just as Peter himself had done.
Though Peter seems to indicate his belief that the false teachers he has in mind are unregenerate (2 Pet 2:17), the denial of Jesus by Peter himself reveals that it is possible to be regenerate and still deny Jesus.
This is actually quite a relief, because when we sit back and honestly consider what false teaching is, we realize that every single person is a false teacher to some degree or another. How thankful we can be that God does not require 100% doctrinal accuracy from us in order to be given eternal life and live as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.
False Teaching
So what then is the message of 2 Peter 2:1? This verse reveals that there is such a thing as false teaching, and we do have a responsibility to warn them and others about their teachings.
However, we must remember that in some way, all of us are false teachers. The real tragedy of false teaching, wherever it is found, is that it divides the Body of Christ, and causes those who believe it to deny the Master who redeemed us.
But in regard to participation within the church and the centered set approach to ministry, these false teachers are still allowed to eat meals with the other believers (2 Peter 2:13), and possibly even teach when the believers gather (2:18-19).
Lets Jaw Jaw not war war, against brothers and sisters in Christ.
Clive,
I am not fully sure what you are saying, but since this last comment is a full reprint from an earlier post of mine, I think we are both saying the same thing?
It sounds like you are disagreeing with the direction of this post? I can’t tell.
Anyway, I am all for evangelism, but evangelism that really helps people, and doesn’t just put guilt trips on believers and unbelievers. More will become clear as the series progresses.
Dear beloved Br
this is one good way to preach gospel and i having same gift to prich the good news.in public places,crowed,in other religion people.pl guide me and update via mail.
Lamuel
Lamuel,
Are you saying you preach in public, crowded places?
How long have you been doing this? What is your approach? What is your message? I would be interested in hearing more.