10 Things You Should Know about Evangelism - Crossway

3. Evangelism entails teaching the gospel first and foremost. ... God teaches us the gospel through his Word; we can't just "figure it out" on our ... SignIn Bibles Books Tracts Articles Donate Thisarticleispartofthe10ThingsYouShouldKnowseries. 1.Ourevangelisticeffortsmuststemfroma biblicalunderstandingofevangelism. Therearesomanywaystogowronginevangelism—impulsesoffearontheoneside,vainambitionontheother—thatifwedonotnaildownatrulybiblicalunderstanding,wewillquicklyveeroffcourse.Sowestartbyunderstandingthatbiblicalevangelismisteachingthegospelwiththeaimtopersuade. 2.Evangelismisoftenthelabelgiventothingsthatarenotevangelism. Wemustnotconfusethegospelwiththefruitofthegospel. Issharingyourtestimonyevangelism?IsdefendingtheChristianfaithevangelism?Howaboutdoinggooddeedsfortheoppressed?Certainlythosearegoodthingsthatserveandsupportevangelism.Buttheyarenotevangelismitself.Wemustnotconfusethegospelwiththefruitofthegospel. 3.Evangelismentailsteachingthegospelfirstandforemost. GodteachesusthegospelthroughhisWord;wecan'tjust "figureitout"onourown.Soitstandstoreasonthatwemustspeakandteachthegospeltoothers:thetruthaboutwhoGodis,whywe'reinthemesswe'rein,whatJesuscametodo,andhowwearetorespondtohim.It’snowonderthatPauloftendescribedhisevangelisticministryasateachingministry. 4.Evangelismaimstopersuade. Wewanttoseepeoplemovefromdarknesstolight.Havingthataimhelpsusknowwhatthingstotalkaboutandwhatthingstolayaside.Evangelismisn'tjustdatatransfer;wemustlistentopeople,heartheirobjections,andmodelgentlenessbecauseweknowthatsoulsareatstake.Andweknowwhatitmeanstotrulyconvert:atrueChristianhasputhiscompletefaithandtrustinJesus,somuchsothathehasrepentedofalifestyleofunbeliefandsin.Understandingthisguardsusfromfalseconversions,whicharetheassistedsuicideofthechurch. 5.Evangelismflourishesinacultureofevangelism. Muchinstructionisgivenaboutpersonalevangelism.Andthat’srightandgoodsincewe'reeachcalledtotestifytoourownpersonalencounterwithJesus.Butwhenpeoplearepullingtogethertosharethegospel,whenthereislessemphasisongetting“adecision,”whenthepeopleofGodarepitchingintoteachthegospeltogether,acultureformsthatleadsustoask"Areweallhelpingournon-Christianfriendsunderstandthegospel?"ratherthan"WhohasledthemostpeopletoJesus?" 6.Evangelisticprogramswillkillevangelism. Weneedtoreplaceevangelisticprogramswithacultureofevangelism.Programsaretoevangelismwhatsugaristonutrition:astrictdietofevangelisticprogramsproducesmalnourishedevangelism.So,weshouldfeelahealthyuneasewithregardtoevangelisticprograms.Wemustusethemstrategicallyandinmoderation,ifatall. 7.Evangelismisdesignedforthechurchandthechurchisdesignedforevangelism. Ahealthychurchwithacultureofevangelismisthekeytogreatevangelism.Jesusdidnotforgetthegospelwhenhebuilthischurch;infact,ahealthychurchismeanttodisplaythegospel.Thinkofthewaysthatthegatheredchurchdisplaysthegospel:wesingthegospel,weseethegospelinthesacraments,andwehearthegospelwhenwepreachandpray.Ahealthycultureofevangelismdoesnotaimatremakingthechurchforthesakeofevangelism.Instead,wemusthighlightthewayGoddesignedthechurchtodisplayandproclaimthegospelsimplybybeingthechurch. 8.Evangelismisundergirdedbyloveandunity. Jesussaid,“Bythisallpeoplewillknowthatyouaremydisciples,ifyouhaveloveforoneanother”(John13:35).Inthatsamediscourse,heprayedthathisdiscipleswouldbeunified“sothattheworldmaybelievethatyouhavesentme”(John17:20–21).Jesussaysthelovewehaveforoneanotherinthechurchisevidencethatwearetrulyconverted.Andwhenweareunifiedinthechurch,weshowtheworldthatJesusistheSonofGod.Loveconfirmsourdiscipleship,andunityconfirmsChrist’sdeity.Whatapowerfulwitness! Evangelism J.MackStiles Warningagainstthetemptationtouncriticallyembracethelatestevangelisticfad,thisbookwillhelpchurchescultivateacultureofevangelismwithinthecontextofcommunity. 9.Acultureofevangelismisstrengthenedbyrightpracticesandrightattitudes. Weneedtomakesurethatweseeevangelismasaspiritualdiscipline.Justasweprayforournon-Christianfriends,wemustbeintentionalaboutsharingourfaithwiththem.Furthermore,wemustneverassumethegospelinconversationswithnon-Christianslestweloseit.WeneedtoviewthegospelasthecenterofhowwealignourlivestoGodaswellascometoGodinsalvation. 10.Evangelismmustbemodeled. Oneofthegreatestneedsinourchurchestodayisforchurchleaderstoboldlymodelwhatitmeanstobeanambassadorofthegospel.Pastorsandeldersmustleadthewayinsharingtheirfaith,teachingothershowtobeambassadorsforChrist,andcallingtheircongregationstodothesame. J.MackStilesisapastorofachurchinIraq.HeusedtoworkasCEOofGulfDigitalSolutionsandgeneralsecretaryfortheFellowshipofChristianUAEStudents(FOCUS)intheUnitedArabEmirates.HeworkedformanyyearswithInterVarsityChristianFellowshipintheUnitedStates.HeistheauthorofMarksoftheMessengerandSpeakingofJesus. PopularArticlesinThisSeries ViewAll 10ThingsYouShouldKnowaboutthePresenceofGod J.RyanLister June06,2016 WhatdoesitmeanthatGodcondescendedinChristanddwellswithusthroughHisSpirit? 10ThingsYouShouldKnowabouttheGardenofEden NancyGuthrie August30,2018 Fromtheverybeginning,Edenwasnotmeanttobestatic;itwasheadedsomewhere. 10ThingsYouShouldKnowaboutChristianEthics WayneGrudem July24,2018 WhatisChristianethicsandwhatroleshoulditplayinthelifeofabeliever? 10ThingsYouShouldKnowabouttheBiblicalCovenants ThomasR.Schreiner July17,2017 ThomasSchreinershares10importantthingsyoushouldknowaboutthebiblicalcovenants—thebackboneofthebiblicalstory. RelatedResources TheGospelandPersonalEvangelism MarkDever Redesign ReachingtheLost BobbyJamieson LearningEvangelismfromJesus JerramBarrs TheHeartofEvangelism JerramBarrs Crosswayisanot-for-profitChristianministrythatexistssolelyfor thepurposeofproclaimingthegospelthroughpublishing gospel-centered,Bible-centeredcontent.Learnmoreordonatetodayat crossway.org/about. ConnectwithUs! Shop Books Bibles CustomBibleProgram Tracts Authors Donate Accounts RetailPartners InternationalDistributors ChurchAccounts MinistryAccounts Crossway+ ESV AbouttheESV ReadOnline MobileApps Resources Podcasts PressRoom CrosswayReviewProgram ExamCopies Catalogs ToolsforEvangelism About WhoWeAre HistoryofCrossway StatementofFaith Jobs PrivacyPolicy TermsofService Support Contact LiveChat Orders FAQ Submissions Permissions ©2001–2022Crossway,USA