Some Thoughts On Evangelism

On Sunday night we heard a stirring message from Tim Holloway on Prayer, Power, and Proclamation. Tim encouraged us from Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 to seek God for the power we need to proclaim him to everyone we meet.

And on Wednesday nights, a few of us are working our way through the Porterbrook course on evangelism. I want to fan into flame the gifts of God that are in us by sharing a few thoughts on what I’ve been learning these past few weeks about the impact God’s people have on the world, and the responsibility we have for the world. This isn’t a highly-developed essay – just three observations that have stood out to me as I’ve been reading the Porterbrook material and interacting with people in our church about evangelism.

#1: The gospel is not only about “saving me” or “bringing me safely to heaven.”

The gospel is about the renewal of all of creation, culminating in a new heaven and new earth where God will dwell with his people.

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (Romans 8:19-22).

Sometimes we can make it sound as if the gospel is only about getting people to heaven when they die. But Tim rightfully reminded us on Sunday night that the gospel is about giving people an abundant life of faith, hope, love, and joy in Jesus right here and right now – and when people are set free from sin to rejoice in the new life Jesus brings, all of creation is involved. The gospel restores us to a rightful enjoyment of and stewardship over God’s created order. It’s about living lives that are full of shalom, because we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

#2: The gospel is about rescuing individuals and forming them into his people.

This means that the church is a necessary consequence of the gospel. People are saved through the work of Christ and formed into the Body of Christ. So we cannot separate evangelism from discipleship – and a robust, gospel-centered church is the context in which discipleship flourishes.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).

#3: We cannot fit the gospel into a nutshell – it’s more like an oak tree.

Too often we rehearse a formula for sharing the gospel – but God has given us a whole book full of a grand drama of redemption, full of narratives, wisdom, prophecies, Gospels, and letters. All of the Scriptures are profitable and able to make people wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. So we need to listen carefully to God and his Word, and we need to be attentive to people, so we can learn how to make connections between people’s lives and the whole revelation of God in Scripture. At a particular time with a particular person you may need to emphasize certain truths about the gospel message, but then with another person you may tell the Good News from a different angle. The whole Bible is given to us for evangelism and discipleship, not just bits and pieces.

“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26-27).

I loved how our Porterbrook lesson summarizes this point:
“Our task is relatively straightforward. We need to keep exposing ourselves and others to this plan of salvation, the whole counsel of God. If we do that faithfully, prayerfully, imaginatively, sensitively, passionately, relevantly, and patiently, then we have nothing more to do. In our ministry, we will have done all we can. We do it so that we and others will know life and how to live life to the glory of God. For the whole counsel of God is our message.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus, and set us ablaze with a passion to know you and to make you known!

Pastor David Sunday