PATTERN OF EVANGELISM
Etymology:
Evangelism is fundamentally related to inquiring about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The greek word euangelos from which “evangelism” stems is normally translated as “gospel” in English bibles. The prefix eu means good and angelos means news, so the gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ.
The biblical meaning of Evangelism can be understood as follows:
1. The word for evangel means good news.
2. The verb evangelizes means to bring or to announce.
3. The word evangelist means who is telling the good news.
Definition of Evangelism
Evangelism is the communication of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a responsibility given by the savior to all the members of Christ for this Age (Matthew 28: 18-20).
Problem
(1) Understanding Enculturation
(2) Understanding a Person’s context
(3) Starting where a Person is
(4) The important of Evangelism?
(5) The Aim of Evangelism?
(6) The method of Evangelism?
(7) Why we need to Evangelize
(1)Understanding Enculturation
The gospel has been enculturated. One of the hallmarks of Christianity is that it both is capable of being planted in different cultural contexts and in some ways requires that this be done. Historically this goes back to the ministry of Jesus. Within the community of Israel, Jesus was continually breaking boundaries. Bosch says, “What amazes one again and again is the inclusiveness of Jesus’ mission. It embraces both the poor and the rich, both the oppressed and the oppressor, both the sinners and the devout. His mission is one of dissolving alienation and breaking down walls of hostility, of crossing boundaries between individual and groups.” Jesus reached out to women, to Samaritans, and to Gentiles in ways that surprised his followers and gave ammunition to his enemies.
(a) Theological basis in the Incarnation
Theological rationale for enculturation related to, if not derived from, two essential claims of the Christian faith. First, one of the most distinctive and fundamental doctrines of Christianity is that the second person of the trinity “became flesh and lived among us” (john 1:14). For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human.” The doctrine of the incarnation teaches that God has acted to save humanity by limiting God self. Second, theological argument is the universality of the message. God’s love embraces everyone in the world, and God intends that all persons should be saved. Universality combined with the doctrine of incarnation points to enculturation as a necessary missionary strategy for Christianity.
(b)Theological Basis in Anthropology
Every human being is a historical creature, living in a particular culture. Because Christianity is founded on God’s love, and God’s love embraces the whole person, then Christianity is required by its foundation to love the person’s culture as well as the person. For examples of culturally bound practices that no longer apply. Other practice, such as the silence of women in church, contras with more central and powerful claims in the N.T that women are united with men in equality before Christ, an equality that ought to extend to church leadership.
(2)Understanding a Person’s context
Loving a person well means knowing as much as possible about that person. One must know their language and which dialect they speak. One must know the person’s unspoken assumptions and patterns of social interaction.
(3)Starting Where a Person Is
Once that sort of study has been done, evangelism must begin where the person is.
(4) The Important of Evangelism
Every believer is commanded by God to preach His message into this age. It is the most important work because our Lord Jesus Christ himself did this task. We are ambassadors for Christ (II Cor. 5:20) God wants to save everybody so that our Lord Jesus Christ commanded us to proclaim His message unto this world (Matthews 28: 18-20).
(5) The Aim of Evangelism
The aim of evangelism is to make the Disciples of Christ for our generation. We are the disciples of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must go to the people and proclaim His message of salvation. A disciple is a follower of the teacher.
(6) The Method of Evangelism
While many find Christ in church buildings, in Bible times soul-winning was done out where the people lived. Therefore, let the cross be raised again at the center of the market place, as well as on the wall of the church building. The son of God was crucified at the kind of place where cynics talk smut, where thieves curse, and where soldiers gamble. Because that is where Christ died and since that is what he did a bout that is where Christian can best share His message of love because that is what real Christianity is all about.
Two Methods of Evangelism
In the book of Acts there were only two methods of evangelism: mass evangelism and personal evangelism.
(a) Mass Evangelism:
"Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and sow the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirit come out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city" (Acts 8:5-8, NIV). Philips' city-wide crusade is an example of mass evangelism.
(b) Personal Evangelism:
For generations Christians evangelized the church, the class rooms of their schools, the pews- but not the world of unbelievers, people were enlisted for the class and the club, and invited to church buildings where, it was hoped, they would received Christ as their savior and lord. Our greatest opportunity is outside the church. Christians must win souls at the work place, in the parks, on the streets and in the homes. We must go out into the world where the people are.
The church was born in a blaze of personal soul winning. Souls were won in homes in face- to- face ministry. "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Those who had been scattered preached the word where they went" (Acts 8:1,4 NIV). It was the "Layman" that went everywhere preaching the word and leading people to Christ. Every member should be instructed by the church leader is how to bring others to Christ. A fresh breeze of New Testament style evangelism is blowing across the world. The Christians life motto is very simple: One way! One job! The one way is Jesus! The one job is soul -winning! There is no joy like giving the good news to everybody everywhere- winning soul- out where the people are.
(7)Why we should Evangelism?
(a) Because Jesus was a Soul-Winner
The Bible says" Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinner" (I Tim. 18:15). Jesus came to save people. That is His mission. The first group Jesus chose to follow Him received this challenge: “follow me, and I will make you fishers of people" (Matt. 4:19). The last group who followed Him out to His ascension received this command: "God therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and the son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:19-20 RSV).
The word Christian means Christ like. Christ came to save people, to seek out the lost; so if we are to be like Christ, we are also to be soul-winners. Jesus went where the people were. He took His message to wherever the people were- in the market places, on street corners, on the mountain sides, by the seahorse, in the homes. After His ascension, Jesus' followers acted just like Him. They were busy witnessing in the markets, on the streets, in houses, around the public wells: talking reasoning witnessing, persuading, winning souls, compelling people to believe the gospel-just like Jesus did.
The Bible says, "Daily in the temple and in every house, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus Christ" (Acts 5:42). New Testament Christians were daily in the temple and every house, teaching and preaching Jesus Christ. God has given to us both the ministry and world of reconciliation to reconcile men to God. God has done all they can do. Now God commissions us “Everyone who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they hear without someone preaching to them? (Rom. 10:13-14 NIV)
Our part to tell people, to let them know the goodness of what our heavenly Father and His son have done to save us. We should all be soul-winners because Jesus was.
(b) Because of the unfulfilled prophecies concerning Jesus' return
The return of Christ to earth is the blessed hope of millions in the persecuted church. We joyfully embrace that hope, " if in this life only we have hope Christ, we are of all men most miserable" (I Cor. 15:19). We long for his return. Gospel preached in the entire world. But, most who teach this are not doing anything to make it possible for Him to return. Many even teach there are no unfulfilled prophecies preventing His return.
Jesus made it clear. There would be certain pre-conditions before He could come back to earth. The most important of this is Matthew 24:14 " And this gospel of the kingdom shall be reached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. "Verity I say unto you…this gospel shall be preached in the whole world…(Matt. 26:13)." repentance and remission of sins shall be preached in his name among all nations…"(Luke 24:47).
Many of people in this world have never heard the gospel. Most don't have one verse of the Bible in their language. The church is involved in doing many good things, but we have neglected the most important instruction Jesus gave us, His last commandment:"…preach the gospel to every creature." This we have let undone.
"For he must remain in heaven until the final recovery of all things from sin…"(Acts 3:19-22). When we complete the job He gave us, Jesus will return for His church. That is why we are soul-winners to bring back our king.
(b Because of the Great Commission
Jesus said "Go in to all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever doesn't believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15).
Every believer is commissioned and called. Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling-according to his own purpose and grace." (2Tim. 1:9). Every believer has a responsibility. The "great commission" to go and the "Holy calling" to witness and serve is every believers God given authority to minister. Every believer has three priestly ministers:
1. To minister to the Lord in prayer, praise and worship
2. To minister to one another in loving relational, financial and spiritual support: and
3. To minister to the world (unbeliever) by healing the physical and emotionally sick, casting out demons and telling them the good news, “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures" (1cor. 15:3, 4). When believers are taught how to fulfill these three ministers, many will assume their God-given privileges and responsibilities and says "Here am I Lord, send me" (Isaiah 6:8).
Christ left us no privilege greater than to announce the gospel to every creature. This is what is the early Christians did day and night. They healed the sick; cast out demons: and shared the gospel from house to house, at markets, village wells, on the busy road ways, streets, in meeting places, from jail cells, in dungeons, everywhere. They went out where the sinners are and spread the gospel. We should live and breathe for one purpose: to share the gospel with the maximum number of people, by every means possible.
Reference book
SCOTT J. Jonas, The evangelistic love of God and neighbor: a theology of witness and discipleship, 2003.
