Editorial
May/June, 2002
Volume 37, Number 3
During the last nearly forty years, the Church of the Brethren has experienced a steady numerical decline. The records show that one third of the membership has been erased in this period of time. Interestingly, this decline followed several Annual Conference decisions made in the middle of the last Century, where membership requirements were relaxed, and it supposedly was made easier for people to come into the church. So it is obvious that relaxing the standards is one of the grand schemes of the modern church that has not worked.
Evangelism is hard work. It is about the hardest work that the church ever attempts to do. Evangelism is the result of the church being zealous about spiritual things. Winning people to faith in Jesus Christ must be made a top priority and be conducted with strong commitment and fervency. Evangelism usually does not happen when it is merely a sideline ministry to whatever else is done in the name of the church.
And so, if we do not have a deep passion for lost souls; if we do not have any names of unsaved persons on our prayer lists; if we are not witnessing with the clear intent to win the lost—is it any wonder that winning people to Christ is not happening?
Times of prosperity tend to kill the church’s efforts in the fulfilling of its primary mission. Believers become fat and lax and are at ease in Zion. And sinners are satisfied and do not want to be disturbed. This combination of factors creates a real dilemma. The subject of evangelism will be discussed again in 2002 at Louisville, Kentucky, but will yet another Annual Conference query this year really make a difference?
There was a lot of enthusiasm for evangelism expressed in the recent Brethren Evangelism Academies. Lots of practical help was shared– from having easily accessible church buildings, to having an attractive church sign, to demonstrating how to become a friendly and welcoming congregation. These events were well attended. But in spite of all these efforts, the numerical decline has gone unabated.
Is it possible that one reason why we are not winning the unsaved is because God’s full favor is not resting upon us? Is God happy with what we have done to the message of the Bible? Have we clouded the understanding of things which are clearly called sin in the holy Scriptures? Why is God not turning the unsaved to us? I believe evangelism and revival are closely related. Perhaps the continuing need first of all is revival!
When The Saints Go Marching Out
By Harold S. Martin
At the Annual Conference in Baltimore in 2001, a query was adopted urging Brethren to pursue how we can give a higher priority to evangelism and church planting. We are looking in this essay at the biblical meaning and approach to evangelism. It is God’s intent that His followers “go marching out” to reach others for Christ, rather than sitting contentedly in their cozy pews week after week.
The Scriptures speak much about the concept of evangelism, yet the word “evangelism” does not occur at all in most of the English translations of the Bible. But the word “evangelist” does occur three times in the KJV and the NIV versions of the New Testament. An evangelist is “one who proclaims good tidings.” Today, all Christians are to continue the witness of the early New Testament evangelists (Acts 1:8). None of us is to be a spectator. All are to participate in circulating the good news of Christ’s redeeming love. All of us are called to “go marching out.”
1. THE WORD FOR EVANGELISM
The word “evangelism” is a compound word composed of “eu” (meaning “good” or “well”), and ” angelos” (meaning “messenger”). In the New Testament the word appears in three forms:
a) euangelion-which means good news, and is everywhere translated gospel.
b) euangelizo-which means to tell good news, and is one of the words which is often translated preach or preach the gospel.
c) euangelistes–which means one who tells good news, and is translated evangelist.
The close relationship between these three Greek words (which occur 130 times in the New Testament) would be more obvious to the English reader if they had uniformly been rendered evangel, evangelize, and evangelist respectively.
2. THE MEANING OF EVANGELISM
The word “evangelism” speaks of that activity of Christians by which they seek to make known the gospel message, and encourage people to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. This activity can be private and personal, or public and massive in its outreach. Evangelism is a primary responsibility of the church.
To some, evangelism is what Billy Graham does, and what their pastor does not do. To others, evangelism is firing a stream of Bible verses at a prospective convert. To still others, anything one does as a Christian, is evangelism. From a biblical point of view, evangelism involves preaching, proclaiming, or simply telling the good news. Evangelism is the specific, articulate presentation of the message that Christ’s death upon the Cross “propitiates” (turns away) God’s wrath (which abides upon each person who remains in the unregenerate state). See Romans 3:25 and John 3:36.
Evangelism is not the mere testimony of a good and consistent life. The quiet, pervasive influence of the Christian life is necessary, but it is not evangelism. Being friendly, helpful, and neighborly may be a necessary preparation for evangelism, but it is not a substitute for evangelism. Christianity cannot be radiated. Truths about God and His Son have to be communicated by proclaiming a message. Good deeds do not convey the actual content of the gospel; the good news must be expressed in words. Evangelism is the presenting of Jesus Christ in such a way that people will accept Him as their Savior from the guilt and power of sin, and declare Him Lord, as they seek to follow Him in their daily lives.
It is a tragedy of our times that many have retained the word evangelism, but have emptied it of its traditional meaning. For some, “to evangelize” means to change the structures of society, to feed the hungry, to clean up the slums, to educate the illiterate, to eliminate racial segregation, and to replace capitalism with a form of socialism. No one should overlook the need for compassion, nor should the gospel be limited only to proclamation. Both service and proclamation are basic to the gospel, but proclaiming the news that Christ died to atone for our sins is to have priority over any other meaning which is sometimes attached to evangelism. Any other message, no matter how good it may appear, is not the New Testament gospel that saves people from sin and its final doom. We must not be satisfied to give bread, and neglect the giving of the Bread of Life.
3. THE MOTIVATION FOR EVANGELISM
Christians are motivated to share the good news primarily because our Lord commands us to evangelize. The heart of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 is “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” We engage in evangelism not necessarily because we like to, but because we have been told to.
We are also motivated to proclaim the gospel because apart from faith in Jesus Christ, every human being is lost (Luke 19:10) and is without hope (Ephesians 2:12). For some, nobody is lost in the eternal sense; nobody is really perishing; nobody is destined to spend eternity in Hell. This is a new form of an old universalism. And the only Person capable of effecting a reconciliation between the guilty human soul and a holy God, is Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). Thus, Christians need to approach Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Marxists, white American materialists-al I people everywhere-with the hope of convincing them to receive Jesus Christ as Savior.
Another motivating factor for “marching out” with the gospel message, is the truth about the return of Jesus Christ. The day of salvation is “now” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Jesus said there is a night coming when no one can work (John 9:4). The second coming of Jesus is the blessed hope of every believer (Titus 2:13), and the desire for others to share in that hope becomes an impelling motive for evangelism.
4. THE MESSAGE OF EVANGELISM
The evangelistic message centers on a unique Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 14:6, Jesus declares that He is the way–everything else is a dead end street. He is the trutheverything else is a lie. He is the life-everything else is the way of death. When Philip the evangelist encountered the Ethiopian eunuch, he “preached Jesus to him” (Acts 8:35b). The Apostle Paul’s testimony to the church at Corinth was, “For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Paul’s one and only concern was to bear witness to Jesus Christ and His death upon the cross for the sake of all people.
The evangelistic message offers a remedy for our human alienation from God. The good news is that the death of Jesus has become a bridge between a holy God and a sinning people (1 Timothy 2:5-6), and that His blood propitiates God’s dissatisfaction with us-when we accept Him with a genuine faith. Jesus himself said, “For this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28).
The “good news” then is that we sinners do not have to die eternally because Jesus Christ died for us. The message of evangelism is that men and women everywhere are lost, undone, and without hope–but that Jesus Christ acted in our behalf by His death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Jesus offers pardon and forgiveness to all who receive Him through faith (Acts 13:38-39), repentance (Acts 2:38), and baptism (Mark 16:16).
One who accepts the new life in Christ, submits to Him as Lord. Hate is transformed into love, selfishness into sacrifice, and pride into humble dependence upon what God has done for us. As a result, homes are changed; money is spent much more wisely; and barriers that alienate people from one another are broken down. The new person in Christ has turned from the power of Satan to God, and becomes as salt to the earth. The evangelistic message leads to the transformation of the individual.
5. THE METHODS OF EVANGELISM
The New Testament illustrates several methods of evangelism. We find examples of mass evangelism in the work of John the Baptist, Peter, and Philip (Luke 3:1-20; Acts 2:14-41; Acts 8:8-15). We see personal evangelism by observing the 35 personal interviews of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels (e.g. John 3:1-21; John 4:5-42). Paul used dialog evangelism on Mars Hill in Athens (Acts 17:16-34). The early Christians practiced visitation evangelism when they went from house to house (Acts 5:42). And then there was literary evangelism as seen in the writing of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The most effective method of evangelism is the sharing of the good news, on a person-to-person basis, as we come in contact with other people. Sometimes just being a friend, or listening to another person’s troubles, becomes a point of contact. We must intentionally invite into our homes, people who live in the trailer next to us, our acquaintances at work, our friends at school, and any others with whom we may be in contact. It is usually best not to immediately pounce upon persons and start asking about their spiritual state. It is best to wait for appropriate opportunities to open up. Occasionally we need to initiate opportunities.
Sometimes a wisely chosen tract (or other piece of literature) can be used as a good point of contact. Hand the tract to the individual and say, “Here is something that has helped me, and I believe it will help you; I hope you’ll read it sometime.” The most effective witness that we can make, will likely be with those whom we contact day after day at home or at work.
Sometimes ordinary “small talk” conversations give good opportunities for witness. For example, when folks talk about how quickly time seems to fly, we can remind them that one who lives out the average life span has only about 26,000 days to live at most, and then we face eternity. If the person to whom we are talking is about 35 years old, the number of remaining, days can hardly be more than thirteen thousand days–and think how quickly a day flies! We can go on from that point and explain the basic ingredients of salvation through the atoning work of Christ.
When Jesus talked with the woman at the well (John 4:5-42), He talked about an area of common interest-a drink of water. Just so we must share the common experiences of life with those who are in need. We live in an unjust, unfair, and unfeeling world. We must be willing to take the time and make the effort to help bear the burdens and concerns of others. When we show proper help, concern, and compassion–some people will begin to confide in us and reveal their deepest needs. It is then that we can share how Christ Jesus has helped us bear our burdens and how He he(ped time and again to heal our emotional wounds. Evangelism has the goal of changing individuals, and that can be done most effectively by taking time to establish a relationship with another person, and using that friendship as a right to be heard.
6. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVANGELISM
The Bible account in Acts 8:1-4 says that when persecution arose against the Christians in Jerusalem, “They were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” And “those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” That is, all except the apostles, were out evangelizing. The responsibility for evangelism rests upon every member of the church as a general duty. No one can escape it. All the members of our congregations must be mobilized for the purpose of seeking to win people to faith in Christ.
Evangelism is not a special activity for special people. Some think the pastor is a sort of religious general who is paid to do the fighting for the people in the ranks. But evangelism is not something only for the minister to be engaged in. The minister is but one. His contacts are limited. The lay members of any church are in touch with scores of people every week. Christians are in contact with many persons during their waking hours-while they are at work, or shopping, or going to school, etc. The daily contacts of lay people are rich opportunities. They work with non-Christians in the same place of employment, under the same boss, with the same pressures. With a greater persuasion than anyone else in any other position, Christians can say to their fellow workers, “Christ is sufficient; He gives me a motive for living.” Evangelism is the work of every believer.
To get an every member involvement in evangelism is one of the greatest challenges facing the church today. Only as Christians turn the casual contacts that come on the job, in the office, across backyard fences, and in the wider community-into occasions for witnessing, will the church have an impact on society.
7. THE RESULTS OF EVANGELISM
To evangelize is to present Christ in such a way that people will come to repent of their sinful deeds, and put their trust in Him as Savior, and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of the church.
New Christians need to be nurtured in the faith, and as they grow in spiritual understanding, they become more and more conformed to the way of Christ. As people respond positively to the gospel message, they are changed by Christ who lives within (Galatians 2:20), and they become salt to society.
An interesting news item came from Ridgefield, New Jersey. It illustrates how Christ in the heart really does make a difference in daily life. An illiterate man who had recently heard the gospel and was converted, became convicted of a theft he had committed, and wanted to restore what he had taken. The ex-thief gave $100 to the person who had introduced him to Christ, and that person in turn gave it to the Bible teacher, Spiros Zodhiates, president of the American Mission to Greeks. Mr. Zodhiates forwarded a check to Macy’s Department Store with this note: “You can thank the Lord God that somebody is preaching the Gospel.”
The point is, that those who debunk the church and make light of puritanism and revivalism, often fail to acknowledge that a consequence of the gospel is social honesty and integrity! Human society rests upon a high degree of honesty and trust, and if the church continues to concentrate on political activism instead of teaching God’s standards for personal morals, our nation will continue to experience rising crime rates, increasing violence, more tolerance to illicit sex, and additional senseless vandalism. Our social and economic problems are really personal moral problems, and when an individual embraces the gospel of Christ, that person becomes a new creation with new goals and new attitudes toward life (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The results of evangelism then, include obedience to Christ, incorporation into His church, and responsible service in the world.
Witnessing (evangelism) is something we learn by doing. Each time we talk about the gospel, we become more at ease. We learn by experience. We profit from past mistakes. We can build upon strong points gradually discovered. But a tragic note is that vast numbers of church members could not witness to their faith even if they wanted to, because they have no genuine faith. Too many have been called to church affiliation rather than conversion to Christ. Thus many have quietly slipped into church membership, thinking that the church is a nice ethical society that stands by to offer special services for weddings, illnesses, and funerals. As a result, some of our churches today have become fields for evangelism rather than forces of evangelism. To be an effective witness for Christ, we must ourselves have experienced a genuine conversion.
Brethren have historically maintained a strong evangelistic thrust. Alexander Mack and Christopher Hochmann went up and down the Rhine Valley in Germany, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was the continued interest in evangelism that accounted for our phenomenal growth in the United States. Early Brethren moved to new frontiers and established churches wherever they went. The entire male membership of the Germantown congregation set forth on an evangelistic tour of “Penns Woods” in 1724, and their expedition led to the formation of two new congregations. The very nature of our view concerning the mission of the church, prompts us to believe that God’s people should be continually winning more people to faith in Christ. The primary task of the church is to seek to bring people to Christ and then nurture them in the Christian faith.
Social service is a vital part of the mission of the church (Luke 10:29-37; Galatians 6:10), but it is not evangelism. Many people in the world will go to bed hungry tonight. That kind of hunger cannot be the complete will of God. Therefore it is our mission to help feed them. In many countries, thousands are sick because of undeveloped medical facilities. Such sickness cannot be the complete will of God. It is our mission to try and help heal them. But even if we feed the hungry and educate the illiterate and help to tear down unjust political structures, still we have not evangelized. Atheists also feed and teach and help and heal. That does not make their mission a “Christian” mission. Multitudes of people in the world have never known salvation through Jesus Christ, and so to evangelize is to tell them that our sins have evoked the displeasure of God, but that God is favorably disposed and ready to forgive. He is eager to reinstate, on the basis of our willingness to repent, and turn away from sin, and believe the good news about what Jesus did for us on the cross. It is a serious mistake to equate evangelism with social action. The two concepts are related but they are not identical.
True biblical evangelism is the central mission of the church. When interest in evangelism declines, believers become introspective and seem to lack purpose. Growth stagnates as a result, and worship becomes superficial. Let us therefore continue to encourage the saints “to go marching out!”