Acts 8:4 Now those who were scattered went about
preaching (lit., “evangelizing;” telling the good news about) the word.
Is it the
responsibility and privilege of every Christian to tell others about Jesus? Is
personal evangelism everyone’s job, or is it reserved for those with special
talent, passion, and ability? Does it spring from joy (“I can’t wait to share
this news!”) or duty (“I don’t feel equipped to, but I must force myself to do
something because God requires it.”)?
Some say that every
Christian must evangelize. They might even say, “You can’t go to heaven unless
you take someone with you! The fruit of a Christian is another Christian!” That
sounds like it's a required condition of salvation rather than the joyful
result of being saved by grace (Eph 2:8-10). That is, it’s everybody’s job. Do
it or else.
More recently and
more often I now hear people saying that evangelism is a special gift. Not
everyone is a teacher. If one is not talented or comfortable with telling
others about Jesus, that person should not take too personally the command to
evangelize. It applies to those who are qualified in some special way, with
talents and training that others lack. Instead others may (or even should) focus on
other important matters, such as prayer, hospitality, encouragement, meals,
visitation, etc. Some may think that (or act as if) evangelism is primarily the
work of the preacher, elders, deacons, etc.
We may begin to
resolve these matters by defining the word “evangelize” in two ways, one more
broad and the other more narrow. Let’s start with Scriptures that direct every
Christian in a broad sense to find a way to tell others about Jesus. Let’s
realize that those with no special talent, skill, or training, still have the
privilege and call to spread the news with joy.
Take the woman at
the well (John 4). Or the man with the “Legion” of demons (Mark 5:18-20). Or
the paralytic (Mark 2:1-12), the man at the pool (John 5), or the man born
blind (John 9). There was even the leper, who against Jesus’ instructions
spread the news so widely that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town (Mark
1:40-45). Then there are the women who discovered the empty tomb (Luke
24:8-10). Did any of these possess a special "talent" for telling
what they had seen and heard? No. They were just too excited and grateful to
remain silent. If you told any of them to leave sharing the good news to others
with special talent, you might well offend them.
Is there a command
for all of us? There is. Jesus said in Luke 12:8-9, “And I tell you, everyone who
confesses me before men, the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of
God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of
God.” To whom was Jesus referring? Only those who want Jesus to confess them in
the future - that's all of us! - should take these words to heart and apply
them personally.
Jesus told the
apostles to evangelize the world, and then He told them to teach the new
disciples “to observe all that I commanded you.” Does that not imply that the
commission applies to all Christians of every generation? Are you and I not
Christians because someone took these words seriously and told us about Jesus?
Then in Acts we find
everyday people – not just the trained apostles – spreading the Word wherever
they went. In Acts 8:4, when the apostles stayed in Jerusalem, it was the other
believers who left and preached (literally, “evangelized”) the Word. The text
simply means, “They told good news.” “Preached” may be misleading to many,
because it implies a public, group proclamation by one specially prepared,
perhaps at a pulpit! This was not the case.
Now read carefully
Acts 11:19-21.
Ac 11:19 Now those who were
scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as
Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20
But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch
spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of
the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
Some people today
hear “evangelize” and they think primarily of door-knocking, conducting a
one-to-one Bible study, or something similar. They think that they lack the
knowledge, the personality, the talent, and/or the people skills to share the
good news in this or that specific way. The Lord did not limit us to any one
method. He simply told us to confess Him before men. As an example, not every
father is a gifted speaker, but every father is to tell the good news to his
children, to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph
6:4). Instead of saying, “That’s not my talent!” every Christian man must say,
“I will use my talents – even if they are few and poor – to tell my children
about the Lord!”
So we affirm that
every follower of Christ is to find some way to confess Jesus before men, no
more and no less. The way that one does that will depend on his or her gifts
and talents. There are countless ways that one may choose. One may leave a
gospel card with a generous tip at a restaurant. One may post a Scripture on
social media. One may mail a letter to neighbors, friends, and relatives,
telling the story of Jesus. Where there is a will, there is a way. One man I
know who shares his faith continually has cerebral palsy and speaks slowly and
with great difficulty – yet he speaks. I know a married couple that prepared a
kind letter and placed it in the doors (and on some windshields) in an entire
neighborhood. In doing so they enjoyed a nice summer walk, each other’s company
along the way, and a sense of satisfaction that they had evangelized.
So when a Christian
says, “Evangelism is not my job,” I’d like to define evangelism as described
above and say, “Yes it is! It’s everybody’s job! Use your talents and gifts to
tell someone about Jesus!”
As an example I’ll
use the air conditioning (HVAC) in my home. I know very little about the
workings, settings, installation, and maintenance of an HVAC system. However,
one of my good friends, an elder in the Keller church, is in HVAC sales. Since
we had his company install our new equipment, I have been delighted! I am eager
to “tell good news” to others who may benefit from a cooler house in August in
north Texas. Regardless of my talent – or lack of it – I could find some way to
let others know. I could mail cards to people I know. I could email everyone in
my contact list. I could leave his business flyers in people’s doors.
Evangelism is like
that, in the broad sense. If you know enough about Jesus to follow Him, you know
enough to tell others. As a satisfied “customer,” you can introduce people you
know to the “HVAC expert,” who can take it from there. This is what the Samaritan
woman at the well did.
John
4:39
Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s
testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came
to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41
And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman,
“It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard
for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Now let’s talk about
the other side of the coin, the narrower sense of evangelism. The Bible uses
the word “evangelist” in a limited way, to refer to a man who, in a special way,
is appointed to proclaim the gospel. In fact the word only appears three times
in the New Testament.
Acts 21:8 On the next day we
departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the
evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
Eph 4:11 And he gave the
apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
2 Tim 4:5 As for you, always
be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your
ministry.
Here is a person who
can lead the Bible study, who can present God’s truth most effectively because
of the talents and gifts God has given him. There are many examples: the
apostles on Pentecost, Stephen in the synagogue, Philip in Samaria, Philip in
the Ethiopian’s chariot. I have preacher friends who bring the Word in power in
revivals and gospel meetings. Through them God’s Word draws the lost to repent
and be baptized and draws the weak to be restored. I know a man who, outside
the pulpit, talks and studies with people every day. By using him God has led
scores, perhaps hundreds, to follow the Savior.
I know a man who was
extremely effective in teaching one-to-one Bible studies. He even declined the
opportunity to become an elder, because he thought he should stay focused on
winning the lost. He had a special ability, and he used it well. Not everyone
could do what he did, in just the same way. Others can assist such a
soul-winner by providing babysitting, preparing meals, visiting the new
Christians, coordinating prayer teams, sending cards, etc. In this narrow sense
the “evangelist” may be seen as one person on a team, with others participating
in support roles that help to nurture and secure new converts.
This “narrow” sense
can be seen also in Acts 11. Above we noted From Acts 11:19-21 the broad idea
of Christians telling others about Jesus. However, the time came that those
with special gifts were needed. Note Acts 11:22-26.
Acts 11:22 The report of this
came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted
them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for
he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many
people were added to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for
Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a
whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in
Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Evangelism in the
broad sense led to evangelism in a more specialized sense. So it is today. One
may plant the seed, another may water, and a third may see the harvest that God
brings. Leaders, like Barnabas and Saul, have an important part to play, but so
do all who follow Jesus.
Recently I
participated in the baptism of a father, his wife, their teenage son, and their
teenage daughter. Though I had preached a message that day from Romans 6,
entitled, “Up from the Grave WE Arose,” that lesson was not their primary
motivation. One of our couples in the church, neighbors to this family, had
invited them to worship and had met with them often as friends. This couple
gave this family a book to provide the teaching content. Because of their
friendship, this family accepted the book, studied it, and discussed it with the
Christian couple.
The couple
“evangelized” – told their neighbors about the good news – but they did not
knock doors or preach a sermon. In the context of trust and friendship, they
introduced the Lord to people they cared about. They used a tool (the book) to
provide the content of the teaching. As a result four lost people came to
Christ.
If every person did
what this couple did – according to his or her own talents – think about what
could happen! What about you? Are you confessing Christ before men, in a way
that fits your personality, your talents, and your faith?
Let me get personal.
In my own case, I seek to tell the good news publicly and privately, both via
pulpit preaching and one-to-one contact. I wish I could be more effective in
every setting! I have not seen the kind of visible results that other preachers
may have, and I admire them so much. However, I ask myself, “If I don’t offer
the gospel to the people I know, using the talents God has given me, who will?
If they are lost in hell forever, can I somehow excuse my silence by saying
that it just wasn’t my gift?”
So I try. I pray. I
stretch. I work.
Evangelism, in both
the broad sense and the narrow sense, is my privilege and responsibility. I
want to do better. Lord, help me!
Evangelism, at least
in the broad sense, is your privilege and responsibility, too. Find a way –
your way – to tell others about Jesus! Introduce them to others who can water
and cultivate with additional teaching. To God be the glory.
