“[T]he faithful delivery of the message of the gospel”;1 sharing with non-Christians the message of what Jesus has done to save sinners, and calling them to repent and believe.
- From scripture:
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV)
But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them … .
[22] “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—[23] this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. [24] God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it… .
[36] Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
[37] Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” [38] And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:14a, 22-24, 36-38 ESV)
- From Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer:
Evangelism … is a task appointed to all God’s people everywhere. It is the task of communicating a message from the Creator to rebel mankind. The message begins with information and ends with an invitation. The information concerns God’s work of making His Son a perfect Saviour for sinners. The invitation is God’s summons to mankind generally to come to the Saviour and find life. God commands all men everywhere to repent, and promises forgiveness and restoration to all who do. The Christian is sent into the world as God’s herald and Christ’s ambassador, to broadcast this message as widely as he can. This is both his duty (because God commands it, and love to our neighbour requires it) and his privilege (because it is a great thing to speak for God, and to take our neighbour the remedy—the only remedy—that can save him from the terrors of spiritual death). Our job, then, is to go to our fellow-men and tell them the gospel of Christ, and try by every means to make it clear to them; to remove as best we can any difficulties that they may find in it, to impress them with its seriousness, and to urge them to respond to it. This is our abiding responsibility; it is a basic part of our Christian calling.
Learn more:
- Ernest Reisenger: Evangelism — What is it?
- Trillia Newbell: The Call to Evangelism Made Simple
- Burk Parsons: Evangelism For God’s Glory
- Kim Riddlebarger: Some Dos and Don’ts of Evangelism
- Erik Raymond: How the Trinity Should Shape Evangelism
- Juan Sanchez: Overcoming the Fear of Evangelism
- J. Mack Stiles: The Problem With Evangelistic Programs
Related terms:
1 Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer.
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