Christian Crier
What is evangelism? It can be an overt attempt to teach others about Jesus Christ and salvation, but it can also be a lifestyle—living our lives simply and in order to draw others to the light of God. Israel was established as a nation to be a blessing and a light to the nations around them, and then draw people to God through their example. Likewise, we should also be salt and light to the world…drawing people to the Lord by our example. At the core of Christianity, is the faith and belief in the “good news,” that is epitomized in John 3:16 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” So as Christians, we should be proud and eager to share how the Lord has changed our lives. One way to explain the good news of the gospel of Christ is stated clearly by the apostle Paul in Romans 10:9 (ESV), as he writes, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
The word evangelism often evokes fear, as Christians know that they are supposed to be sharing the good news with others, yet they don’t know how to do it. There has also been the troubling issue, around the world, of proselytizing or trying to force people to follow a certain religion, and that is always met with resistance. The apostle Peter, though, gives us clear direction on how to evangelize appropriately. In 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) he exhorts, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as LORD. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” So we should always be ready to speak up for our faith, but we need to do this in a loving and caring way.
The word evangelist is only used a couple of times in the Bible, but the concept is reiterated multiple times. One of those passages is Ephesians 4:11-12, which states, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” God clarifies that all of us have been given various gifts to be used in his Kingdom work, and some of us have been called specifically to be evangelists. Following are my top seven verses about evangelism in the Bible, although there are many more that could be mentioned.
Isaiah 6:8 (ESV) “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’”
Typically, we think about evangelism more in the New Testament than we do in the Old Testament, but obviously the Lord has been calling his people to share about his love and faithfulness throughout the ages. God established the nation of Israel as a beacon of hope to the world at a time when many people were lost in sin and darkness. Death and destruction seemed to be reigning all around, but God brought light and possibility to all. In Isaiah the Lord asks the question that he always asks of His children…who will go and share about the message of hope? Thankfully, Isaiah replied, “Here am I! Send me.” This is a poignant question that still resonates with all of us today, and hopefully we will answer it just like the prophet did.
Proverbs 11:30 (ESV) “For the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.”
The book of Proverbs is characterized by its many words of wisdom, encouragement, and discernment. It was written by King Solomon, after he was given the gift of wisdom directly from the Lord. Throughout the book, you can read about the differences between being wise and acting foolishly. The author compares and contrasts them to one another over and over again, as he encourages the reader to “choose wisely.”Among the hundreds of wise sayings and proverbs found in this book, we can read this verse. It highlights the fact that being obedient or righteous will bring forth good fruit, and that it will actually become a tree of life. Likewise, whoever spreads the good news of God’s loving Kingdom to other souls is also wise.
Matthew 28:19 (ESV) “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…”
Personally, when someone mentions the word “evangelism” to me, this verse in Matthew is the first one that comes to mind. Along with its companion verses in Mark 16:15 (ESV), that state, “And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation,’” and Luke 24:47 (ESV), “and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem,” these three verses are a direct call to go out and share the good news about Christ to the world. This command isn’t subtle or vague, but rather Jesus explicitly tells his disciples, and all of us that follow him, to go and tell others that God loves them. Therefore, we are called to evangelize individuals as well as nations for the Kingdom of God.
Acts 1:8 (ESV) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
These words were spoken by Jesus right before he ascended to heaven, and they are a living reminder of what was on his heart. He wanted all of humanity to receive the power of the Holy Spirit and then simply be his witnesses everywhere they went. They would begin sharing the good news at home, and then take it around the world. Jesus spoke these words about all of his disciples and us, but Peter is often described as a great example of an evangelist. On the day of Pentecost, shortly after Jesus’ earthly departure, Peter stands up in Jerusalem and is instrumental in leading over 3,000 people to the Lord. This verse in Acts 2:38 (ESV) states the powerful message that he shared that day, “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.’” Simply put, this is the gospel message that we should also share with our words and our lives.
Acts 8:12 (ESV) “But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.”
Another exciting evangelist mentioned in the book of Acts is Philip. He was one of the seven deacons chosen for his servant’s heart to minister to the needy in Jerusalem, and he went on to be used mightily by the Holy Spirit to spread the good news about Jesus Christ. This verse highlights the fact that he was preaching about Jesus, and that those who heard him believed him, both men and women. Because of his faithfulness to his calling of evangelism, Philip led many into the Kingdom of God.
Acts 22:15 (ESV) “…for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.”
Paul is sharing his own conversion story in this passage, as he presents the gospel to some agitated Jews during his final visit to Jerusalem. He was very bold in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ everywhere he went, but in this instance he chose to share his own testimony of faith. He explains how the Lord called him on the road to Damascus and told Paul that he would be a witness, and an evangelist, to everyone he would meet during the rest of his life. Oftentimes, one of the best ways to share our own faith is also by giving our testimony of salvation. Like Paul, our lives can be an open book for everyone to read. This is especially true when our lives point back to our Lord.
1 Timothy 4:5 (ESV), “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
The apostle Paul mentored many young Christians during his time of ministry, and one of them was Timothy. In this verse, he is exhorting the young disciple to press into the Lord and fulfill his calling as an evangelist. Paul knew that Timothy had a special calling by God to share the good news of the gospel, and so he encourages him to live up to his potential. I love this verse, because I feel that it is also a call to all of us that have called upon the name of Jesus as our Lord and Savior and who profess to be Christians. Likewise, we need to be sober-minded, ready to endure persecution or suffering for the sake of the gospel, and fulfill whatever ministry God has called us to do while we are on earth. Whether preaching the gospel from the rooftops or living a quiet life of humility and service, we are called to be evangelists everywhere we go.
CONCLUSION
Ultimately, all Christians are called to be evangelists and to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to all people. We cannot be afraid of or embarrassed by this call, but rather we should embrace what the apostle Paul states in Romans 1:16 (ESV), “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” One way we can do this is by sharing, preaching and teaching about Jesus in the streets or in our homes to everyone in our path. Another way to evangelize is to simply live as a light or a shining example of what a Christian represents. God is love, and we should mirror and reflect that love to everyone through our words and even more so in our actions. If we want to tell the world about the good news of Jesus Christ our Lord, let us begin by living as he lived, filled with the fruit of the spirit. This is what will show them what God is like, and true evangelism will overflow from that love.
Written by Karla Hawkins
God has been good to me over the years, and I have much for which to be grateful to Him. First of all, I feel blessed to be the pastor’s wife of a thriving church in northern Michigan and the mother of four amazing grown children. It is also very rewarding to be a Christian author, editor and translator for the Kingdom of God. Some of my favorite pastimes include supporting my children’s contemporary Christian band ONLY9AM, singing on the worship team at church, traveling, and connecting with family and friends via social media. My favorite song this year has been “You Make Me Brave” by Amanda Cook from Bethel Church, as God has recently been stretching my faith and walk with Him in new ways. When I am not working, I love spending time with my family and especially with my precious three-year-old grandson.
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