By Zach Martin
“Yes, we agree on the gospel, just not on who Jesus is!”
So said a Jehovah’s Witness to me on the Black Water Creek trail after I spoke to him for about fifteen minutes about the true gospel. After he said this, we parted ways. He did not repent of his false religion. He did not walk away believing that Jesus–truly God and truly man–died and rose to atone for the sins of His people.
Was this successful evangelism? Yes. Did I feel deeply encouraged after he said those words to me? Yes (even though they weren’t the ones I wanted to hear!). Why can I answer yes to these questions? Because evangelism is not about an outcome, but it is a discipline from and for joy.
The term “evangelism” has a lot of baggage. But living the gospel life requires that we properly understand it. We must proclaim who Jesus is! Here are three questions to consider: (1) How do we define “evangelism”?, (2) Who is to do it?, and (3) Why do it?
How do we define “evangelism”?
Some think evangelism is merely sharing a testimony. Others think it is giving a defense for the faith. Still, others associate it with street preaching. What is evangelism? Donald Whitney defines evangelism as “communicating the gospel” (Acts 8:35). J. Mack Stiles defines it as “teaching the gospel with the aim to persuade” (Acts 17:1-3). Thus, it is not sharing a testimony. It is not even seeing people come to faith. It is telling others about the gospel. It is “good-newsing” someone with Jesus!
Once you strip away the associations and methodologies, at its core, evangelism is simply telling others that God saves sinners and how God saves sinners (Acts 4:8-12).
Who is to do it?
Isn’t evangelism to be done by people who are trained? Shouldn’t it only be done by those gifted to do it? After all, Paul says that Christ gave some to be “apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11). True, God has gifted some in particular to be gifted and anointed in telling others about the gospel. But just because some are particularly gifted does not mean others shouldn’t practice it (imagine if we applied the same logic to the gift of mercy! Cf. Romans 12:8).
Simply put, every Christian is to be an evangelist (or, to evangelize). Consider the words of Peter to the church: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). All of God’s people are to proclaim the good news of God!
Why do it?
First, we evangelize because we join God in the work He started to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). We speak on behalf of Him (2 Cor. 5:20). He is choosing to reveal himself to sinners. He saves as we proclaim! The Lord graciously invites (commands!) us to join Him (Matt. 28:18-20).
Second, we evangelize from joy and for joy. Ultimately, we do it because we love our Lord. We love much because we have been forgiven much (Luke 7:36-50). In joy, we are willing to give up everything for Christ (Matt. 13:44). We evangelize from joy. We also evangelize for joy. David writes, “may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, ‘Great is the LORD!’” (Psalm 40:16). All of Psalm 96 assumes joy in exhorting all the nations to praise the name of the Lord! We get to delight in telling others about God.
Evangelism is telling others–with great joy–that God saves and how God saves. This is the Gospel life we must live.