Do the Work of an Evangelist
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“As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:5). When Paul penned his letter to Timothy, he instructed him in the essentials of gospel ministry; these truths remain timeless and relevant today. The basis for a God-honoring ministry that offers hope for the world in Jesus Christ is still found on the pages of these Scriptures. As the church has turned inward, there must be a resurgence of gospel ministry among the ministers to build the church as Christ has commanded.
Among the Lord’s final words as He departed this earth, He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations….” (Matt. 28:19a). He expanded his meaning further in Acts 1 to include a series of concentric circles beginning in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). Living in the modern-day United States we are beneficiaries of this command. We are, in a sense, the ends of the earth. We must ask ourselves if we are at the end of the command to evangelize and disciple the nations, and we must offer a hearty “No!”
As a Reformed Baptist, I have an intense desire to know and grow in sound theology, the ability to exegete the Scriptures and engage in cogent thought and defense of the faith. As a seminary student, I am a work in progress. No matter the end goal, whether it be growth in understanding, eldership, or pastoral ministry, Jesus’s and Paul’s words cannot be set in the corner somewhere for another time or someone more qualified. Baptists have a rich history of evangelism, and for those who understand God’s sovereign action in salvation, we must obey the command. How does this practically work out, and what steps can be taken to energize a congregation to take evangelism outside the church?
Evangelism Understood
Evangelism comes from the word euangelion, which is defined as good news.[1] It is where we get the word gospel. “And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation’” (Mark 16:15). Mark’s version of the Great Commission contains the call to carry the gospel message to the whole creation or into the whole world. It is not mysterious what Jesus tells us to do.
Jesus not only told us what to do but also set an example. “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matt. 4:17). Strictly speaking, Jesus engaged in the work of an evangelist from the beginning of his public ministry. He knew the mission to reach the lost was to go to them, not just teach in the temple waiting for the lost to arrive. “And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people” (Matt. 4:23). Jesus had a distinct advantage in that his healing ministry grabbed people’s attention. But we must not miss the main point. He went out. He was in a public setting doing the work at hand.
The Apostle Paul provides further insights into the work of evangelism and reaching different audiences with the gospel. Acts 17 provides clear examples of how Paul brought the gospel to his world. Paul’s first course of action was to go into the synagogue and reason with them from the Scriptures (Acts 17:2, 10). Paul confounded the Jews with his knowledge of the Scriptures and pointed them to Christ through the proper application of God’s Word. The approach was similar but adapted in the case of a Gentile audience. (Acts 17:22-25).
Paul was skilled in the art of rhetoric and debate. Observe how Paul transitions into the gospel with the Epicurean Stoics and Philosophers.
Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:29-31).
As it does today, the art of reasoning and apologetics is critical in advancing the gospel throughout the ancient world. If a modern church in our modern context is to reach the lost for the glory of God, then being skilled in this art should be stressed and taught in the church.
The examples in the New Testament are abundant, and they are clearly defined. Admittedly, we find it easier to stay in the study than apply practical evangelism methods to the world around us. We must also ask difficult questions of the text as to the normative function of these methodologies today. Then there is the issue of how to work this out practically. Let us turn our attention to some practical ways to evangelize the lost.
Practical Matters
“And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere” (Luke 9:6).
Let us begin with the most controversial and offensive form of gospel ministry—the ministry of open-air preaching. In a day and age where we desire respectability as Christians, to engage in gospel preaching in the open air is often considered ineffective and loathsome. However, before we recoil and reject this as arcane, there is a voice from the past to be considered. Charles Spurgeon encouraged his students to head out of doors and proclaim the gospel on a street corner. He said, “No sort of defence is needed for preaching out of doors; but it would need very potent arguments to prove that a man had done his duty who has never preached beyond the walls of his meetinghouse. A defence is required rather for services within buildings for worship outside of them.”
These words are powerful, and they are convicting. Spurgeon spoke these hard words for those that never ventured out, “These people believe in a New Testament which says, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in,’ and yet they dislike the literal obedience to the command.”[2] Spurgeon recommended that a new minister begin an open-air campaign upon entering a town upon leaving college. For new missionary interests, he says, “out-of-door services are a main agency.”[3]
At the very minimum, the methodologies for going must include reasoning or an apologetics ministry and an open-air ministry to propagate the gospel message. The numbers of converts never measure success. If this was the case, the Lord Jesus was a complete failure. Success is measured by faithfulness to the message. To go, therefore, is a command requiring feet on the pavement, a Bible in hand, and love in the heart. Reaching out to those who will never enter a church is as relevant today as it was when Jesus and Paul did it.
While not every church member will or should stand on a street corner to proclaim the gospel message, the goal of the church and its ministries should be to train the saints for the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12). Many other practical applications begin with some in-house training. The training could include role play, apologetics, or evangelism 101 classes to teach and encourage those to have a basic gospel conversation with those around them.
The Mormon church and Jehovah’s Witnesses go door to door to evangelize their false religion, but when was the last time you had someone knock on your door to tell you about salvation in Christ? Here is an excellent opportunity to pick up the mantel. A low-key approach is to canvas a neighborhood, asking questions of the neighbors whether they have any religious beliefs. If so, do they faithfully attend a church? Offer an invitation or a Bible with a gospel tract.
Other methods include a college campus ministry. A table set up in a well-traveled area that takes prayer requests, with literature and the opportunity to answer questions about the Christian religion, is generally not taken as an offense even against atheists, but one must develop a thick skin for those that are outwardly hostile.
Conclusion
We have barely scratched the surface of what it means to evangelize the lost, but at a minimum, the church needs to prepare the people for the work ahead. The work of evangelism is difficult and intimidating for most Christians, which is understandable. The very basic step of beginning a gospel conversation can be intimidating. For Christians to understand this is the most profound form of love not a hostile act. John Frame said, “Evangelism is not an expression of hatred to non-Christians, as many have charged. It expresses the love of Christ, warning people of danger and offering them liberation from sin.”[4]
Evangelism certainly challenges our sensibilities when it comes to the embarrassment we may feel as we approach our friends, family, or even a stranger on the street. The Lord Jesus Christ commands us to take this gospel message to the ends of the earth, and He promises to be with us as we do it. The strength of the Christian religion is founded upon the truth of the resurrection of Christ. We have an eternal foundation in the person and work of Jesus Christ that promises eternal life to unworthy sinners. The gospel’s message is unique among all world religions. We are incapable of pulling ourselves up to God, but He emptied Himself in His great love for us and came to earth as a man that He might bring peace between sinners and God. That is a message worth sharing!
[1] Interestingly, the Greek word for “gospel,” euangelion, was originally used to describe the “good news” of military victory brought from a messenger to his commander. It then came to mean simply a “good message.” The New Testament writers chose this word to describe the “Good News” of Jesus Christ and His salvation.
[2] C.H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, Reprinted 2011), 303
[3] Ibid., 314
[4] John Frame, The Doctrine of the Christian Life (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing Company, 2008), 425