Evangelism

One of the books I read in preparation for a CLM class I am leading was Faith Sharing by Eddie Fox and George Morris.  I thought their explanation of what evangelism is was particularly good.  “The primary word for evangelism in the NT is the Greek noun euangelion.  It is the compound of two words meaning ‘good message’  We have shortened that to ‘good news’ or ‘gospel.’  The Greek verb euangelizomai means ‘bringing, spreading, or announcing the euangeloin, the good news or gospel’ So evangelizing describes the spreading of the good news of the gospel.” 

Evangelism does not mean to make converts of people.  It is to spread the good news of the gospel, regardless of the result.  John Scott says, “Evangelizing is neither to convert people, nor to win them, nor to bring them to Christ, though this is indeed the first goal of evangelizing.”

 

Fox and Morris define evangelism as “the faithful presentation of the gospel of the kingdom by word, deed, and sign.”  They go on to say, “We do not evangelize people or nations or even structures.  We evangelize the gospel.  Evangelizing is not something we do to people but something we do with the gospel.”  And we do that by what we say, what we do, and by pointing to Christ (a sign – making Christ significant).

 

For me, this definition and explanation solidifies the idea that we tell of the light of Christ – we spread the good news, and God takes care of the transformation part of the equation.  Conversion is the work of God.  Spreading the good news is our work. 

How does it change our approach to evangelism if we see it as spreading the good news of Christ and not changing or converting people?  I think it sounds much less manipulative - and much more like sharing the love of God.  That might be why I liked this definition a lot.