WHEN THE SAINTS
GO MARCHING OUT
Editorial
May/June, 2002
Volume 37, Number 3
During the last nearly forty years, the Church of the Brethren has experienced
a steady numerical decline. The records show that one third of the membership
has been erased in this period of time. Interestingly, this decline followed
several Annual Conference decisions made in the middle of the last Century,
where membership requirements were relaxed, and it supposedly was made
easier for people to come into the church. So it is obvious that relaxing
the standards is one of the grand schemes of the modern church that has
not worked.
Evangelism is hard work. It is about the hardest work that the church
ever attempts to do. Evangelism is the result of the church being zealous
about spiritual things. Winning people to faith in Jesus Christ must be
made a top priority and be conducted with strong commitment and fervency.
Evangelism usually does not happen when it is merely a sideline ministry
to whatever else is done in the name of the church.
And so, if we do not have a deep passion for lost souls; if we do not
have any names of unsaved persons on our prayer lists; if we are not witnessing
with the clear intent to win the lost---is it any wonder that winning people
to Christ is not happening?
Times of prosperity tend to kill the church's efforts in the fulfilling
of its primary mission. Believers become fat and lax and are at ease in
Zion. And sinners are satisfied and do not want to be disturbed. This combination
of factors creates a real dilemma. The subject of evangelism will be discussed
again in 2002 at Louisville, Kentucky, but will yet another Annual Conference
query this year really make a difference?
There was a lot of enthusiasm for evangelism expressed in the recent
Brethren Evangelism Academies. Lots of practical help was shared-- from
having easily accessible church buildings, to having an attractive church
sign, to demonstrating how to become a friendly and welcoming congregation.
These events were well attended. But in spite of all these efforts, the
numerical decline has gone unabated.
Is it possible that one reason why we are not winning the unsaved is
because God's full favor is not resting upon us? Is God happy with what
we have done to the message of the Bible? Have we clouded the understanding
of things which are clearly called sin in the holy Scriptures? Why is God
not turning the unsaved to us? I believe evangelism and revival are closely
related. Perhaps the continuing need first of all is revival!
--James F. Myer
When The Saints Go Marching Out
By Harold S. Martin
At the Annual Conference in Baltimore in 2001, a query was adopted urging
Brethren to pursue how we can give a higher priority to evangelism and
church planting. We are looking in this essay at the biblical meaning and
approach to evangelism. It is God's intent that His followers "go marching
out" to reach others for Christ, rather than sitting contentedly in their
cozy pews week after week.
The Scriptures speak much about the concept of evangelism, yet the word
"evangelism" does not occur at all in most of the English translations
of the Bible. But the word "evangelist" does occur three times in the KJV
and the NIV versions of the New Testament. An evangelist is "one
who proclaims good tidings." Today, all Christians are to continue the
witness of the early New Testament evangelists (Acts 1:8). None of us is
to be a spectator. All are to participate in circulating the good news
of Christ's redeeming love. All of us are called to "go marching out."
1. THE WORD FOR EVANGELISM
The word "evangelism" is a compound word composed of "eu" (meaning "good"
or "well"), and " angelos" (meaning "messenger"). In the New Testament
the word appears in three forms:
a) euangelion-which means good news, and is everywhere
translated gospel.
b) euangelizo-which means to tell good news, and is one
of the words which is often translated preach or preach the gospel.
c) euangelistes--which means one who tells good news, and
is translated evangelist.
The close relationship between these three Greek words (which occur
130 times in the New Testament) would be more obvious to the English reader
if they had uniformly been rendered evangel, evangelize, and evangelist
respectively.
2. THE MEANING OF EVANGELISM
The word "evangelism" speaks of that activity of Christians by which
they seek to make known the gospel message, and encourage people to believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ. This activity can be private and personal, or
public and massive in its outreach. Evangelism is a primary responsibility
of the church.
To some, evangelism is what Billy Graham does, and what their pastor
does not do. To others, evangelism is firing a stream of Bible verses at
a prospective convert. To still others, anything one does as a Christian,
is evangelism. From a biblical point of view, evangelism involves preaching,
proclaiming, or simply telling the good news. Evangelism is the specific,
articulate presentation of the message that Christ's death upon the Cross
"propitiates" (turns away) God's wrath (which abides upon each person who
remains in the unregenerate state). See Romans 3:25 and John 3:36.
Evangelism is not the mere testimony of a good and consistent life.
The quiet, pervasive influence of the Christian life is necessary, but
it is not evangelism. Being friendly, helpful, and neighborly may be a
necessary preparation for evangelism, but it is not a substitute
for evangelism. Christianity cannot be radiated. Truths about God and
His Son have to be communicated by proclaiming a message. Good deeds do
not convey the actual content of the gospel; the good news must be expressed
in words. Evangelism is the presenting of Jesus Christ in such a way that
people will accept Him as their Savior from the guilt and power of sin,
and declare Him Lord, as they seek to follow Him in their daily lives.
It is a tragedy of our times that many have retained the word evangelism,
but have emptied it of its traditional meaning. For some, "to evangelize"
means to change the structures of society, to feed the hungry, to clean
up the slums, to educate the illiterate, to eliminate racial segregation,
and to replace capitalism with a form of socialism. No one should overlook
the need for compassion, nor should the gospel be limited only to proclamation.
Both service and proclamation are basic to the gospel, but proclaiming
the news that Christ died to atone for our sins is to have priority over
any other meaning which is sometimes attached to evangelism. Any other
message, no matter how good it may appear, is not the New Testament gospel
that saves people from sin and its final doom. We must not be satisfied
to give bread, and neglect the giving of the Bread of Life.
3. THE MOTIVATION FOR EVANGELISM
Christians are motivated to share the good news primarily because our
Lord commands us to evangelize. The heart of the Great Commission
in Matthew 28:19-20 is "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations."
We engage in evangelism not necessarily because we like to, but because
we have been told to.
We are also motivated to proclaim the gospel because apart from faith
in Jesus Christ, every human being is lost (Luke 19:10) and
is without hope (Ephesians 2:12). For some, nobody is lost in the eternal
sense; nobody is really perishing; nobody is destined to spend eternity
in Hell. This is a new form of an old universalism. And the only Person
capable of effecting a reconciliation between the guilty human soul and
a holy God, is Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). Thus, Christians need
to approach Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Marxists, white American
materialists-al I people everywhere-with the hope of convincing them to
receive Jesus Christ as Savior.
Another motivating factor for "marching out" with the gospel message,
is the truth about the return of Jesus Christ. The day of salvation is
"now" (2 Corinthians 6:2). Jesus said there is a night coming when no one
can work (John 9:4). The second coming of Jesus is the blessed hope of
every believer (Titus 2:13), and the desire for others to share in that
hope becomes an impelling motive for evangelism.
4. THE MESSAGE OF EVANGELISM
The evangelistic message centers on a unique Person, the Lord Jesus
Christ. In John 14:6, Jesus declares that He is the way--everything
else is a dead end street. He is the trutheverything else is a lie.
He is the life-everything else is the way of death. When Philip
the evangelist encountered the Ethiopian eunuch, he "preached Jesus to
him" (Acts 8:35b). The Apostle Paul's testimony to the church at Corinth
was, "For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ
and him crucified." Paul's one and only concern was to bear witness to
Jesus Christ and His death upon the cross for the sake of all people.
The evangelistic message offers a remedy for our human alienation from
God. The good news is that the death of Jesus has become a bridge between
a holy God and a sinning people (1 Timothy 2:5-6), and that His blood propitiates
God's dissatisfaction with us-when we accept Him with a genuine faith.
Jesus himself said, "For this is my blood of the new covenant which is
shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28).
The "good news" then is that we sinners do not have to die eternally
because Jesus Christ died for us. The message of evangelism is that men
and women everywhere are lost, undone, and without hope--but that Jesus
Christ acted in our behalf by His death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians
15:3-4). Jesus offers pardon and forgiveness to all who receive Him through
faith (Acts 13:38-39), repentance (Acts 2:38), and baptism (Mark 16:16).
One who accepts the new life in Christ, submits to Him as Lord. Hate
is transformed into love, selfishness into sacrifice, and pride into humble
dependence upon what God has done for us. As a result, homes are changed;
money is spent much more wisely; and barriers that alienate people from
one another are broken down. The new person in Christ has turned from the
power of Satan to God, and becomes as salt to the earth. The evangelistic
message leads to the transformation of the individual.
5. THE METHODS OF EVANGELISM
The New Testament illustrates several methods of evangelism. We find
examples of mass evangelism in the work of John the Baptist, Peter,
and Philip (Luke 3:1-20; Acts 2:14-41; Acts 8:8-15). We see
personal
evangelism by observing the 35 personal interviews of Jesus as recorded
in the Gospels (e.g. John 3:1-21; John 4:5-42). Paul used dialog evangelism
on Mars Hill in Athens (Acts 17:16-34). The early Christians practiced
visitation evangelism when they went from house to house (Acts 5:42). And
then there was literary evangelism as seen in the writing of the gospels
of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The most effective method of evangelism is the sharing of the good news,
on a person-to-person basis, as we come in contact with other people. Sometimes
just being a friend, or listening to another person's troubles, becomes
a point of contact. We must intentionally invite into our homes, people
who live in the trailer next to us, our acquaintances at work, our friends
at school, and any others with whom we may be in contact. It is usually
best not to immediately pounce upon persons and start asking about their
spiritual state. It is best to wait for appropriate opportunities to open
up. Occasionally we need to initiate opportunities.
Sometimes a wisely chosen tract (or other piece of literature) can be
used as a good point of contact. Hand the tract to the individual and say,
"Here is something that has helped me, and I believe it will help you;
I hope you'll read it sometime." The most effective witness that we can
make, will likely be with those whom we contact day after day at home or
at work.
Sometimes ordinary "small talk" conversations give good opportunities
for witness. For example, when folks talk about how quickly time seems
to fly, we can remind them that one who lives out the average life span
has only about 26,000 days to live at most, and then we face eternity.
If the person to whom we are talking is about 35 years old, the number
of remaining, days can hardly be more than thirteen thousand days--and
think how quickly a day flies! We can go on from that point and explain
the basic ingredients of salvation through the atoning work of Christ.
When Jesus talked with the woman at the well (John 4:5-42), He talked
about an area of common interest-a drink of water. Just so we must share
the common experiences of life with those who are in need. We live in an
unjust, unfair, and unfeeling world. We must be willing to take the time
and make the effort to help bear the burdens and concerns of others. When
we show proper help, concern, and compassion--some people will begin to
confide in us and reveal their deepest needs. It is then that we can share
how Christ Jesus has helped us bear our burdens and how He he(ped
time and again to heal our emotional wounds. Evangelism has the goal of
changing individuals, and that can be done most effectively by taking time
to establish a relationship with another person, and using that friendship
as a right to be heard.
6. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVANGELISM
The Bible account in Acts 8:1-4 says that when persecution arose against
the Christians in Jerusalem, "They were all scattered throughout the regions
of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." And "those who were scattered
went everywhere preaching the word." That is, all except the apostles,
were out evangelizing. The responsibility for evangelism rests upon every
member of the church as a general duty. No one can escape it. All the members
of our congregations must be mobilized for the purpose of seeking to win
people to faith in Christ.
Evangelism is not a special activity for special people. Some think
the pastor is a sort of religious general who is paid to do the fighting
for the people in the ranks. But evangelism is not something only for the
minister to be engaged in. The minister is but one. His contacts are limited.
The lay members of any church are in touch with scores of people every
week. Christians are in contact with many persons during their waking hours-while
they are at work, or shopping, or going to school, etc. The daily contacts
of lay people are rich opportunities. They work with non-Christians in
the same place of employment, under the same boss, with the same pressures.
With a greater persuasion than anyone else in any other position, Christians
can say to their fellow workers, "Christ is sufficient; He gives me a motive
for living." Evangelism is the work of every believer.
To get an every member involvement in evangelism is one of the greatest
challenges facing the church today. Only as Christians turn the casual
contacts that come on the job, in the office, across backyard fences, and
in the wider community-into occasions for witnessing, will the church have
an impact on society.
7. THE RESULTS OF EVANGELISM
To evangelize is to present Christ in such a way that people will come
to repent of their sinful deeds, and put their trust in Him as Savior,
and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of the church.
New Christians need to be nurtured in the faith, and as they grow in
spiritual understanding, they become more and more conformed to the way
of Christ. As people respond positively to the gospel message, they are
changed by Christ who lives within (Galatians 2:20), and they become salt
to society.
An interesting news item came from Ridgefield, New Jersey. It illustrates
how Christ in the heart
really does make a difference in daily life.
An illiterate man who had recently heard the gospel and was converted,
became convicted of a theft he had committed, and wanted to restore what
he had taken. The ex-thief gave $100 to the person who had introduced him
to Christ, and that person in turn gave it to the Bible teacher, Spiros
Zodhiates, president of the American Mission to Greeks. Mr. Zodhiates forwarded
a check to Macy's Department Store with this note: "You can thank the Lord
God that somebody is preaching the Gospel."
The point is, that those who debunk the church and make light of puritanism
and revivalism, often fail to acknowledge that a consequence of the gospel
is social honesty and integrity! Human society rests upon a high degree
of honesty and trust, and if the church continues to concentrate on political
activism instead of teaching God's standards for personal morals, our nation
will continue to experience rising crime rates, increasing violence, more
tolerance to illicit sex, and additional senseless vandalism. Our social
and economic problems are really personal moral problems, and when an individual
embraces the gospel of Christ, that person becomes a new creation with
new goals and new attitudes toward life (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The results of evangelism then, include obedience to Christ, incorporation
into His church, and responsible service in the world.
Witnessing (evangelism) is something we learn by doing. Each time we
talk about the gospel, we become more at ease. We learn by experience.
We profit from past mistakes. We can build upon strong points gradually
discovered. But a tragic note is that vast numbers of church members could
not witness to their faith even if they wanted to, because they have no
genuine faith. Too many have been called to church affiliation rather than
conversion to Christ. Thus many have quietly slipped into church membership,
thinking that the church is a nice ethical society that stands by to offer
special services for weddings, illnesses, and funerals. As a result, some
of our churches today have become
fields for evangelism rather than
forces of evangelism. To be an effective witness for Christ, we
must ourselves have experienced a genuine conversion.
Brethren have historically maintained a strong evangelistic thrust.
Alexander Mack and Christopher Hochmann went up and down the Rhine Valley
in Germany, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was the continued
interest in evangelism that accounted for our phenomenal growth in the
United States. Early Brethren moved to new frontiers and established churches
wherever they went. The entire male membership of the Germantown congregation
set forth on an evangelistic tour of "Penns Woods" in 1724, and their expedition
led to the formation of two new congregations. The very nature of our view
concerning the mission of the church, prompts us to believe that God's
people should be continually winning more people to faith in Christ. The
primary task of the church is to seek to bring people to Christ and then
nurture them in the Christian faith.
Social service is a vital part of the mission of the church (Luke 10:29-37;
Galatians 6:10), but it is not evangelism. Many people in the world will
go to bed hungry tonight. That kind of hunger cannot be the complete will
of God. Therefore it is our mission to help feed them. In many countries,
thousands are sick because of undeveloped medical facilities. Such sickness
cannot be the complete will of God. It is our mission to try and help heal
them. But even if we feed the hungry and educate the illiterate and help
to tear down unjust political structures, still we have not evangelized.
Atheists also feed and teach and help and heal. That does not make their
mission a "Christian" mission. Multitudes of people in the world have never
known salvation through Jesus Christ, and so to evangelize is to tell them
that our sins have evoked the displeasure of God, but that God is favorably
disposed and ready to forgive. He is eager to reinstate, on the basis of
our willingness to repent, and turn away from sin, and believe the good
news about what Jesus did for us on the cross. It is a serious mistake
to equate evangelism with social action. The two concepts are related but
they are not identical.
True biblical evangelism is the central mission of the church. When
interest in evangelism declines, believers become introspective and seem
to lack purpose. Growth stagnates as a result, and worship becomes superficial.
Let us therefore continue to encourage the saints "to go marching out!"