The Theology of Evangelism- From my book: Goal Driven Outreach

Don't turn back now by letting the word “theology” freak you out. Theology means the study of God and the things of God. It's important to understand what God has called us to do regarding Evangelism. We are here on earth as the ambassadors of Christ, left to preach and teach and make disciples. We must examine the mission of Jesus, the instructions He gave to His followers, and then follow in their footsteps. Don’t be overwhelmed with guilt and shame. You can do this. It’s easier than you think; you just have to get started.

 

Jesus came telling people to repent from sin. “Repent” means turning away and fleeing from something; to simply turn tail and run. The command is simple: follow God by trusting in Jesus and living by faith. On a couple of different occasions, Jesus sent His followers out to share. In Matthew 10, He sent the twelve disciples to proclaim “the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” and to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. They went from town to town doing this, and proclaiming to all Israel that hope had arrived. The people of Israel would understand. The Jews were waiting for the Messiah, the anointed one.  Jesus had come and the disciples spread the news that Jesus had come to save them.

 

The second time, Jesus sends out 72 of His followers into towns preceding His visit. The message was the same: “The Kingdom of God has come near to you”, meaning that the Messiah (or, Christ in Greek), the one sent by God to save the people, had arrived. He was coming to their town and they needed to be ready. The promised Savior had come.

 After the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, He sent out His followers again, but this time their mission was permanent. This is “The Great Commission”, and it's important for all of us to understand.

 “Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age’.” Matthew 28:18-20.

 The command to go given by Jesus could be translated “while you are on your way”, or “as you go”. Jesus basically said to bear witness of His salvation and make disciples as you go through life. He did not call us to quit our jobs, sell everything, and move to the international mission field. God calls some to that specific work, but for others it’s simple. Go to work, go to school, go to the store, and go about your life. And as you go to these places, talk about your faith, share it with others, tell them the Good News, and pray for them.

The reality about sharing our faith is this: if we don’t, who will? If you knew something that would save someone’s life, would you tell them? If the building you were in caught fire, would you sound the alarm? If you could save someone from death, would you? Most would say “of course”, but talking about Salvation is difficult for many. We don’t think often about death or the people around us dying. We seldom stop to consider what would happen if those people died. It’s easy to just assume everyone will be fine and all will end up in Heaven. Sadly, this isn’t the case. Jesus said, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.” (Matthew 7:13). In verse 14, He continues, “But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” It is hard to accept that many people are going to hell because of their choices; because the hardness of their hearts make them unwilling to turn to Christ. 

 The fact that few find the path to Salvation shouldn’t keep us from sharing, it should encourage us to share all the more. We don’t want to be the reason someone missed Heaven. Sometimes the difference between eternity in paradise or an eternity of torment is a few words from a friend. Giving someone hope, sharing love, and reaching out can make a giant difference. The theology of Evangelism is simple; summed up in John 3:16, that God loves the world of humanity and sent Jesus to save it. Jesus has returned to the Father, and now it’s our job to bring His hope to the world. We must have love and compassion for the world, to see it like Jesus did. Evangelism isn’t about packing out an arena, having a bunch of people at church, winning a prize, or being noticed and esteemed. It’s about love and compassion for the world that is trapped in sin, mired in selfishness, prisoners to unrighteousness, and needing help getting out. They need Jesus, and we have the opportunity to share with them. As you go, will you share what God has given you?