📖 Evangelism — Unit 2: The Nature of Evangelism

Orientation: Why Definitions Matter

Having established the biblical foundation of evangelism in Unit 1, this unit turns to a question that often troubles sincere believers: What exactly is evangelism? Many Christians are active, passionate, and love the Lord, yet they struggle to share their faith because they have never been taught a clear definition. They may share a personal story or invite someone to church—both good things—but neither is the same as evangelism. Until the believer can name what evangelism is, he cannot do it well, nor can he know when he has finished.

Real evangelism is something that is caught more than taught. It is a passion rather than a program. But a passion without a definition drifts; a program without a definition becomes activity for its own sake. This unit therefore lays down six word-pictures from the New Testament family of evangel, anchors evangelism in three classic definitions, and distinguishes it from manipulation, mere social action, and silent witness. When the foundation is biblical, the practice becomes both bold and humble.

I. The Family of "Evangel": Six Definitions

Behind the New Testament stands one Greek root—euangelion, "good news." From this single root six related terms grow, and a careful evangelist will hold each one distinct.

Evangel. The evangel is the good news itself. It is not about death, hell, or sin in the first instance—those may be avenues to the good news, but the evangel proper is glad tidings: that Christ has died for sinners and risen again.

"For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, NKJV)

Evangelism. Evangelism is the act of presenting the good news with the intent that people receive it. Evangelist. The evangelist is one who carries the good news. In one sense, every pastor is an evangelist, and the work may be done either publicly or personally. Evangelistic. Something is evangelistic when it is characterized by the urgent, active presentation of the good news. Evangelical. An evangelical is one who emphasizes the reception of the good news—one who endorses the work of evangelism. It is possible, the wise teacher observes, to be evangelical without being evangelistic. Evangelistic preaching. Faris Whitesell defined it: "Evangelistic preaching is preaching at its best. It is preaching adapted to the highest ends of the gospel—turning men from sin and darkness to salvation and light. Evangelistic preaching is preaching with a mission—an immediate and all-important mission—winning a verdict in favor of the Lord Jesus Christ."

II. Three Classic Definitions

Three definitions, set side by side, give the working frame for this course. The first comes from the Archbishop's Committee on Evangelism (1918):

"To evangelize is so to present Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit that men shall come to put their trust in God through Him, to accept Him as their Savior, and to serve Him as their King in the fellowship of the Church."

Notice the careful balance: presenting Christ, in the Spirit's power, with the threefold goal of trust, acceptance, and service—within the church. The second comes from V. L. Stanfield: "Evangelistic preaching is the proclamation of the good news concerning the redemptive acts of God in Christ, by one who experientially knows Jesus Christ, in order to lead others to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and their Lord." The third comes from D. T. Niles, and is the simplest of all: "Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to get food." Niles' image is unforgettable. The evangelist is not a wealthy benefactor distributing favors; he is a hungry man who has found the bread, turning to another hungry man and pointing the way. This guards the witness from condescension and the gospel from being mistaken for moral superiority.

III. The Seven Propositions

From years of pastoral ministry, seven propositions about evangelism deserve every student's reflection:

First, real evangelism is something that is caught more than taught. Second, real evangelism is a passion rather than a program. Third, as George Sweazy observed, a church always tends to drift away from evangelism, never toward it. Fourth, of every hundred conversions, only about fifteen take place at an event such as an evangelistic service or a crusade. Fifth, the average person hears the gospel about seven times before responding to Christ. Sixth, roughly eighty-five percent of converts have heard the gospel in a one-on-one setting. Seventh, a large portion of those who claim the name of Christ have become quietly ashamed of the gospel itself.

These seven shape the rest of the course. They say to the student: do not despise the small conversation; do not measure the work by the crowd; do not be content with one telling; and do not lose the courage to name Christ where He has been forgotten.

IV. Three New Testament Types

The New Testament shows at least three patterns of evangelism. The first is personal evangelism—the "go and tell" of the early house-to-house witness (Acts 5:42; 20:20). Done by both lay people and the pastor, it has been largely restored to the church only in the last few generations.

The second is mass evangelism—the "come and see" of Pentecost and of the Whitefield-Wesley-Finney tradition. Whitefield was reported by contemporaries to have been heard clearly by crowds as large as thirty thousand; Wesley preached an estimated forty thousand sermons over his lifetime, learning his open-air method from Whitefield. The problem in the present age is not the method but the audience: fewer people today are willing to come.

The third is lifestyle evangelism—the "go and live" approach Joseph Aldrich described. It is the rank-and-file Christian witnessing every day in natural relationships. A transformed life provokes the question, "How can I get what you have?"—and the believer answers with the gospel. None of the three replaces the others; the wise church practices all three.

V. Evangelism Is Proclamation, Not Manipulation

This distinction is critical. Some evangelistic methods press for a decision through emotional music, guilt, fear, or false promises of health and wealth. Such approaches are not evangelism; they are manipulation. Paul rejected these techniques:

"And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." (1 Corinthians 2:4, NKJV)

He did not rely on clever methods but on the Spirit. The difference is trust: one trusts in technique, the other in God. A manipulative evangelist may produce a response, but the response is to pressure, not to Christ. A faithful evangelist presents truth clearly and allows the Spirit of God to do His work. When manipulation is used, the gospel itself is distorted—the good news becomes a sales pitch. Faithful witnesses therefore reject any method that pressures, deceives, or coerces.

VI. Clarity Is Not Optional

A vague message produces vague understanding. If a hearer does not understand who God is (holy, just, loving), what sin is (rebellion against a holy God), what Christ has done (died as a substitute and rose again), and what response is required (repentance and faith), then that hearer cannot be saved. Salvation is not a feeling; it is a response to truth understood. Therefore, when sharing the gospel, the believer should not assume prior knowledge. Christian jargon such as "born again" or "saved by grace" must be explained. Jesus Himself took time to explain the Scriptures to the Emmaus disciples (Luke 24:27). He did not rush. Neither should the modern evangelist. Clarity is an act of love and obedience.

VII. Faithfulness, Not Results

One of the greatest misunderstandings in evangelism is that success is measured by visible results. Paul wrote:

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase." (1 Corinthians 3:6, NKJV)

Paul planted, Apollos watered—both were faithful. But the growth came from God. This is liberating. Many believers are paralyzed by the fear of failure: "What if I share and no one gets saved?" The seven propositions answer that fear. If the average person hears the gospel seven times before responding, the believer who shares once may be planting the seventh seed, the seed God will use—or he may be planting the first, which another will water and another harvest. None of the three has failed.

VIII. The Danger of Redefining Evangelism

In contemporary contexts, evangelism is often redefined to mean almost any good activity. Some say feeding the hungry is evangelism. Others say social justice is evangelism. Still others say a friendly presence is evangelism. These are good things, but they are not the gospel. Evangelism is the communication of the gospel. One can feed a thousand people and never mention why Christ died. One can fight for justice and never speak of the cross. One can be the kindest person in the neighborhood and never explain that "all have sinned" and that "Christ died for our sins." If the message is removed, evangelism itself is removed. Acts of mercy are vital, but they must be accompanied by the spoken truth. The greatest act of love is to tell a sinner how to be reconciled to God.

Conclusion: A Working Definition

Bringing the threads together, this course adopts a working definition: Evangelism is the clear and faithful communication of the gospel, in the power of the Holy Spirit, with the intent that the hearer understand, believe, and follow Christ in the fellowship of the church. The definition unites Niles' simplicity, the Archbishop's Committee's balance, and Stanfield's precision. It rules out manipulation. It rules out silent presence as a sufficient substitute. It rules out redefinition as social action alone. And it places the work where Scripture places it: in the proclamation of one beggar to another, who together bow before the King.

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