Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
Luke 24: 45-48
Evangelism (spreading of the Christian good news) lies at the heart of the Christian faith, embodying the commandment of Jesus to go and make disciples of all nations to be his witness. Christian evangelism is not merely a task to be undertaken by a couple of special people, but a calling to every believer to embody the transformative power of the gospel message in every aspect of our lives.
For many of us, evangelism is something we think we should do, we might even think it is important, we might have given it a go, but for many people it can be a struggle and even a bit scary.
One of the gifts Christ gives to the church is evangelists – certain people that just can’t help but proclaim Christ everywhere they go. Can’t we just let them do the telling others thing?
There are six key aspects to evangelism: love, social engagement, asking questions, proclaiming Jesus, grounding in the Bible, and building community. Each of these facets plays a vital role in conveying the message of salvation and inviting others into a relationship with Christ.
Love lies at the heart of Christian evangelism. It reflects the very character of God, who is love.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8
Jesus himself declared that the greatest commandment is to love God and love our neighbours.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”
Matthew 22:37-39
Love compels us to demonstrate compassion, empathy and care for all people, regardless of their background or belief.
You might have heard that “people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care”. We earn the right to speak into people’s lives because we have loved them in both words and deeds.
Billy Graham said, “It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge, and my job to love.”
Christians are called to be salt and light in the world, actively participating in their communities and addressing social injustice.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16
Demonstrating Christ's love through advocacy and social outreach creates spaces for authentic relationships. It opens up opportunities to share the gospel message in meaningful ways. In our schools, places of work, places we play and homes, we witness through our actions.
Invitations and asking questions are both powerful tools in evangelism, as they foster dialogue, understanding and mutual respect.
Rather than imposing beliefs on others, Christians can have more meaningful conversations by listening attentively, asking thoughtful questions and seeking to understand the perspectives and experiences of those they encounter. Questions can provoke reflection, challenge assumptions, and ultimately lead individuals to explore the truth claims of the gospel for themselves.
At St Barnabas we run courses like Discovery and Alpha, and inviting people to these is a great way to bring people into a safe environment to ask their own questions. An invitation could be, “At my church, we are doing this event, would you like to come?” We don’t have to over-explain an invitation or make it weird.
At the heart of evangelism is the proclamation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Christians are called to boldly declare the good news of salvation through Jesus' death and resurrection.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12
This proclamation isn’t just a recitation of facts but a compelling testimony to the transformative power of Christ's love and forgiveness in one's own life. As ambassadors for Christ, believers bear witness to his saving grace and invite others to experience the joy of salvation found in him alone.
A biblically grounded approach to evangelism means that the gospel message remains faithful to Scripture and relevant to contemporary contexts. The Bible serves as the authoritative source of truth, providing the foundation for Christian beliefs and practices.
Evangelism rooted in the Word of God is characterised by clarity, coherence and conviction. We want to articulate the message of salvation in accordance with biblical principles and teachings.
Finally, evangelism isn’t merely an individual endeavour but a communal undertaking that involves the entire body of Christ.
Through fellowship, we strengthen one another's faith, bear witness to the transforming power of the gospel and extend hospitality to those outside the faith, inviting them into the life-giving community of believers.
When our evangelism is practised in love, social engagement, asking questions, proclaiming Jesus, biblical grounding and community, we can effectively convey the message of salvation – the good news and invite others into a relationship with Christ.
Each of these facets contributes to a comprehensive strategy for sharing the gospel message with the world. Let’s do our best to lead others to encounter the life-changing power of Jesus Christ.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
Luke 24: 45-48
Evangelism (spreading of the Christian good news) lies at the heart of the Christian faith, embodying the commandment of Jesus to go and make disciples of all nations to be his witness. Christian evangelism is not merely a task to be undertaken by a couple of special people, but a calling to every believer to embody the transformative power of the gospel message in every aspect of our lives.
For many of us, evangelism is something we think we should do, we might even think it is important, we might have given it a go, but for many people it can be a struggle and even a bit scary.
One of the gifts Christ gives to the church is evangelists – certain people that just can’t help but proclaim Christ everywhere they go. Can’t we just let them do the telling others thing?
There are six key aspects to evangelism: love, social engagement, asking questions, proclaiming Jesus, grounding in the Bible, and building community. Each of these facets plays a vital role in conveying the message of salvation and inviting others into a relationship with Christ.
Love lies at the heart of Christian evangelism. It reflects the very character of God, who is love.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8
Jesus himself declared that the greatest commandment is to love God and love our neighbours.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”
Matthew 22:37-39
Love compels us to demonstrate compassion, empathy and care for all people, regardless of their background or belief.
You might have heard that “people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care”. We earn the right to speak into people’s lives because we have loved them in both words and deeds.
Billy Graham said, “It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge, and my job to love.”
Christians are called to be salt and light in the world, actively participating in their communities and addressing social injustice.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16
Demonstrating Christ's love through advocacy and social outreach creates spaces for authentic relationships. It opens up opportunities to share the gospel message in meaningful ways. In our schools, places of work, places we play and homes, we witness through our actions.
Invitations and asking questions are both powerful tools in evangelism, as they foster dialogue, understanding and mutual respect.
Rather than imposing beliefs on others, Christians can have more meaningful conversations by listening attentively, asking thoughtful questions and seeking to understand the perspectives and experiences of those they encounter. Questions can provoke reflection, challenge assumptions, and ultimately lead individuals to explore the truth claims of the gospel for themselves.
At St Barnabas we run courses like Discovery and Alpha, and inviting people to these is a great way to bring people into a safe environment to ask their own questions. An invitation could be, “At my church, we are doing this event, would you like to come?” We don’t have to over-explain an invitation or make it weird.
At the heart of evangelism is the proclamation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Christians are called to boldly declare the good news of salvation through Jesus' death and resurrection.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12
This proclamation isn’t just a recitation of facts but a compelling testimony to the transformative power of Christ's love and forgiveness in one's own life. As ambassadors for Christ, believers bear witness to his saving grace and invite others to experience the joy of salvation found in him alone.
A biblically grounded approach to evangelism means that the gospel message remains faithful to Scripture and relevant to contemporary contexts. The Bible serves as the authoritative source of truth, providing the foundation for Christian beliefs and practices.
Evangelism rooted in the Word of God is characterised by clarity, coherence and conviction. We want to articulate the message of salvation in accordance with biblical principles and teachings.
Finally, evangelism isn’t merely an individual endeavour but a communal undertaking that involves the entire body of Christ.
Through fellowship, we strengthen one another's faith, bear witness to the transforming power of the gospel and extend hospitality to those outside the faith, inviting them into the life-giving community of believers.
When our evangelism is practised in love, social engagement, asking questions, proclaiming Jesus, biblical grounding and community, we can effectively convey the message of salvation – the good news and invite others into a relationship with Christ.
Each of these facets contributes to a comprehensive strategy for sharing the gospel message with the world. Let’s do our best to lead others to encounter the life-changing power of Jesus Christ.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
