What Is Evangelism?

John Stott say that, "to evangelize... does not mean to win converts... but simply to announce the good news, irrespective of the results." That is it folks. Plain and simple. It is not our job to convert the lost. It is our job to tell the Good News that Christ died on the cross to pay the price for our sin and sits today at the right hand of God the Father offering forgiveness to those he chooses.

Too many see evangelism as an imposition. They feel that our goal is to bring others around to our way of thinking. The problem with this is that it is not my way of thinking. My desire is for others to see the truth in all its glory so that they may live a life filled with joy and peace and that God name will be praised throughout the world. It is not my way of thinking at all. It is God's way of thinking. It is the right way of thinking. It is the truth. I can not make someone become a Christian. I can not force them to believe. No matter how persuasive my arguments or eloquent my speech, no matter how entertaining my delivery or winsome my manner, I have no power to change the heart and that is what is needed for conversion. I only have power to proclaim a great and holy God who is creator, ruler and judge over the universe. A God who sent His Son to live a perfect life, die on the cross to pay the penalty for sin, and rise to conquer death for those he has chosen. Someday you will meet Him. That is the way it is.

And that, folks, is evangelism. Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. We don't need to gloss over our sinfulness, the pain and gore of Christ's death, or the fact that not all are chosen. We don't need to be awesome speakers or professionals. God uses the weak, foolish things of this world to accomplish His purposes. That includes us.

God used and old deacon filling in the pulpit one snowy Sunday to open the eyes of Charles Spurgeon. The message? " Look unto Christ! That's all you gotta do, just look unto Christ!" repeated over and over again. God used an Indian mother who could barely speak English, let alone read it, reading the chapter of John in the King James to a suicidal son to lead Ravi Zaccarias to himself. He even brought a mocker of Whitefield to repentance as he was mimicking Whitefield's sermon. God will win those He has chosen. The results are not up to us. We are called to be obedient in presenting the gospel. Let us get on with it.