PRINCIPLES OF EVANGELISM
Evangelism is simply the art of presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people, particularly to sinners and unbelievers.
According to Microsoft Encarta Dictionary, evangelism is considered as the spreading of Christianity, especially through the activities of evangelists – Christian who converts others.
The work of the evangelist is the proclamation of the glad tidings to those who have not known them, rather than the instruction and pastoral care of those who have believed and been baptized. It follows also that the name denotes a work rather than an order. Its use is nearly like our word missionary.
PRINCIPLES OF EVANGELISM
THE DEMAND:- The main demand of evangelism is work, effort, toil and often agony. It will not take anything less than concentrated effort to evangelize the world. The effort may be physical, spiritual, mental, etc but it must be made willingly. Such a demand can only be met by a competent and motivated church ready to make necessary sacrifice to change their world.
The souls who are ready to receive the truth are very numerous; but the labourers are few. There are multitudes of scribes, Pharisees, and priests, (of reverend, right reverend men, Bishops, Pastor Nominal Christians, etc;) but there are few that work. Jesus wishes for labourers, not gentlemen, men who desire the salvation of the souls of others – who are either idle drones, or slaves to pleasure and sin.
Those who are fittest for the work are generally most backward to the employment. The man who is forward to become a preacher knows little of God, of human nature, or of his own heart. It is, God’s province to thrust out such preachers as shall labour; and it is our duty to entreat him to do so. A minister of Christ is represented as a day-labourer: he comes into the harvest, not to become lord of it, not to live on the labour of others, but to work, and to labour his day. Though the work may be very severe, yet, to use a familiar expression, there is good wages in the harvest-home; and the day, though hot, is but a short one.
NATURE OF TOOLS:- Efforts are only valid in evangelism when they are scriptural in nature (Bible base). Whatever principles or tools imbedded in this work must be evaluated by their scriptural basis.
INSTRUMENT:- God’s major instrument in evangelism is human beings (Believers). He has left the responsibility of winning the world for Christ in the hands of Believers. They must fulfill this task or be accountable for lost souls within their disposal.
TARGET:- The unbelievers and sinners are the real targets for evangelistic efforts. Whenever they are found, they must be the focus for our activities and such endeavours can only be valid to the extent that they are actually adapted need or appeal of the unbelievers in Christ.
GOALS:- Evangelistic activities have reached their goal if the non-believers goes through the conscious process of conviction, faith and regeneration. This is achieved as he hears the word, receives it, repents of sin, believes and readily confesses the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Thus he is not simply exercising a mental assent to truth but a saving faith in Christ, by which he established a living relationship with him.
In Matt 9:37-38 the scripture made us understand that “There is a great number of people that are willing and prepared to receive instructions (the Gospel of Christ), but there are but few who are able to instruct these poor people in the ways of righteousness and truth; therefore pray and plead with God, that he world provide skilful and faithful ministers to be sent out to preach the gospel throughout the world.”
PETER M. I. PETERS
