Do the Work of the Evangelist

This past week, I gave a workshop at the National Evangelism Workshop in Nashville TN.

Ed Stetzer presented some material from Transformational Church: Creating a New Scorecard for Congregations as well as reflections from 2 Timothy 4 that pumped us up:

Do the work of an evangelist – 2 Timothy 4:5

1. Evangelism is Action – Do

Evangelism is an action.  But many of us have substituted evangelism for other things:

• Outreach Marketing
• Community Service
• Study Groups
• Hospitality ministries

Evangelism requires the telling of the good news, not just showing the good news in deeds.

The legendary quote often given to St. Francis (which he didn’t say) got it wrong.  Read more here: “Preach the gospel always, if necessary use words.”

These activities are partners in evangelism, but evangelism has to involve the proclamation and content of the gospel.

Read what happens if we don’t use words in our proclamation.  People might guess wrong.

2. Evangelism is Labor – the work.

We have to teach our people to go OUT and be AMONG where there harvest is.

Speaking to pastors, Stetzer said, “If you want your church to be evangelistic and you yourself are not evangelistic – you are on a fools errand.”

I do a workshop on personal evangelism for pastors, and share tips to help pastors increase their own experience in personal evangelism.

Read more here: 10 Evangelism Tips for Pastors

 3. Evangelism has a Focus – of an evangelist.

Stetzer asked these pastors:

Will your church accuse you of “spending too much time with sinners?”

As pastors, we need to lead the work of evangelism and make sure we have a focus in our work.  How much of our time is spent in evangelistic activity:

• Spending time in the community with unchurched people?
• Proclaiming the simple gospel in our messages.
• Developing relationships with people far from God?
• Hosting events in our home for our neighbors (church members not invited)?

Every christian is either a missionary or an impostor. – Spurgeon