SS Thoughts #37: Evangelism: Whose role? (Adapted from SS Remarks – Sept. 19^th 2015)

I asked a pastor and a church elder for their personal definition of evangelism, and this is what I got:

o   Sharing Christ

o   Sharing the good news of the Bible

o   A heavenly commission rooted in Luke 4:18: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor”; and further passed on to us in Matthew 28:18-20: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit”.

So now I’m thinking……

·      Does the responsibility for evangelism rest solely on the pastor? What if there’s a huge evangelistic campaign with a charismatic preacher? Is it only the preacher evangelizing the crowd of attendees? What about the faithful choir director, choir members and ushers? What about persons behind the scene, e.g. the campaign organizers, technical personnel, bible workers, or persons who tirelessly pray for the success of the effort (even from their homes)?

·      Is it possible to influence others for Christ by our life living, or our conduct at the workplace? What if I share with a neighbor (a non-believer), how good God has been to me? What if a young person WhatsApp’s a missing member of their Bible class and encourages them in lesson study? Is this evangelism?

Simply put, evangelism is multifaceted and wide-ranging. And the job is yours and mine! As a pastor reminded me on a post, our mandate is to “preach Christ, and if necessary use words", (quote from Francis of Assisi). Won’t you accept the challenge? Won't you help to make sure the good news of the gospel is shared in every part of the world - thereby hastening the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?