The Anatomy of Speaking Good News
As I researched Christ-followers across the country, I realized that, for the most part, Christians are not so much anti-evangelism as some may think. Upwards to 72% of practicing Christians indicated that they pray for opportunities to share their faith with someone at least once a month, while 40% responded that they pray daily for God to give them this opportunity[1]. What I eventually discovered was that these Christ-followers saw evangelism as a program that required a specific methodology in order to be accomplished. I hope that having a proper understanding of evangelism will help eliminate the barriers many Christ-followers have in sharing the truth and love of Jesus Christ.
Let me first state for the record that there is nothing wrong or unbiblical with a church having evangelism programs or following specific methodologies. I have learned and used many of the excellent programs that are out there. However, I am part of the 15% who have no problem using any method in engaging others in spiritual conversations. For the 85%, who indicated that they allow a barrier to keep them from engaging others in spiritual conversation, there is a need to understand that evangelism (speak good news) is more about a mindset than a method, more about posture, than a program.
When we share good news about our family, our favorite restaurant, or sports team, we do not follow a particular methodology or program; we just share it. Most likely, in different ways, to other people, we are sharing. Simply because it is good news we want to share. So why do we think that sharing the best story ever, the gospel of Jesus Christ, needs to be wrapped in a method or program?
I shared that evangelism is more about a mindset than a method, more about posture than a program, with my longtime friend and peer mentor, Ps. Kurt Johnston[2]. Kurt is also one of the more creative people I know. Kurt stopped me mid-sentence and said, “Write down these four words; Mind, Heart, Eyes, and Mouth.” As soon as Kurt mentioned these words, everything came into focus. The anatomy of evangelism has to do with a mindset and posture that we as Christ-followers have as we live out our faith each day.
Mind: We must know the fundamentals of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
God created us so we can worship him and have fellowship with him
God’s creation rejected and disobeyed His instructions- causing a separation in the relationship. Leading to death both physical and spiritual
God’s love for his creation led him to send his son Jesus to pay the ultimate price to solve the relationship problem (John 3:16)
Jesus did not just die in our place, but he conquered death and is alive today as a testimony that we too can have new life in Him (John 10:10)
We only need to look to Jesus and believe in our hearts that he is the savior, and we will have eternal life (John 6:40)
Then we can follow the leading of the Holy Spirit who will guide us in all truth (John 16:8;13)
Heart: We must believe these things and hold them close.
Belief in the saving power of Jesus Christ means more than just having some intellectual knowledge or information. But allowing that knowledge to take root in your heart, where you begin trusting in no one else but Jesus for salvation.
One must declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then a person is truly be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Romans 10:9-10)
Eyes: We must see people as God sees them, lost, and heading for an eternity separated from God. See them as subjects of God’s love, not objects of his wrath.
Believing and now trusting in no one else, but Jesus for salvation should result in seeing those around us in a different light. When we look at those not serving Jesus, we should not see subjects of God’s wrath, but objects of God’s love. We should see people the way God sees them.
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. (Mark 6:34)
Illustrating how his followers should see the lost people, Jesus said: Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. (John 4:35)
We are called to join Jesus’ mission of seeking, looking for lost people to share the gospel with so they can be saved. (Luke 19:10)
Mouth: We must SPEAK forth the truth, using our voices and words to share the truth and love of Jesus Christ to those we see living without him.
The word ‘evangelism’ is derived from the two words eu (good news) and angellein (to bear a message, bring the good news of, announce, proclaim, report, command[3]. The act of evangelism is the act of communicating the gospel in word to others,” which is verbal proclamation[4].
Francis DuBose suggests the word ‘evangelism’ is better rendered as “good news-ism,” even though one cannot find the noun version of evangelism in the New Testament. Instead, it is only found in the verb or action word tense with the meaning of ‘proclaim the good news,’ which naturally connects it to the “communication”[5] family.
Using our mouth (words) to tell people about our experience and knowledge of Jesus Christ can be as simple as inviting others to “come see a man” as the Samaritan women did in John 4. It could simply start with offering to pray with someone to begin a spiritual conversation. Jesus said that his followers would be a witness of him (Acts 1:8). A witness tells others what they have knowledge or experience of. We are only asked to share what we know and why we have put our faith in Jesus Christ.
If you are part of the 85% who find it difficult to follow a program or method for sharing your faith, you are not alone. It may serve you well to see evangelism or speaking good news more as a mindset than a method; it more about having the right posture than following a program. Be who you are! You understand the fundamentals of what it means to be a Christ-follower, and you live your life accordingly. You are trusting in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation. Now, look at those that God has placed in your life that are not living with the same hope you have. See them as people dearly loved by God, who need to hear your words of comfort, peace, and love. They need to hear why you are serving Jesus. It will be through your words that God will begin to confirm his love for them. In next month’s blog, I will outline the common barriers that Christ-followers face when engaging others in spiritual conversations.
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[1] Reviving Mission: Equipping Your Church to Engage in Spiritual Conversations. 2021. Colorado Springs, CO: Every Home for Christ. Revivingmission.com.
[2] Pastor Kurt Johnston has been in youth ministry since 1988 and currently leads the student ministry teams at Saddleback Church which include 14 local and 4 international campuses. He has authored many books, including Controlled Chaos in 2001.
[3] Barrett, David B. 1987. Evangelize! : A Historical Survey of the Concept. Birmingham, Ala.: New Hope.
[4] Litfin, A. Duane. 2012. Word versus Deed : Resetting the Scales to a Biblical Balance. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway.
[5] Dubose, Francis M. 1983. God Who Sends: A Fresh Quest for Biblical Mission. Nashville, Tenn: Baptist Sunday School Board.