What is Evangelism?

Transcript

A definition of evangelism that I like to use is that evangelism is teaching someone the gospel with the aim to persuade. 

So, in evangelism, there is this aspect of teaching. Paul saw himself as a teacher of the gospel. And if you look at the book of Acts that's how he saw himself, as teaching. And you know, when you teach the gospel, sometimes you can teach it in a few minutes, and sometimes you might need several months to teach the gospel. And so there's that aspect of teaching, which is very important when you understand evangelism. 

But you're teaching the gospel, you're not just teaching anything. You're teaching the gospel and the gospel is the good news, and the good news is the good news of salvation. How God is a holy and righteous creator. You're teaching about how man is a rebellious sinner who's guilty and deserves help. You're teaching about Christ's work on the sinner's behalf to live the perfect life on our behalf and taking the punishment that we deserve on the cross. And you also teach about our response, which is repentance and faith in the gospel, to become a Christian. 

You're teaching the gospel, but you don't just transfer information. There's an aim at stake, you have an aim and purpose, which is that they be persuaded. And you persuade and in your evangelism, you're trying to persuade the mind. You try to make sure they understand clearly what you're trying to say and that there are no intellectual objections. You're also trying to persuade their emotions that you're trying to bring upon them the weight of their sin, by making that clear. And hope that their emotions would be also affected. But you're also appealing to the will so that they would turn from their sins and put their faith in Christ. So, this is my definition of what evangelism is. Evangelism is teaching the gospel with the aim to persuade.