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Misconceptions of
Modern
Evangelism
By Benjamin Gardner
I.
Definition
The word
evangelism
is derived from the Greek word euaggelion (yoo-ang-ghel' -ee-on),
from which we get our word “Gospel”. Gospel, in its turn,
means “Good News” or, by some interpretations “Glad Tidings”.
Thus, evangelism is nothing more or less than
Gospel-ism, or Good News-ism – the means of propagation for
that which is contained in the Gospel. Accordingly, in this
study, whenever I use the word evangelism, I will be
referring to the means and ways of testifying of the Gospel –
which is the message of redemption in and through our Lord Jesus
Christ (Eph 1:12, 13).
II. The First Misconception – “Modern”
The very first misconception which we encounter, right from the
beginning, is the use of the word “modern” in relation to
evangelism. This denotes a change from that which is
old-fashioned or out-of-date, and refers to a period that is
distinct and apart from the past. However, Biblical Evangelism
need not be upgraded or overhauled, for it is never out of date.
There is no need for a different approach to the propagation of
the Gospel other than that put forward in the Word, for:
A. Man’s Condition Has Not Changed –
Isa. 64:6, 7.
But we are all as an unclean [thing], and
all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade
as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us
away. And there is none that calleth upon Thy name,
that stirreth up himself to take hold of Thee: for Thou hast hid
thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our
iniquities. Also Jer. 17:9: The heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
B.
The Message Has Not Changed –
Acts 17:30. And the times of
this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every
where to repent: Because He hath
appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in
righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath
given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from
the dead. Mat. 3:2:
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand.
C.
The God We Serve Has Not Changed –
Mal. 3:6, For I am the LORD, I
change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from
Mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto Me, and I
will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. Heb 1:10-12: Thou, Lord, in the
beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens
are the works of Thine hands: They
shall perish; but Thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as
doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt
Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the
same, and Thy years shall not fail.
D.
We Are Commanded NOT to Change –
Prov. 22:28, Remove not the ancient
landmark, which thy fathers have set.
II Thess. 2:15:
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which
ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
Therefore, it might be good to note that we preach Christ’s and
biblical teachings, not Christian traditions. Christ’s
and biblical teachings are unchanging and eternal, and
thus are traditional in the sense that they are historically
ageless. However, it is because they are God's Word that we
preach them, not because they are traditional.
III. The Second Misconception – “The Means”
The second great misconception of modern evangelism is that the
means and focus of evangelism must be updated and made more
palatable for “modern” man to accept – as if the 21st
century human is not depraved and dead in sins to a different
degree than his counterparts in other times. Accordingly, the
means of evangelism has been perverted. We now show movies and
perform skits, set up hotlines and counseling centers, host
basketball tournaments and hayrides, and give away ice cream and
bicycles in an attempt to cajole people into hearing a
watered-down, compromised Gospel. Despite this, true evangelism
is still:
A.
From The Word –
Lu. 16:27-31, Then he [the rich man] said,
I pray thee therefore, father [Abraham], that thou wouldest send
him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may
testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of
torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the
prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham:
but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And
he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Ps. 119:130: The understanding of Thy words giveth light; it
giveth understanding unto the simple.
B. By Means of Preaching –
Rom 10:14-15, How then shall they call on
Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe
in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be
sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that
preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good
things! I Cor. 1:21: For after that in the wisdom of God
the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
IV. The Third Misconception – “The
Motivation”
The third great misconception of the modern evangelism movement
has been in regard to the stimulus and motivation of evangelism.
The focus of modern evangelism has been to gain a decision, to
make a psycho- emotional appeal that triggers a positive,
corresponding response, and to effect an intellectual resolution
inline with what is desired. It finds the means of effecting
these goals in corrupted psychology, mind control, and emotional
prompting. True evangelism, however, finds its power and essence
in:
A.
God Himself – Job. 15:5, For
thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue
of the crafty. Pas. 127:1: Except the Lord build the house, they
labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the
watchman waketh but in vain.
Regarding John 15:5, we have tried to eliminate God so that we
are no longer limited by the exclusiveness of “without Me ye can
do nothing”. However, having done that, and having dabbled with
every method and motive under the sun, we find that our
disobedience to the Word and will of God accomplishes nothing,
for He is everything that evangelism must be.
B.
The Knowledge of Man’s Incapacity –
Jer. 10:23. O LORD, I know that the way of
man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct
his steps. O LORD, correct
me, but with judgment; not in Thine anger, lest Thou bring me to
nothing. Isa. 6:5 – Then
said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of
unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean
lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
C. The Fact That Salvation Is of the Lord
– Eph. 2:8-10,
For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of
works, lest any man should boast. [Why?] For we are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God
hath before ordaiTed that we should walk in them. I Tim. 1:9:
Who hath saved us, and called us
with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according
to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began, Thus,
the sustaining power of evangelism is the knowledge that we are
fundamentally incapable of doing God’s Will in our own power,
and yet that it pleased God to use us as His servants.
Furthermore, beyond doing our duty as messengers, we must
recognize that results are solely of God. In summing this up,
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which
are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have
done that which was our duty to do. Lu. 17:10 – and
that only through His power.
V. The Fourth Misconception – “The
Results”
The fourth misconception that the world holds regarding modern
evangelism is in relation to its results. It is a sad fact that
only a small fraction of the multitudes converted by modern
methods ever darken the door of a church. Instead, it is
perfectly acceptable that bars and strip clubs and other
establishments of evil remain open in the wake of great
“evangelistic outreaches”, while periodical services are held so
that the lost conscience may remain assuaged by “rededication”
to the Lord. Despite this, true evangelism leads to:
A.
Repentance of Sins – Acts.
16:30-32 . . . Sirs,
what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they
spake unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all that were in his
house. Acts.2:37-38,
Now when they heard this, they were
pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of
the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter
said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
B.
Departure from Evil Ways –
Eph. 4:28-32. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let
him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that
he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt
communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good
to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the
hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are
sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and
wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away
from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you. Act.19:18-19 And many that
believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of
them also which used curious arts brought their books together,
and burTed them before all men: and they counted the price of
them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
C.
Submission to Baptism and a Commitment to Walk with Christ –
Acts. 8:36-39 - And as they
went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the
eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be
baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine
heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to
stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip
and the eunuch; and he baptized him And when they were come up
out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip,
that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way
rejoicing. Acts 16:32, 33 - And they spake unto him the word of
the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them
the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was
baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Acts. 2:42
- And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine
and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
D.
True Fellowship with Other Like-Minded Believers –
Acts. 2:43-47 -
And fear came upon every soul: .
. . And all that believed were
together, and had all things common; . . .
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and
breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with
gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church
daily such as should be saved. Acts. 4:32 -
And the multitude of them that believed
were of one heart and of one soul:
E.
Establishment of, and Addition to, a New Testament Church to the
Glory of God
Acts. 2:47 - Praising God, and
having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the
church
daily such as should be saved.
Eph. 3:21 - Unto
Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end. Amen. Thus,
the great fallacy of the modern evangelistic movement is that
its converts are not attending Scriptural, New Testament
churches. The sheep – if they are sheep – are not being fed as
Acts. 20:28 indicates they should be, nor is glory being given
to God, but to men. These errors have bankrupted the modern
evangelistic movement and effectively separated it from its
base, the local church, empowered by Christ to do His will, as
indicated in Mt. 28:18-20, And Jesus came and spake
unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in
earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen.
VI.
The
Conclusion
In
conclusion, the knowledge of all the above should impact our
evangelism. It should not only make us
conscious of the God-centeredness of every aspect of true
evangelism as stated in John 15:5 by our Lord, I am the vine,
ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the
same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do
nothing. Therefore, it should also make us acutely aware of
our unworthiness before Him, and our need to submit ourselves
and our efforts unto Him on a continual basis. At the same time
that it should burden us for the lost, it should make us draw
closer to that precious faith for which our forefathers in the
faith suffered – and for which faith they preferred all the
terrors of Heb. 11:36-38 rather than give an inch in their
beliefs. In every aspect of our Christian life – no less in our
approach to evangelism - may we also be prepared to live as
decidedly and uncompromisingly as they.
Biblical Evangelism
Messages By Bob Spagnuolo
All the following sermons can
be
obtained on CD's
on request from:
TrinityReformedBaptist@cox.net
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C80 |
Evangelism--Who Should Do It?--1 |
Acts 8:1-4 |
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C81 |
Evangelism--Who Should Do It?--2 |
Isa. 40:1-8 |
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C82 |
Evangelism--How Do We Do It?--1
Honestly |
I Cor. 2:1-5 |
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C83 |
Evangelism--How Do We Do It?--2
Accurately |
II Cor. 2:14-17 |
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C84 |
Evangelism--How Do We Do It?--3
Urgently |
Job 15:14-16 |
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C85 |
Evangelism--How Do We Do It?--4
Joyfully |
Phil. 3:1-11 |
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C86 |
Evangelism--How Do We Do It?--5
Scripturally |
Romans 10:11-17 |
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C87 |
Evangelism--How Do We Do It?--6
Consistent Living |
Col. 3:1-14 |
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C88 |
Evangelism--How Do We Do It?--7
Prayerfully |
Col. 4:2-6 |
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C89 |
Evangelism--What It's Not |
Rev. 14:6-7 |
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C90 |
Evangelism--What It IS |
Luke 2:8-20; Rom. 1:15 |
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C91 |
Why We Should Evangelize--1
Universal Call |
Is. 55:1-7 |
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C92 |
Why We Should Evangelize--2 Our
Commander and Leader |
Is. 55:1-7 |
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C93 |
Why We Should Evangelize--3
Inclusion of the Gentiles |
Is. 55:1-7 |
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C94 |
Why We Should Evangelize--4 Seek
Ye the Lord |
Is. 60:1-7 |
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