While God has used “plans of salvation” and “spiritual laws” to deliver the good news to many lost souls, I have an uncomfortable relationship with evangelistic how-to literature. My main concern is about what such materials assume. Often, they attempt to provide salvation through information, but salvation comes instead through an encounter with our Savior Jesus Christ—an encounter delivered in his Word by members of his church through the Holy Spirit’s power and in accordance with the Father’s plan.
Evangelistic strategies risk confusing words from an argument with words from persons—from the person proclaiming the word and the persons of our triune God revealed through the Word. When someone responds to evangelism, he isn’t responding to an argument but to persons, and this means evangelism must be more than information. It must be personal.
Here’s a new set of “laws” or guidelines one can follow to help evangelism be truly personal.
Law 1: Listen
Evangelism thrives when Christians listen attentively to their lives, to the good news of God’s Word, and to those God puts in our paths.
Evangelists do what no tract or pamphlet can do. Evangelists who care for people’s souls carefully listen.
First, listen to yourself. Are you aware of the excuses you’re making about your sin? Have you listened to the shame you load on yourself? Have you stopped to recognize the lies Satan speaks into your mind?
Evangelistic strategies risk confusing words from an argument with words from persons.
Once we’re aware of our own failures, we must respond by confronting them with the truths of Christ that set us free. Evangelists turn to the word of the gospel in the Scriptures. Do you want to win your community? Don’t head out the door. Head into your prayer room and allow God’s Word to overwhelm you anew. Have you heard the gospel today? Have you listened to the Word long enough to see the sin you committed moments ago and rehearse how it was taken to the cross and defeated in Christ’s resurrection?
After hearing the gospel, you’re prepared to listen to the person God places in front of you. Evangelists with Scripture-saturated and renewed hearts, souls, and minds are best prepared to listen. This is important because evangelism isn’t a one-size-fits-all task. A doctor who fails to listen might prescribe the same medicine for every symptom and harm his patients. He needs to go back to medical school. Listen with one ear attentive to the words of the person in front of you and your other ear attuned to God’s Word, prepared to wisely announce God’s message in a way that addresses the person’s particular situation.
Law 2: Announce
Evangelism thrives when (after listening), we announce Jesus is Lord in a way that wisely relates and adapts to what we’ve heard.
Most map apps provide reliable alternate routes you might take to a destination. They’ll even adjust the routes for various means of transportation (car, public transport, walking, etc.) Similarly, a wise evangelist learns many routes to the cross. She knows her announcement of the good news won’t be the same every time. It won’t follow a predetermined road, set of laws, or single bridge. Rather, with the Spirit’s wisdom to guide, she looks for opportunities to declare that our crucified Christ Jesus is Lord.
This announcement may happen during Sunday worship—during preaching, baptisms, communion, or a word of assurance. An evangelist may make this announcement in parking-lot conversations after church. It happens as parents tuck in their children before they drift off to sleep and in backyards, offices, text messages, pizza parlors, and train stations. If you’re listening to the Spirit, an announcement that Jesus is Lord may be the next words from your lips.
Law 3: Repeat
Evangelism thrives when we develop a regular habit of listening and announcing.
Evangelists who personally care for souls listen and announce the gospel repeatedly. They’re self-aware. They listen to God’s Word and to others. Their announcement that Jesus is Lord is like a broken record. They know evangelism isn’t a one-time occurrence followed up with discipleship. Rather, discipleship is evangelism through and through.
Evangelism thrives when (after listening), we announce Jesus is Lord in a way that wisely relates and adapts to what we’ve heard.
Find as many opportunities as you can to listen and announce that Christ is Lord. Christians have at their disposal a myriad of words to personally care for souls, but the announcement that the crucified Jesus has been raised from the dead and is Lord of all is the balm, ointment, and cure for our hearts throughout life.
This announcement is central to the beginning of the Christian life: Christ carried our sins to the cross and conquered them through his resurrection. Our baptisms remind us of this. This announcement is central to the life of faith: whatever our path, joy, or trial, Jesus is Lord. Our regular partaking of the Lord’s Supper reminds us of this reality as well. Finally, this announcement is central to the end of our life: our resurrection day awaits, as it did our Lord. Even our funerals celebrate this fact.
Evangelism isn’t a special task outsourced to a uniquely gifted group of people (though some can be gifted in evangelism). Evangelism doesn’t merely involve one-time confrontational conversations, though it can be that too. Evangelism is at the heart of the ongoing, personal work of pastoral care undertaken through listening and announcing the good news of Christ—on repeat.
The Gospel Coalition