At Which of These Levels Are You an Evangelist?

In my last blog entry (link: http://learnings.leadnet.org/2008/01/living-hope---.html), I described a fascinating site visit at Living Hope Church, Vancouver, WA. We did interviews one-on-one or in small focus groups with over 50 people. One of our many insights came from a man who is partnering with the church's youth group to have a positive opportunity to talk about Jesus at every single high school in their county! He has gifts of evangelism, and through our interview I learned to see evangelism as on four levels:

1. SILENT EVANGELISM:
Every follower of Christ can live in a light-radiating way that points people to God.
"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matt 5:16)

2. RESPONSIVE EVANGELISM
Any follower of Christ can offer a personal testimony, explaining what's different about us.
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15)

 

3. DELIBERATE EVANGELISM
Many followers of Christ can be intentional about evangelism.
"But you, . . . do the work of an evangelist . . . ." (2 Tim 4:5)

 

4. MULTIPLIED EVANGELISM
Some followers of Christ are especially gifted in evangelism.
"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers" (Eph 4:11)

 

By the way, I just co-authored a book with Tom Clegg on relational evangelism. It's called Missing in America, and it focuses on level #2 above. It's amazing the number of ways we can love and serve others, such that THEY start the spiritual conversation, asking us to talk about what God has done in our lives.

 

 

Warren Bird, Ph.D., is Research Director at Leadership Network, and co-author of 19 books on various aspects of church health and innovation.