Evangelism: teaching the Gospel with the aim of persuading

How can we know when evangelism is taking place? The answer depends on how we define evangelism. A biblical definition of evangelism helps us align our evangelistic practices with Scripture. If we don’t have a clear understanding of biblical evangelism, we may not be evangelising at all.

For example, a housewife meeting a friend for coffee may be evangelizing, while a prominent Christian apologist speaking to thousands in a church setting may not. Few people think so, but it happens because of our misunderstanding of evangelism. Defending the faith is important, but you can do Christian apologetics without explaining the gospel; and you can’t evangelize without the gospel.

Here is a definition that has served me well for many years:

Evangelism is the teaching (proclaiming, preaching) of the Gospel (the Good News from God that leads to salvation) with the aim (hope, desire) of persuading (converting).

Note that this definition does not require an immediate outward response. Walking down the aisle, raising a hand, or even praying may all indicate that evangelism has occurred, but such actions are not the essence of evangelism. It is also important to note that if any of the four components are missing, then we are probably doing something other than evangelism.

There is much sickness in the church around the world because some churches call something evangelism when it is not. So teach clearly what the Gospel is and what it takes for a person to come to Christ.

Aim to persuade, but not manipulate. Don’t exclude what is difficult in the Christian life, no matter how tempting; don’t confuse human reaction with the work of the Spirit; and, especially, don’t lie about results. Be careful about calling people Christians without some evidence that they have truly become followers of Christ.

Recognize the temptation to sacrifice biblical principles for results and «success.» As I look around, I see many practices of unbiblical evangelism. The gospel is often left unexplained, and unbiblical words obscure the deep true meaning of sin, death, and hell or confuse those who are truly seeking the truth.

Promises of health and wealth deceive the most vulnerable: the poor, the disadvantaged, and the sick. And many churches offer a free, convenient, and profitable «Gospel» that is not in Scripture. In fact, the Gospel is being distorted by what Paul calls «another gospel,» which is not the true gospel at all (Gal. 1:6–7). By catering to the desires of the people, churches make it clear that their focus is on non-Christians rather than on the glory of God as revealed through His people who worship Him.

Too often, worship becomes a form of entertainment, not worship. Jesus was exciting, but He never entertained—a fundamental difference that the modern church seems to lose sight of. The gospel used to be pushed around like a high-pressure product, like a «push-pull»; now it is presented in a soft self-help wrapper.

These phenomena are the result of worldly temptations that undermine biblical evangelism. However, the answer to these challenges has remained the same since Paul’s time. The solution lies in establishing in our minds and hearts an evangelism that is biblically based and Gospel-centered. This means learning to proclaim the Gospel with integrity and always keeping the goal of true conversion in focus.