So, how do we think about evangelism? Do we lift techniques right out of Acts and preach the gospel on busy street corners? Should we look to effective modern sales techniques and adopt those strategies? This involves two tasks-baptizing and teaching them to live in the way of Jesus. 28:19-20, one that reaches back to the mission of Israel: as you are going into the world, make disciples of the nations. Jesus does give a clear mandate to the church in Matt.
I must say that I do think it’s unfortunate that, at least among evangelicals, the sense that we’re not evangelizing enough or that we’re not as good at it as we think we should be is probably the single greatest source of guilt for Christians. Don’t read too much into that I just found it interesting. It just struck me as ironic that neither Jesus nor the apostles explicitly command the church to do what some people say is the only or main or most important task of the church. I’m certainly not arguing against evangelism.
It is not only what we say, but how we live, especially in terms of the cruciform love found in the gospel. Michael Pahl speaks of our call to proclaim and live out the resurrection of the crucified Christ, and that “the church is called to enact God’s program of creation renewal in this age in anticipation of the fulfillment of the renewal of creation in the age to come.” (In Pahl’s book From Resurrection to New Creation (Eugene: Cascade Books, 2010).) I find this useful. I prefer the language of “proclaiming” Christ, and of course the content of that proclamation is important. I would have thought that the Sermon on the Mount and other teachings of Jesus about the kingdom of God and discipleship (including denying oneself, etc) in Matthew would be part and parcel of that “great commission”.
Not a lot of people ask, “Where is that word in the Bible?” and “In what context?” Matt 28:19-20 speaks of making disciples of all nations. The word “evangelism” is somewhat confusing.
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