Does the word “evangelize” have negative connotations for you? I think I may know why…
Did you know that according to our secular dictionaries, the
word “evangelize” has come to have two meanings? One is biblical and one is not, and I believe
they are worlds apart. The two meanings
are “to preach the gospel to” and “to convert to Christianity”.
So which one do you like the most? More importantly, which one does God like the
most? Which is biblical?
In John 3, Jesus told a man named Nicodemus how one could
“enter the Kingdom of God” – or as a secular dictionary might read, to “covert
to Christianity” – He said “You must be born again”. Nicodemus was incredulous at this. “How can
someone be born when they are old?” he asked.
And the answer he received was not that he or anyone else
could do the work of conversion: “The
wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where
it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
I think what gives “evangelize” its negative connotation is
when people try to do the work that only God can do. It is the Holy Spirit’s role to do the work
of conversion. The secular definition of
evangelize – “to convert to Christianity” is really an unbiblical
misunderstanding. The burden is not on
the evangelist to convert anyone. The real work of the evangelist is simply to
preach the Gospel and let the Holy Spirit take it from there.
This is really good news for anyone who feels turned off by
“evangelism”. The Gospel is, ultimately,
the good news that we can be forgiven in Christ after we understand the bad
news that we are sinful and need forgiveness.
Who doesn’t want to share good news?
And preaching the Gospel can take many forms, from just sharing our
testimony like the newly converted Samaritan woman, to reasoning with those in
the marketplace like Paul in Athens, to preaching to the crowds in Jerusalem
like Peter on Pentecost.
It can also mean “preaching the Gospel” to those believers
who have already heard and responded to it, but have since fallen away and need
a fresh reminder and renewed focus on its truths. That’s what happened in a conversation with
Jaime, 40’s, who was very rusty on the details but a believer nonetheless. He gladly received a fresh reminder of Gospel
truths and felt the challenge to return to his first love.
Reaching out with the Gospel gives us great and often
unexpected opportunities to meet and encourage our fellow believers, and
fulfill the call of Hebrews 1: “…let us consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the
habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day
approaching.”
PS – Jaime graciously allowed me to record our conversation,
which can be seen HERE
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