Biblical Intelligence:
Repackaging the Gospel Message in Evangelism.
From the First Century to the Twenty-first, obedient servants of Jesus had taken steps, appropriate to their age, toward answering the call out of the world - becoming disciples - and going back into the world to make disciples of nations. The Church has grown, as believers, from individual families and cells, knocked on doors in the neighborhoods, and distributed tracts in offices and the marketplace. From Jerusalem through Judea, and onward to the end of the Earth, souls are added to God's kingdom. From the words of the mouth to the print media - thanks to the invention of the printing press - the Bible is placed in people's hands by missionaries going from one part of the Earth to the other. Slowly and steadily the Church matches on, touching heaven, and changing the world.
Believers of this age are beneficiaries of the cumulative impact of sacrifices made by past heroes of faith. They did their part and have gone to their rewards.
We have the batten in this digital age. What are we doing about it?
Sadly, many have abandoned true evangelism, preferring to preach “another gospel” which is no gospel at all - fulfilling Christ’s predictions of end-time misrepresentations (Matt. 24, Luke 21). Paul writes to churches in Corinth and Galatia: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preach to you, let them be under God’s curse” (Gal. 1: 8; 2 Cor. 11:4). Paul preached the gospel of God’s kingdom.
Why would any preacher, in his right mind, put himself under God’s curse?
The Kingdom of God is perhaps more elusive now than ever. Jesus likens it to a seed, a pearl, a treasure, a vineyard, and a banquet, each requiring a different tool, facility, and strategy to access. He speaks of the “secrets of the kingdom of heaven” - that need to be unearthed (Matt. 13:11).
Today, the kingdom is more like a pearl and a treasure. How do we ‘mine’ the pearl, and bring out this treasure - for people in our digital age, in which virtual meetings are taking the place of in-person assemblies in church buildings? People are leaving their traditional enclaves, and speaking of deconstructing the church. Some raise issues about our churches becoming theaters where congregants, sitting on one side, are routinely entertained by practiced performing artists on a platform. Evangelism becomes more academic than real. Rather than go out there to meet sinners, we invite them to our ‘Shows’ and say little or nothing about their sins.
The Heart of Evangelism:
Let’s take a look at article 4, The Nature of Evangelism, and article 2, The Authority and Power of the Bible, in the Lausanne Covenant:
Article 4:
The Nature of Evangelism:
“To evangelize is to spread the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures. And that as the reigning Lord, he now offers the forgiveness of sins, and the liberating gift of the Spirit to all who repent and believe. Our Christian presence in the world is indispensable to evangelism, and so is that kind of dialogue whose purpose is to listen attentively in order to understand. Evangelism is the proclamation of the historical, biblical Christ as Savior and Lord, to persuade people to come to him personally and be reconciled to God. In issuing the gospel invitation, we have no liberty to conceal the cost of discipleship. Jesus still calls all who would follow to deny themselves, take up their cross, and identify with his new community. The result of evangelism includes obedience to Christ, incorporation into the church, and responsible service in the world.”
(1 Cor. 15: 3, 4: Acts 2: 32-39; John 20: 21; 1 Cor. 1: 23; 11 Cor. 4: 5; 5: 11, 20; Luke 14: 25-33; Mark 8: 34; Acts 2:40, 47; Mark 10: 43-45).
Key Points of emphasis:
Evangelism is the proclamation of the historical, biblical Christ as Savior and Lord. Messaging Jesus is the good news (gospel). It is the story of his birth, death, and resurrection. The goal is to persuade people to come to him personally and be reconciled to God.
The evangelized must be aware of his/her sinful nature - ready to repent and believe that Jesus died for him/her.
Discipleship, like sin, has a cost. Death is the cost a sinner is required to pay for sin. Jesus paid for sins with his death. Disciples, in turn, follow Jesus by putting to death their life of sin. So, Jesus commands his disciples to “take up your cross and follow me.”
Again, he says, deny yourself. Deny your right to follow your guts - acting independently of him. To follow Jesus is to put behind our past and identify with his new community - the Church. The old has gone, the new has come. It’s a new birth.
Article 2:
The Authority and Power of the Bible:
“We affirm the divine inspiration, truthfulness, and authority of both the Old and New Testaments of Scriptures in their entirety as the only written word of God, without error in all that it affirms, and the only infallible rule of faith and practice. We also affirm the power of God’s word to accomplish his purpose of salvation. The message of the Bible is addressed to all mankind. For God’s revelation in Christ and Scripture is unchangeable. Through it the Holy Spirit still speaks today. He illumines the minds of God’s people in every culture to perceive its truth freshly through their own eyes and thus discloses to the whole church, ever more of the many-colored wisdom of God.”
(11 Tim. 3:16; 11 Peter 1: 21; John 10:35; Isa. 55: 11; 1 Cor. 1:21; Rom. 1:16; Matt. 5: 17, 18: Jude 3: Eph. 1:17,18; 3:10,18).
Two underlying characterizations of gospel messaging here:
1) Scriptural: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servants of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (11 Timothy 3: 16).
In other words, God-breathed Scriptures ultimately do one thing: Work to shape/prepare/train/equip the servants of God in righteousness for good work. The key word is “in righteousness,” NOT in money making or getting along. All secular institutions in the world do exactly that. While secular institutions train and equip people of the world to achieve success and material prosperity, they are incapable of training and equipping in righteousness. Only the Bible can do that. Scripture is the infallible rule of faith and practice with the power to accomplish God’s purpose of salvation.
2) Prophetic: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (11 Peter 1:20, 21).
What’s the issue here?
Paul speaks to “Prophecy of Scripture.” He underscores the divine source of all Scriptures. Both written and spoken words - in preaching and teaching (expose), declare God’s will. That’s Prophecy.
Prophecies, he says, have no origin in the prophet; they do not come from his will, nor should they emanate from his wishful thinking or reading of public moods on issues affecting the people. It is apolitical. The prophet is no more than a megaphone - a channel. The Greek word translated “carried along” suggests a picture of a boat driven by the wind; the same Greek word is translated driven along in Acts 27: 15, 17. In other words, the prophet is driven along by the Holy Spirit.
New Testament teachers and preachers, like the prophets of old, are inspired by God’s Spirit to convey His exact message to the body. The Bible (Scriptures) remains the ultimate benchmark for judging prophecy.
Next: The Church and Evangelism
