Evangelism Uses Words

The Greek Word for “evangelism” is Good News.  In the strictest sense, whenever the word evangelism is used in the Bible, it means a verbal proclamation or transmitting a verbal message.

Agree or disagree: Jesus tells us to “let your light shine” in the world. It’s important for people to see good deeds from a person who professes faith, but it is not a substitute for proclaiming our faith.

Displaying good works is important. Presenting a spirit of hope and peace in the midst of a crisis is a display of Christ living in you. People do notice and it can serve as a powerful pre-cursor for evangelism. Being a light for Christ provides credibility.

But solely being a light is not evangelism. The Bible clearly states that it is the power of God’s Word – not our actions or attitudes – that brings people to faith. Our good works glorify God, but our works do not give reasons for the hope we have in Christ. Non-believers and adherents to world religions also do good works, so people need to know what separates us from them. They need to know the reason for why we are doing good works in the first place.

Rather than deferring to a pastor to proclaim the Good News, receive the joy of bringing the message of salvation to others.

Being a light for Christ can gain a listening audience to proclaim the Light.

Take Action: Record your reaction to the statement above on page 11 of the study guide.