Evangelism is the practice of attempting to convert people to a religion. The term is used most often in reference to Christianity's religions, since they mandate that their followers make efforts to recruit as many people as possible into their faith. However, the term may be used for the practice of attempting to convert people to any religion, even if that religion does not specifically require that its followers engage in evangelism. For this reason, there are "evangelists" in
JudaismJudaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible , as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts...
,
BuddhismBuddhism, as traditionally conceived, is a path of salvation attained through insight into the ultimate nature of reality. It encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha...
,
HinduismHinduism is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as ', a Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal law", by its adherents. Generic "types" of Hinduism that attempt to accommodate a variety of complex views span folk and Vedic Hinduism to bhakti tradition, as...
, and other religions, even though those religions are not "evangelical" by nature. The term is sometimes used as a metaphor in a non-religious context as well.
The intention of most Christian evangelism is to convert those who do not follow the Christian God to
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
for the purpose of effecting eternal salvation. Evangelism is done in obedience to the
Great CommissionThe Great Commission, in Christian tradition, is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. It has become a tenet in Christian theology emphasizing mission work, evangelism, and baptism. It has been a primary...
, a command from Jesus to his
disciplesIn the History of Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. While Jesus attracted a large following, the term disciple is commonly used to refer specifically to "the Twelve", an inner circle of men whose number perhaps represented the twelve tribes of Israel...
to
proselytiseProselytizing is the act of attempting to convert people to another opinion and, particularly, another religion. The word proselytize is derived ultimately from the Greek language prefix 'πρός' and the verb 'έρχομαι' . Historically in the New Testament, the word proselyte denoted a person who...
, according to accounts in the
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
. Christians who specialise in evangelism are known as
evangelists, whether they are in their home communities or acting as missionaries in the field.
Some Christian traditions consider evangelists to be in a leadership position, and they may be found preaching to large meetings, and in governance roles.
Christian groups who actively encourage evangelism are sometimes known as
evangelistic or
evangelist.
The communication of Christian faith to new geographical areas and cultures is often referred to as evangelization, or specifically, world evangelization.
Etymology of evangelism and evangelist
The word evangelist comes from the
Koine GreekKoine Greek is the popular form of Greek which emerged in post-Classical antiquity . Other names are Alexandrian, Hellenistic, Patristic, Common, Biblical or New Testament Greek...
word (transliterated as "euangelion") via Latin "Evangelium", as used in the canonical titles of the four
GospelA gospel is a writing that describes the life of Jesus. The word is primarily used to refer to the four canonical texts: the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Luke and Gospel of John, probably written between AD 65 and 80...
s, authored by
MatthewMatthew the Evangelist , also called Levi, apostle and once a tax collector, composed the Gospel of Christ. It was first published in Judea in Hebrew for Hebrew Christians...
,
MarkMark the Evangelist , is the traditional name of the author of the Gospel of Mark. Tradition identifies him with the John Mark mentioned as a companion of Saint Paul in Acts, who later is said to have become a disciple of Saint Peter. John Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on Paul's first...
,
LukeLuke the Evangelist was an Early Christian writer who the Church Fathers such as Jerome and Eusebius said was the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles....
, and
JohnSaint John the Evangelist , or the Beloved Disciple, is traditionally the name used to refer to the author of the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John. Traditionally he has been identified with John the Apostle...
(also known as the
Four EvangelistsIn Christian tradition the Four Evangelists refers to the authors attributed with the creation of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament that bear the following titles:*Gospel according to Matthew*Gospel according to Mark*Gospel according to Luke...
). The Greek word originally meant a reward for good news given to the messenger ( = "good", = "I bring a message"; the word
angelAngels are spiritual beings found in many religious traditions. They are broadly viewed as messengers of God, sent to do God's tasks. Traditions vary as to the precise nature and role of these messages and tasks...
is of the same root) and later "good news".
The verb form of euangelion, euangelizo (transliterated "evangelism"), was used rarely in Greek literature outside the New Testament, making its meaning more difficult to ascertain. Parallel texts of the
GospelA gospel is a writing that describes the life of Jesus. The word is primarily used to refer to the four canonical texts: the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Luke and Gospel of John, probably written between AD 65 and 80...
s of Luke and Mark reveal a synonymous relationship between the verb euangelizo and a Greek verb "kerusso" which means "to proclaim".
Our modern word "Gospel" comes from the Old English word "Godspell." In Old English, "god" with a long "o" meant "good," and "spell" meant "word" (we carry this meaning also in our word "spelling"). So in other words, "Godspell" meant "good word," specifically the good tidings concerning Jesus Christ.
Evangelism or proselytism
While evangelism is usually regarded as converting non-Christians to Christianity, this is not always the proper usage of the word. If converting to Christianity includes services or material benefits it is called proselytism.
On the other hand, converting Christians (e.g., Orthodox) who are not churchgoers to another Christian denomination is commonly seen as evangelism, not proselytism.
Catholic missionary work in Russia is commonly seen as evangelism, not proselytism. Archbishop
KondrusiewiczArchbishop Monsignor Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz is the ethnic Polish Roman Catholic Archbishop of Minsk and Mahilyow, Belarus....
openly stated
"that proselytism is absolutely unacceptable and cannot constitute a strategy for the development of our structures either in Russia or in any other country in the world."
Especially regarding claims by Orthodox church that spreading the faith and receiving converts amounts to proselytism Catholic church
CDFThe Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition, and sometimes simply called the Holy Office is the oldest of the nine congregations of the Roman Curia. Among the most active of these major Curial...
issued document called "Doctrinal Note on some aspects of evangelisation" which states that evangelism is "an inalienable right and duty, an expression of religious liberty ...", document added that "The incorporation of new members into the Church is not the expansion of a power group, but rather entrance into the network of friendship with Christ which connects heaven and earth, different continents and age. It is entrance into the gift of communion with Christ ...."
Reasons for evangelism
According to the Christian Bible, during his last days on earth
JesusJesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
commanded his disciples as follows:
Other translations render the phrase
“make disciples of all nations” in the above quotation as
“teach all nations.” Jesus is also quoted in the
Gospel of MarkThe Gospel of Mark is the second of the four Canonical Gospels, but is believed by most contemporary scholars to be the first gospel written, on which the other two synoptic gospels, Matthew and Luke, were partially based....
saying
These are two main passages of the
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
from God that commands everyone who believes in Christ to preach the gospel.
Modern methods of evangelism
For the first many centuries, Christian evangelism consisted of preaching or tracts. Men such as many of the original apostles, traveled to distant lands proclaiming the
gospelA gospel is a writing that describes the life of Jesus. The word is primarily used to refer to the four canonical texts: the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Luke and Gospel of John, probably written between AD 65 and 80...
and planting churches and are often considered the first Christian Evangelists.
While both of these methods are still widely employed, modern technology and shifts in cultural values have cause radical shifts in the kinds of evangelistic ministry being performed today. Following the example of corporate advertising campaigns and popular entertainment such as concerts, sporting exhibitions and television programs, Christian evangelism is taking on many new forms in an attempt to buck old-fashioned stereotypes regarding Christians and their message.
Dramas such as
Heaven's Gates, Hell's FlamesHeaven's Gates, Hell's Flames is a touring evangelistic drama that has been performed worldwide. The tagline on the official website asks, "Where will you be when reality strikes?"....
have gained enormous popularity since the 1980’s. These dramas typically depict fictional characters who die and learn whether they will go to heaven or hell. Other entertainment-based Christian evangelism events include sporting exhibitions, where-in professional athletes entertain crowds. At some point a gospel presentation is usually given.
In the 1970’s,
The Power TeamThe Power Team is a group of Christian Evangelists, based in Dallas, Texas, who incorporate their preaching with displays of strength and martial arts skills. They were founded in the late 1970s by John Jacobs...
spawned an entire genre of Christian entertainment based on strong-man exploits mixed with a Christian message and usually accompanied by an opportunity to respond with a prayer for salvation.
The
Christian music industryThe Christian music industry is a small part of the larger music industry, that focuses on traditional Gospel music, Southern Gospel music, Contemporary Christian music, and alternative Christian music. It is sometimes called the gospel music industry, although this designation is not a limitation...
has also played a significant role in modern evangelism. Rock concerts in which the artist exhorts non-believing attendees to pray a prayer for salvation have become common.
Several businesses have been started in the church marketing and evangelism industry. Outreach Media Group was founded in 1996 by Scott Evans. They are the largest provider of outreach products and services in North America. The company has six divisions under the umbrella of Outreach, Inc. offering services ranging from marketing products to evangelism training, a magazine about evangelism, evangelism-focused events and websites.
Evangelists
Sometimes, the regular minister of a church is called a
preacher in a way that other groups would typically use the term
pastorThe term pastor usually refers to an ordained person within a Christian church. In some countries the term is more usually used in traditional Protestant churches but is also used in reference to priests and bishops within the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches. The...
. The
evangelist in some churches is one that travels from town to town and from church to church, spreading the
gospelA gospel is a writing that describes the life of Jesus. The word is primarily used to refer to the four canonical texts: the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Luke and Gospel of John, probably written between AD 65 and 80...
of Jesus Christ. Many Christians of various theological perspectives would call themselves 'evangelists' because they are spreaders of the gospel. Many churches believe one of their major functions is to function as evangelists to spread the evangelist belief that Jesus is savior of humanity.
The title of evangelist is often associated with those who lead large meetings like those of Billy Graham, possibly in tents or existing church buildings, or those who address the public in street corner preaching, which targets listeners who happen to pass nearby. It can also be done in small groups or even on a one-to-one basis, but actually it is simply one who spreads the gospel. Increasingly, the Web enables anyone to become an Internet evangelist and resources such as
Internet Evangelism Day exist to equip them.
The term is also used in a non-religious sense to describe an individual who takes up a cause and convinces others to it (see
technology evangelistA technical or technology evangelist is a person who attempts to build a critical mass of support for a given technology in order to establish it as a technical standard in a market that is subject to network effects...
).
Guy KawasakiGuy Kawasaki is a Silicon Valley venture capitalist. He was one of the Apple employees originally responsible for marketing the Macintosh in 1984. He is currently a Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures, and has been involved in the rumor reporting site, Truemors, and an RSS aggregator,...
, an author and venture capitalist, describes evangelists as individuals who promote a particular product. At Apple Computer, he was part of a team of
Apple evangelistAn Apple evangelist, also known as Mac evangelist, and Mac advocate is a promoter of the Apple Macintosh platform. ' and Mactard are more pejorative terms for Mac evangelists, indicating that the advocacy has become excessive, or simply expressing disapproval.The most well-known Apple evangelist is...
s that convinced programmers to develop software on the
MacintoshThe Macintosh, or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced on January 24 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a graphical user interface rather than a...
Platform.
Missionary work
The Bible urges believers to speak the gospel clearly, fearlessly, graciously, and respectfully whenever an opportunity presents itself (see Colossians 4:2-6, Ephesians 6:19-20, and I Peter 3:15).
Evangelism and missions
Throughout most of its history, Christianity has been spread evangelistically, though the extent of evangelism has varied significantly between Christian communities and denominations. Evangelism and apostolic ministry often go hand in hand. As mentioned earlier, evangelism comes from the Ancient Greek
εὐαγγέλιον (
evangelion) meaning
good news, often translated
gospel; thus an evangelist is one who shares the "good news". An ἀπόστολος (
apostolos) is literally "one who goes" and refers to the missionary calling. Since missionaries often travel to areas or people groups where Jesus is not yet known, they frequently take on an evangelistic role. But the apostolic or missionary calling is not necessarily the same (and it is a misnomer and misinterpretation to equate them), as there are many who serve in missionary, church planting, and ministry development roles who have an apostolic calling or serve in an apostolic role but whose primary duty is not evangelism.
See also
- Catholic action
Catholic Action was the name of many groups of lay Catholics who were attempting to encourage a Catholic influence on society.They were especially active in the nineteenth century in historically Catholic countries that fell under anti-clerical regimes such as Italy, Bavaria, France and...
- Catholic charismatics
- Charismatic renewal
- Dawah
Da‘wah usually denotes preaching of Islam. Da‘wah means literally "issuing a summons" or "making an invitation", being the active participle of a verb meaning variously "to summon, to invite" . A Muslim who practices da‘wah, either as a religious worker or in a volunteer community effort, is...
- Emmanuel Community
The Emmanuel Community is a Catholic association of the faithful, of Pontifical right, founded in 1976 by Pierre Goursat and Martine Lafitte-Catta, starting from a prayer group, belonging to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.-Aims:...
- Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s.Most adherents consider its key characteristics to be: a belief in the need for personal conversion ; some expression of the gospel in effort; a high regard for biblical authority; and an emphasis on the...
- Evangelical Catholic
- Internet evangelist
- Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith; someone who proselytizes. The word "mission" is derived from the Latin missioninimus A missionary is a member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith;...
- Open-air preaching
Open air preaching or street preaching is the act of publicly proclaiming a religious message to crowds of people in open places. It is an ancient method of communicating a religious or social message, and has been used by many cultures and religious traditions but today is usually associated with...
- Romans Road
- International evangelism
- Evangelical Christian Forums