What is evangelism? Is it simply inviting someone to church? Is it just getting them into the church building, and then whatever they do see, or hear is irrelevant? Is it taking care of someone’s needs either physical or emotional? What is this thing called evangelism? Well, the actual word comes from the Greek word euangelion, which means “good news” or even “Gospel”. Evangelism is “good newsing”.

Are we “good newsing” people by only doing the things listed above? Are we sharing the Gospel by helping people with their physical needs? The answer, very plainly, is no.

We need to define what we mean by “Gospel”. Again, we go back to the Greek word “which literally means, “good news”. Well then, what is the good news that we have heard from God? It is nothing less than “For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Simply put, people need to hear this message and come to believe it, or they are going to hell.

The question we all have to ask ourselves in our own Christian lives and in our Christian churches is “Have they heard the Gospel from me/us?” Do they know that Jesus died on the cross for them? Are they going to be in heaven with us?

A church can be doing all kinds of good things, bringing thousands of people into the church through all sorts of programs, feeding thousands of people through charity, and providing all manner of programs to help people make their lives better, but if they are not bringing people to the saving work of Christ they are not doing what God has called them to do.

Don’t get me wrong, all of these things are good and the church should be doing all these good things. They should be feeding the hungry, clothing those who have no clothes, helping people who need help, being a comfort to those who need comfort, providing a safe place for children to go, and so many other things. But all of these things are done so that people will be more receptive to, hear, and believe the Gospel.

Almost every other religion does good things too. I have even heard of Satanist doing good things for others. Doing good things for people does not make us Christian. Believing that Jesus Christ came to earth, suffered, died, and rose again for us does. We reach out to the “least of these” so that we may show them Christ and what he has done for us.

As Christians, we need to be all about the good news. If it means inviting them to church so that they can hear the Gospel then so be it. If it means giving them a meal so that they listen to you tell them the good news, that’s good too. If it means that it changes your relationship with someone then so be it.

Are you sharing the true and unadulterated Gospel with people? Is your church? You might not be. I can tell you that I am not always telling people about Jesus as I should. At night when we go to bed we all must confess that we are not sharing the Gospel as we should. Then, after we have confessed, we should ask God, every night, to give us the power and the strength to be bolder tomorrow.

God has truly blessed us with the most wonderful message in the world. It is a message that gives people peace on their deathbed. It is the Gospel that can calm and comfort a soldier in battle. It is the good news that Jesus has saved us that can help in all times of trouble. Thanks be to God!

May God bless all those that we love, which should be everyone, even those that the world has deemed unlovable, with that same peace that comes from knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord!