Young Adults' Group

The Spirit Of Evangelism

by Pastor Mark
February 23, 2017

Another aspect of the spirit of Bethany

The next aspect of the spirit of Bethany that we want to consider is E for Evangelism. The word “evangelism” is derived from the Greek word “euaggelion” which means “good news” or the gospel.

The work of evangelism involves the sharing of the good news. It is to reach out to the lost who do not know the Lord Jesus. By the preaching of the gospel, souls may be won to the Lord. The work of evangelism has been very much part of the spirit of Bethany. But what is our understanding of the work of evangelism?

The example of the Lord Jesus

Our basis for evangelism comes from the example of the Lord Jesus. Right from the very beginning of His ministry, the Lord entered into the spirit of evangelism. As Jesus entered into the land of Galilee, a land prophesied by the prophet Isaiah to be one where the people were living in great darkness, He became the great light that dawned in the land. (Matt 4:13–16) The apostle Matthew wrote, “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” (Matt 4:17) This was the work of evangelism that Jesus did. He came with the purpose to preach the gospel. What did the Lord Jesus preach?

1. The call for repentance

The word “repent” in Greek is “metanoeo” which means to have a change of thinking. There should be a change in our understanding of sin…that we should no longer remain in it and to see our life transformed. The Lord gave this call for all the people to repent. Today, there are Christian circles who teach a different gospel by saying that there is no need for repentance. This is very much contrary to what the Lord Jesus preached as part of the gospel.

2. The Kingdom of God is near

The Lord Jesus also introduced the Kingdom of God. As the Messiah King, He came to proclaim that the Kingdom of God had come to the people. It was near to them and not far away. This was God’s special way of revealing that God was near to them rather that One who was distant. At the same time, they too can draw near to God.

3. Entrance into the Kingdom

As the Lord Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God, the work of evangelism also included gaining entrance into the Kingdom. The Lord Jesus will be the divine light to draw people from the darkness. He will draw them into the Kingdom of God. If they were to repent and to draw near to God and His kingdom, they would be able to find salvation in the Lord Jesus.

The cultivating of the spirit of evangelism in Bethany

Over all these years, Bethany has sought to reach out through many of our evangelistic efforts both individually and collectively as a church. It is always amazing to see how new people are brought into our midst as our brethren seek to reach out to both family and friends. As a church, we have sought to preach the gospel during our Easter and Christmas seasons. In the work of missions, we have also sought to spread the gospel in India, Myanmar and Australia through the churches that we have planted. Personally, I share this spirit of evangelism. I find so much joy in reaching out to the lost with the gospel of the Kingdom of God. What about us? Do we have an evangelistic spirit as Bethany has? Let us be challenged to cultivate this same spirit of evangelism as we seek to share the gospel to the world.

Back to Article Listing