THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Lesson 5
EVANGELISM
Now that I'm a child of God-a Christian, a member of Christ's church-I am
interested in the work of the church that Jesus built. Churches of Christ are
not like the great religious denominations in the world today, for in churches
of Christ each local congregation (church) is overseen by a group of men known
as elders, bishops, or pastors. Their guidance is limited to the congregation in
which they serve. It is a part of the work of these men to see that the teaching
offered is according to the New Testament and that the practices of the
congregation meet the Bible pattern. To the elders of the Ephesian church, Paul
said:
"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made
you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own
blood." (Acts 20:28)
It is the work-mission-of the church to preach the gospel of Christ, God's power
to save.
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the
salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile."
(Romans 1:16)
Jesus commanded: "He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good
news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but
whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16). No congregation
(local church) is obeying Christ unless it is concerned about preaching to
people who are lost in sin- wherever they may be! A congregation of the Lord's
people must be interested in helping to save lost souls who live nearby or far
away. We must preach the gospel of Christ all over the world. As a Christian-a
child of God-I am to do my part so that the local church, where I am a member,
can do its God-given work.
This means that I must not only support the teaching and preaching work of the
local congregation, but I must also give money and effort to help spread the
message of Christ. Elders and preachers must be sure that the work of teaching
is done. But, as an individual, I, too, must do everything I can to personally
influence my friends, relatives, and other people to understand and obey the
gospel of Christ.
The New Testament teaches us that all members of the church must spread the
gospel. The first church (local congregation) was in the city of Jerusalem. When
the members of the church in Jerusalem were persecuted for Christ's sake, they
were "scattered abroad," except the apostles. The New Testament says: "Those who
had been scattered preached the word wherever they went" (Acts 8:4).
In the New Testament church, there was no group of men who were known as the
"clergy" while other members were called the "laity." Each member of the church
was equal before God, and each member of the church had work to do for God,
according to the talents (abilities) that God had given. True, there were men
with special functions, such as those known as "evangelists" who publicly
preached the word of God. Paul the apostle wrote to Timothy the preacher,
saying:
"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and
encourage-with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come
when men will not put up with the sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own
desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what
their itching ears want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:2-5)
But though there were evangelists who preached the Word of God publicly and in
the local churches, this did not mean that other members were excused from
teaching the gospel of Christ in less public ways.
It is wise to notice that elders in the local churches were always men and that
evangelists were always men. The women were not elders nor public preachers. In
telling Timothy the preacher how to carry on the public worship and work of the
church, Paul wrote:
"I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be
silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve" (1 Timothy 2:12-13).
This does not mean that Christian women cannot teach or influence others to
believe and obey the gospel, but it does mean that Christian women must not try
to rule over the men in the church. Christian women cannot be elders (bishops)
and evangelists; yet, Christian women should teach their husbands, their
children, their relatives and their friends the gospel of Christ without ruling
over the local church and without getting out of the proper place Christ
has given to them. The men who are elders and preachers must not get out of
their proper place by taking authority to make laws for the church, which they
bind on the church members. Christ is the head-the only head-of the church.
"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the
head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among
the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased
to have all his fullness dwell in him." (Colossians 1:17-19)
Christ is the only lawgiver for the church. "There is only one Lawgiver and
Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you, who are you to judge
your neighbor?" (James 4:12). It is Christ who has commanded His people - the
church - to carry the gospel to all the world.
Although preaching and teaching the gospel are vitally important works of the
church, there are other good things a local congregation must do. For example,
the church must "continue to remember the poor" (Galatians 2:10).
In the book of James are these words:
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look
after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being
polluted by the world." (James 1:27)
Paul wrote:
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a
harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good
to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
(Galatians 6:9-10)
Christians must feed the hungry, visit the sick, care for the orphans and the
widows, and, in every way possible, they must do good to all people everywhere.
The New Testament says:
"He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something
useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in
need" (Ephesians 4:28).
In doing its work, the local church must not be selfish, and care only for its
own members. The very spirit of Jesus Christ requires that His people - the
church - carry His gospel to a lost world because they love Him and them. In the
church's ministry to poor people and other people who need help, the
congregation must go beyond its own members, and "Do good unto all men."