Evangelism is more than a summertime trip, more than door knocking, more than special mail outs, more than an international move, more than an invite to a friend, more than any act. Evangelism is part of something eternal and powerful.
Evangelism is how the church spreads the divine message. “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places” (Eph. 3:8-10). We get to share with Paul in the work that has been handed down since the day of Pentecost. The message that was once hidden and waiting for the fullness of time in order to be revealed is now in our hands. It is both humbling and empowering at the same time. God has left the most important task of mankind to the church. That is better than flying into space and destroying an asteroid and better than defeating a rouge band of invading extra-terrestrials on July 4th weekend.
Evangelism is how the church fulfills the divine purpose. “This was in accordance with the eternal purpose” (Eph. 3:11a). “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Eph. 1:4a). The letter to the Ephesians reassures the reader that what they are a part of is what God had intended since the beginning. We were always going to be a body of believers on Earth with the charge of carrying the message—the most powerful message ever written (Rom. 1:16), and the easiest to tell: He lived, He died and He rose again (Acts 10:34-43). We are not selling used cars, pawning used goods or selling knives on late night TV. We have the message that everyone needs to hear (2 Pet. 3:9). We are not charged with saving the whole world. We are just commanded to give everyone the opportunity.
Evangelism is how the church embodies divine love. “In love he predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight” (Eph. 1:4b-8). The church gets to embody and show what divine love looks like to the world. It looks like adoption, it looks like redemption, it looks like grace, and it feels like love. Please do not lose sight of what you have been given and the responsibility.