Sharing the Good News-

When I look back over my life and contemplate the idea of evangelism and discipleship, I realize they seemed inapplicable. The four fundamentals of discipleship: the Word, Prayer, Fellowship, and Witnessing, were all part of my lifelong training, but I cannot recall hearing the word “discipleship” used in my younger years. Evangelism was something that “missionaries did”, or a select few "trained people" such as the pastor and church staff. In my later, more recent adult years, I heard the use of the words “discipleship and outreach”. After looking into the topic further, I now have a broader perspective of the meaning of evangelism and discipleship as it relates to each of us individually in our own walk with God.

“Evangelism is not a method or technique but a process of helping people see how God views them”(Ikeda, 2009).

Learning this was truly a paradigm shift for me. My main concept of evangelism, or telling someone the "good news" was, telling people about Christ for the purpose of getting them saved and joining our church. However, that is a very American concept of evangelism. Telling people the “good news” is really about John 3:16, “for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life”[1]. The good news starts with, “for God so loved”. It is within this view of God's love for us that the good news really begins.

When we can come to an understanding that God loves us, and sees us as his precious creation- not as hated heathen sinners that he wants to condemn to hell because they are so rotten and are lucky if they get to barely escape- than the good news becomes truly “good”. It starts and ends with something good.

By telling people this good news, we are evangelizing to the truest extent. It is about helping people know who they are in the eyes of God, introducing them to Christ, and helping them grow, learn, and walk in the way of Christ...more often than not, outside of a formal church setting. The ultimate goal is having an intimate relationship with a very personal God.

This approach to evangelism is an open door for all of us…not just the gifted or the trained, but all followers of Christ. It becomes less a method and more a “God view” change for those we get to share our lives with. In this sharing process comes discipleship.

Discipleship was equated with Bible study in my sphere of training, even though the term “disciple” wasn’t used. However, it is much more than just studying the Bible. It is about a lifestyle transformation. “A disciple is a student or a learner” (Ikeda, 2009). We are students and learners of the life of Christ.

While Bible study is one aspect of that, it goes beyond just reading the Bible. It moves into the realm of mentoring and modeling. As followers of Christ, one of our jobs is to model the life of Christ for those in our sphere of influence; teaching, showing, and encouraging them to participate in hands-on learning. We do this by being in close proximity to a select few people over a period of time. These people become our disciples (followers). Jesus lived this way with his disciples.

This aspect of discipline challenges me because time is a sparse commodity in most people’s lives. To spend time with a group of people with the express intent of making disciples means making a conscious decision and effort to commit perhaps years of our lives. This seems daunting in light of our “Mc-Society” where so much of life is instant and temporary. Here is the challenge: to get people involved in this type of discipline. It is hard enough to get someone to show up regularly for a short six-week Bible study.

I think that we have much work ahead of us. Understanding what discipline really means is a start. The next step is to commit to a process by which we help others transform their lives over a period of time in a purposeful way. We can then help people see that, at some point, the next step is for them to take the lead and repeat the process, investing their lives in others as they grow and mature.

In an obscure way, discipleship and evangelism has been part of my life from the time I was young, but I never really understood the full meaning. I have a better understanding now of what we are all called to do. We are to share the good news.

We want to invite people to be with us... outside the formal church setting. This isn't limited to a "trained few". We are all a part of the birth and growth of others in the kingdom of God.

We are "the church", everyday, in everyplace we walk. The key is to grab someone's hand and have them walk with us.

Works Cited

Ikeda, R. (Performer). (2009, January 12). Discipleship and Evangelism. San Jose, California, USA.

[1] Taken from Biblegateway.com online February 7, 2009. NAS version of John 3:16.