In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen.
This lesson presents an introduction to the concept of evangelism in the Gospel and in God's mind - and why we still find this concept far from our thinking, although we are supposed to be servants who love God. We will cover three main points:
- Why must we evangelize?
- What exactly is evangelism?
- Who is an evangelist?
Because today is the feast of Jonah, we have the chance to link Jonah - one of the most famous preachers in the Old Testament - with these ideas. It is important to be fully aware of the basics of why and what we will do, and who exactly is the evangelist.
Why Must We Evangelize?
Evangelism in its simplest meaning is that we invite people to our Lord. The Scripture says:
"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" - Romans 10:14
For people to hear about our Lord, there must be someone who preaches.
Because We Ourselves Are the Fruit of Evangelism
If it weren't for St. Mark, for example, I would not have been born Christian. And if it weren't for St. Paul who preached in Europe, maybe the people of Europe would not have been born Christian. We have come to know Christ through evangelism. Evangelism is the key to Christianity.
Because It Is a Commandment
Christ says, "Go, preach to the whole world." This is a commandment. Christ is asking that we go and preach.
Because We Are Ambassadors for Christ
There is a verse that says we strive as ambassadors for Christ. Christ considers us to be His ambassadors, and therefore we talk about Him.
Because Christ Is Beautiful and the World Needs to Know
If you know how to cook a delicious meal, you want to give the recipe to everyone to enjoy it. When one has something very beautiful, he wants to talk about it.
Evangelism Is the Will of God
Do you know what God wants ultimately? God wants everyone to be saved. He wants everyone in every country to know Christ, repent, be baptized, and reach heaven. Evangelism is simply the will of God - just as it is God's will that you walk correctly, God's will at the same level is that all people know Him and know Him in the right way.
Evangelism Is the Natural Result of the New Life
You were reborn the day you were baptized. Being that you confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries means you cling to Christ. You are a new creation with a different goal. People who don't know Christ live to make money, to satisfy their bodies, and indulge in this life. But the main goal of the new creation is for the whole world to know our Lord. If you are truly a new person, then that's your main goal.
It Is a Divine Command
Just as there is a command that says, "Love your enemies," there is a command that says, "Go and evangelize to all creation." And another that says, "You are the salt of the earth." If the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
Your Real Value Is in the Souls You Win
How many souls have you gained for the Lord? The most precious thing to our Lord are souls. Imagine you finished your life and entered heaven, saying to Him, "Lord, I won two." He will be happy with you. "I won ten." Very well done. "I won a thousand." We will make you a party. "I lost two." Woe to you.
You are either losing souls or winning souls. Your real value in the end are the souls you won. That's the fruit of your life.
Someone like St. Paul is so precious to the Lord because he won so many people to Christ. See also John the Baptist - Christ made a profound witness to him not because he fasted a lot or lived in the desert, but because he led many people to repentance. Christ said about him, "He was the shining lamp. He was light." The same is required from us - that we be the light of the world. In a period of six months, John gained thousands of people. How many will you gain?
Because You Love Heaven
You love our mother the Virgin. You love the angels. You love the saints. You love above all our Lord. Do you know what heaven rejoices in? Heaven rejoices when one sinner repents. Through evangelism, you are causing heaven to rejoice every day. Every time you talk to someone about our Lord, you make heaven rejoice. If you love heaven, then naturally you will be an evangelist.
The Logic of Salvation
St. Paul put it in a logical form:
"The Scripture says, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:13
So he says with his beautiful logic: "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?"
You want everyone in China, India, and Japan to say, "My Lord Jesus Christ" in their language. How will they say it if they weren't convinced of Him? And how will they believe if they didn't hear the message? And how will they hear if there wasn't someone to go to them and tell them? The salvation of the whole world is linked to this word: evangelism.
You Have the Key
Remember Peter and John? They said a very beautiful expression in Acts 3: "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give to you." What do you have? The name of Jesus Christ. You may not have much money - there are billionaires. You may not have much knowledge. But you have the name of Lord Jesus, through whom people enter heaven. You have the key. How do you not open to people? How do you not make copies of the key and distribute them so that people enter, like you, into heaven? That is your role.
Evangelism is the job of every Christian on earth in the general sense. We are not yet talking about how to evangelize - that is another topic. Because you might not talk at all and be an evangelist, and you might talk a lot and not be an evangelist.
What Is Evangelism?
Someone Who Loves God and Loves People
The simplest meaning of evangelism: the evangelist is a person who loves our Lord and loves people. He loves our Lord, so he wants to talk about Him. He loves people, so he can't let them perish.
All of Christianity is summarized in these two commandments: "Love the Lord your God" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you really love our Lord, of course you want to talk about Him and introduce Him to people. When you love a friend, you introduce him to people. When you get engaged, you are happy with your bride and want everyone to know her.
The people around you at work and on the streets - when their lives end before they get to know Christ, won't they perish? Can you claim to love them while you stand by and watch them perish?
Imagine you knew someone at your work for 30 years and he is an atheist and you never thought to talk to him about our Lord. Either you were embarrassed, or feeling that you don't know enough, or saying you can't answer the questions - whatever the reasons. And then life ended for both of you, like the rich man and Lazarus. Can you imagine sitting in paradise and your atheist colleague sending you a message from Hades? What would he say after being together for 30 years and you never bothered to talk to him about Christ?
"Why did you leave me uninformed? You could have told me and left me to choose whether to accept the call or not. If I were in your position, I would not have kept silent for a single day."
Like the Samaritan woman - do you consider her an evangelist? She brought the whole town. Did she understand theology or study church rites? Did she memorize hymns or learn the Coptic language? None of that. But she was a very strong evangelist simply because she loved the Lord Jesus. She just brought people to Him and that's it. If you really love our Lord, you will bring many people.
Someone Busy with the Kingdom of God
Remember when Christ said, "Do not care for your life, what you will eat and what you will drink, nor for your clothes what you will wear." All these are sought by the nations. You are different. Your Father knows all that. He says, "Seek first the kingdom of God."
Evangelism is someone seeking the kingdom - someone who wants to enter heaven and wants everyone around him to enter as well. Making our Lord happy with His children. If you are seeking the kingdom and its righteousness, then evangelism will be what occupies your mind, because people must be saved in order to enter the kingdom.
The Second Mile
Christ portrayed love as being two steps. Everyone is familiar with the first step - if someone asks you for something and you do it, that is the first mile. But when you go do more than what is needed, without being asked, that is the second mile.
The second mile means that I am going to you specifically to introduce you to Christ. I am working hard so I give you our Lord, even if I die on the way. Evangelism is love above the ordinary. Ordinary love is that you respect people, appreciate them, honor them. But evangelism is that you take a step above the ordinary - more than required. You will labor unnaturally hard.
Think of the doctors who travel to Africa to serve medical missions - spending days working morning, noon, and night for the sake of our Lord. They make no money, gain no reputation, and live in harsh conditions. But it is all counted for them in heaven. When the people ask, "Why did you leave your homes and come to us?" - this is the second mile. Offering love above the ordinary, losing everything and being happy because you know it's worth it.
Someone Witnessing to Christ
Evangelism means someone who is testifying for Christ, pointing to Him all the time. A great example is John the Baptist - they called him "the witness." He spent six months pointing to Christ, saying, "This is the Lamb of God who carries the sins of the world."
When people told him, "Look, everyone is leaving you to follow Christ," he said, "This is why I came - so that they follow Christ, not follow me."
Witnessing to Christ is not necessarily by words. It is by your life as a Christian. By living a holy Christian life, you are testifying that there is a perfect person named Jesus, our Lord, who made you become like this.
A Lifestyle, Not a Moment
Evangelism is the life of every true Christian. It is a lifestyle - not a point in time. We don't evangelize for just 2 hours of service like a Sunday school class. In evangelism, you are a servant 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your class is the street, your neighbors, your workplace, your college. Your class is open. Your service is your life and it is a continuous life. You are always pointing to Christ, even if you are silent.
Every true Christian is an evangelist.
The Highest Goal of Faith
St. Peter put it beautifully: "Reaching the end of your faith - the salvation of your souls." All faith pours into this goal. If you believe that there is heaven, you will want to bring all people to heaven. If you believe that our Lord Jesus paid the price of human sins, you will go and break the bond of the whole world through the blood of Jesus Christ, through faith, repentance, and baptism.
Who Is the Evangelist?
Many imagine the evangelist is someone who performs miracles, delivers sermons to thousands, or shakes the whole world. That's not it.
Every Christian
Christ said, as we pray in the sixth hour every day: "You are the light of the world. You are the salt of the earth." Was this said to the apostles only? The Sermon on the Mount was not for the apostles only. Some parts of the Bible were mainly for the apostles - for example, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven" - that was about the authority of priesthood. But "Blessed are the poor in spirit," "You are the salt of the earth" - these words were addressed to all people.
Don't ever think that evangelism is only for priests. Evangelism is the work of the whole church - from the small children to the elderly, from those who know how to read to those who do not, from those in Egypt to those in Europe or elsewhere. If the church doesn't do its job, then the salt is spoiled and the light is covered.
"Do not light a lamp and put it under a basket." This is unfortunately what is happening to a large extent. We are covering the light that is in us.
A Vessel Filled with the Holy Spirit
Christ said about Paul, "This is for me a chosen vessel." We are all containers, and the Holy Spirit descended on us the day we received the Myron. Every time we pray, repent, confess, and partake of the Holy Communion, the Holy Spirit increases inside us - like the wise virgins whose vessels were filled with oil.
What does the Holy Spirit want? This became clear on the day of Pentecost - at the end of that day, 3,000 people believed and were baptized. The work of the Holy Spirit throughout the whole Book of Acts is to win the whole world. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will be an evangelist without thinking. You will find yourself unable to keep silent.
Someone Who Adores Our Lord
Whoever tasted the divine love talks about our Lord without arranging his words, without preparing a topic. He talks about his Beloved all the time. He can't stop.
When you read about the bride of the Song of Songs and her love for the groom - at first she was difficult, like us. Then she started to love her groom for real and ran after him everywhere. They told her, "What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you so charge us?" They noticed she doesn't talk except about him. Every conversation she flips to him. He has captivated her mind.
That is the evangelist. Someone who loves our Lord Jesus. He doesn't know how to talk about football and politics and the stock market and fashion. There is a better topic occupying him and capturing his heart.
Someone Who Sees Heaven Clearly
The evangelist is someone who knows that life is very short, the world will end, the kingdom is real, and the kingdom is eternal. How can he be silent? He wants to take all the people to heaven.
Those of us who are silent don't see heaven. Heaven for us is a theoretical topic. But heaven must be something that occupies your mind. A little time and this life will end, and eternal life will be it. If heaven is really occupying your thought, you will naturally be an evangelist.
The Sower
The evangelist is the sower who throws seeds everywhere. Don't say, "They won't receive the word of God." The sower threw seeds on the path, knowing it wouldn't be received - but he didn't deprive it from the seed. The next land had thorns; he still threw the seeds. Whether or not the land brings forth fruit is not your business. The sower sows - he sows love to people, sows a spiritual idea, sows a word.
A Soldier, a Messenger, a Fisherman, a Shepherd, a Merchant, a Doctor, a Teacher
- A soldier - someone serious who feels we are in a war with Satan. Satan keeps taking people to hell while we are sitting in lukewarmness.
- A messenger - Christ said, "As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world." From the moment you were baptized, you are sent as a messenger.
- A fisherman - Remember when Christ told Peter, "Why don't you come work with Me as a fisher of men?" Peter understood: "Will I live my whole life for the fish before my eyes? There is something more worthwhile to do."
- A shepherd - who runs after a lost sheep. How many are lost now? Perhaps 90%.
- A merchant who seeks good pearls - is there anything more precious than human souls? Any young child, even if poor, is very precious because Christ paid His blood for him. Be a wise merchant.
- A skilled doctor who treats all people spiritually - doubt, depression, despair, pride, lust. The medicine is our Lord Jesus who heals all.
- A teacher - one of the titles of our Lord Jesus is the Good Teacher. You walk in the world teaching what Christ said.
Jonah: A Case Study in Evangelism
Today is the feast of Jonah, so let us meditate on his story.
God's Persistent Call
Consider Jonah 1:1–2 and Jonah 3:1–2. In the first chapter: "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it.'" Between chapters 1 and 3, many events happened - the ship, the storm, the sailors, the whale, the prayer. And what does God say in chapter 3? Almost the exact same thing: "Arise, go to Nineveh."
All of what happened has but one target: pay attention to your calling. Know your value. God is calling you now.
God's Heart for All People
Nineveh had about 120,000 souls. The sailors numbered 20 to 30. Jonah is a single person. If you love all people, who is more important? The largest number, of course.
Jonah saw that Nineveh was not important. But our Lord saw every soul in the 120,000 as important as Jonah himself. Jonah thought, "I am a prophet. I belong to our Lord. What do I have to do with 100,000 people who do not know our Lord?" But every one of them is as precious to our Lord as you are.
God's goal is for all to repent. He looked after the sailors until they repented and believed. He looked after Nineveh until they repented and believed. And the one who was the most burden to God was Jonah himself - but He kept after him until he also repented.
Your True Value
Jonah's story is about 2,700 years ago. His true value is in Nineveh. The people of Nineveh are the ones who gave value to Jonah's life.
Same for you. If throughout your life your accomplishments were that you lived, worked, earned a degree, made money, got married, had children, and then died - what was your worth? Just a number in history. Your real worth is if there are people who went to heaven because of you.
We wouldn't have heard of Jonah if it weren't for Nineveh - the people he couldn't stand, the people he didn't want, the people of whom he said, "Let them burn." These are the reason for your value in the end.
How God Sees People
Jonah sees Nineveh as evildoers, blasphemers, Gentiles. But what did our Lord say about them? "They don't know their right from their left." They are humans who are acting out of ignorance. No one told them. They didn't receive what you received. These are the eyes that God wants us to use.
God Saw in Jonah a Suitable Evangelist
Our Lord saw in Jonah a suitable evangelist. "Oh Lord, he is running away. His mind is closed. He refuses to pray. And You still think he can be an evangelist?" Yes, he will.
Let no one say, "I am unfit." Look at Jonah. He evangelized even though he fell in many mistakes as you and I. Our Lord doesn't choose good people to introduce Him to people. He chooses people like us and showers them with love and mercy, and He keeps pampering them until they finally give in and do His desire.
Why Don't We Evangelize?
- The calling is not clear. We imagine this word is not for us. But God is calling you for evangelism - as if He keeps calling you on your mobile phone and you're just ignoring it.
- We are afraid of the adventure. Isn't it a pity to be afraid? After what our Lord Jesus has done, coming to the world and dying for these people, and you are afraid of just telling them a few words?
- We don't love people enough. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh simply because he doesn't love them. But God told him, "Should I not pity Nineveh, that great city in which are more than 120,000 persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left?"
- We are not convinced of the idea. We feel it is far from us, too difficult, or too strange.
- We don't trust in our abilities. "I don't know how to speak. I didn't read enough books. I didn't memorize enough verses." Who said these are the prerequisites? Did Jonah speak the language of the Ninevites? He only said one sentence - and a very harsh one.
- We are afraid of the unknown. But this road is what made Jonah. This is what made Christ, 800 years later, mention Jonah's name with His pure lips. He credited Jonah that Nineveh repented through his preaching. The Lord remembered Jonah and forgot all his mistakes - as if He closed His eyes on all his shortcomings.
- We are occupied with trivial things. We are all running after this world as if it is the beginning and end of the whole story. While God keeps pointing to heaven, we keep pointing Him to the earth.
- We have misconceptions. We still imagine that our Christ is only for Copts. Our Lord Jesus died for the whole world. So why are we so narrow-minded?
Conclusion
Jonah was turned into an evangelist because our Lord insisted. And this is what will happen with you. Our Lord will keep after you, saying:
"My beloved, I want you, before your life is over, to make for yourself some value, some treasure in heaven. I will be able to bring the unbelievers without you. But you were the one in need, dear Jonah. You need Nineveh more than Nineveh needs you."
When Jonah started practicing evangelism, he discovered it wasn't hard. He discovered that he was saying simple words but God was working through those words. He saw fruit - many people believed.
Don't wait until a whale forces you to become an evangelist. Come out of this lesson as an evangelist. Otherwise, you may have to experience the whale.
Key Takeaways
- We must evangelize because we ourselves are the fruit of evangelism - without St. Mark and St. Paul, we would not know Christ
- Evangelism is the will of God and the natural result of the new life we received at baptism - it is not optional
- The evangelist is simply someone who loves God and loves people - not necessarily someone with special knowledge or eloquence
- Your real value before God is measured in the souls you have helped bring to Him, not in earthly achievements
- Evangelism is a lifestyle, not an event - you are a witness 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Jonah's story teaches us that God persistently calls each of us, and running from that calling only delays the blessing
Dive Deeper
Resources coming soon.
To our God be all glory and honor, now and forever. Amen.