Eight Principles of New Testament Evangelism

Mark D. Uzupan

Acts 17:6 

And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

There are many books and seminars on evangelism, but our greatest and most effective resource will be the Bible. So we will look into Scripture and find out how Jesus in the early church were evangelizing their world, and if we will incorporate that within our lives we will be able to reach our city and county more effectively for Jesus.

There are at least eight principles, that if we will apply daily to our lives, we will be fruitful and our church will grow.

1.  They proclaimed an exclusive gospel.

The message of Jesus and the Apostolic Church was not just another message. It was good news, but an exclusive type of good news. Salvation was found in no one other than Jesus Christ, and people had to place explicit faith in Him.

1 Corinthians 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Jesus is the only way.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus, water baptism and the in-filling of the Holy Ghost was proclaimed to both Jew and Gentile.

Acts 20:21  Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 2:38-39  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  (39)  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

This gospel was proclaimed to those following the Jewish religious ways (John 3) and Samaritan faith traditions (Acts 8). It was also proclaimed to the extremely religious (Acts 19) and to the God-fearers (Acts 10). It was news of love, hope, freedom, healing, deliverance, reconciliation, and forgiveness. It is a message of God incarnating Himself among people, dying as atonement for the sins of the world, and resurrecting from the dead (1 Cor. 15:1-4).

2.They were intentional in sharing the gospel.

Evangelism did not just happen by coincidence. They were intentional in their

efforts, they made it a part of their daily lives. Evangelism was not a backup plan in case the other good deeds of the Church did not work.  John records, John 4:4,  “And he must needs go through Samaria.”

Though it is easy to miss the gravity of these simple seven English words, it should be remembered that no decent, right-minded Jew would ever travel through Samaria when traveling from Judea to Galilee. Rather than journey through their region, Jewish people would avoid the entire area. Jesus, however, intentionally entered into this area and encountered the Samaritan woman, who along with her village, became believers.

John 4:39-42  And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.  (40)  So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.  (41)  And many more believed because of his own word;  (42)  And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

3.They were Spirit-led.

Romans 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

 

From the very beginning , the Holy Ghost enabled the Church to be effective witnesses throughout the world.

Acts 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The Holy Ghost provides boldness to share the gospel

Acts 4:31  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

The Holy Ghost worked through the apostles to perform signs and wonders.

 Acts 2:43  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

The Bible says this about us:

John 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

If we will give ourselves to prayer and dedication to God self-discipline through fasting God will give us the power and the anointing and we can meet the needs of those that live around us.

4.They understood the importance of culture.

What this simply means, is that while we bought into our message and our beliefs, we also don’t need to condemn people and alienate people who may have a religious experience and a love for God.

Jesus and the Apostolic Church knew about the value of culture in the

communication of the gospel. For example, in Paul’s Mars’ Hill address, he began his message by stating what would have been a compliment to the Athenians, that they were very religious people.

Acts 17:22-29  Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.  (23)  For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.  (24)  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;  (25)  Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;  (26)  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;  (27)  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:  (28)  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.  (29)  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

The Bible tells us:

Matthew 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

5.They were flexible to the context.

Closely related to their understanding of the value of culture, was the fact that the methods and gospel presentations of Jesus and the Apostolic Church varied from situation to situation. In other words you deal with each individual on an individual basis and level.

1 Corinthians 9:19-22  For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.  (20)  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;  (21)  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.  (22)  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Though the gospel message did not change the contexts required different methods of engagement and communication.

 

6.They began where people were in their spiritual journeys.

The disciples and Jesus began to minister to the individual where they were at spiritually at the moment.

The Samaritan woman was not concerned with her heritage, but rather getting water from a well; Jesus used the felt need as an opportunity to speak of “living water” (John 4:10).

Philip did not begin sharing with the Ethiopian a discourse about Adam and Eve, but rather started preaching from the passage about which the man had questions (Acts 8:35).

7.They were sensitive to the fears, hurts, and concerns of others while speaking the truth in love.

We live in a world where people are facing many different kinds of hurts, frustrations and concerns.  To us, their hurts, frustrations, fears and concerns may seem silly, simplistic, and foolish.  But, to the individual, those fears, frustrations, concerns, and hurts are very real to them.

Jesus and the disciples never watered down the doctrine nor did they ever try to hide sin or deny wickedness, but they looked beyond the fault and saw the need.  Though Jesus could have spent much time speaking about the evils of adultery and fornication to the Samaritan woman, we read in the Bible:

John 8:3-11  And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,  (4)  They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.  (5)  Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?  (6)  This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.  (7)  So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them,  He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.  (8)  And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.  (9)  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  (10)  When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?  (11)  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

8.They were post-conversion oriented.

Though evangelism is the first step of the Great Commission, the mandate to the Church includes making disciples.

Matthew 28:19-20   Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  (20)  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Basically, making disciples is teaching, more teaching, and more teaching until Jesus comes again.

A simple reading of the book of Acts and the Epistles, reveals that the new believers were gathered together in churches.

Acts 2:42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Paul followed up with the new believers through visits, letters, and messengers.

If we are to be true disciples of Jesus Christ then we will receive the teachings of the word of God, we will obey them and we will be fruitful and we will multiply others as we have given ourselves to Jesus.

Romans 1:5  By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Colossians 1:9-10  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;  (10)  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;