November 2008 Evangelism Quote

"Evangelism that will introduce Jesus to this culture will flow from people who are deeply in love with Jesus." — Reggie McNeal, The Present Future, Jossey-Bass 2003, p. 82.

October 2008 Evangelism Quote

“Why did pagan onlookers hold the early church in such high respect, but today’s non-Christians view the modern-day church with such disdain? I think one of the main culprits has been our paradigm of evangelism. In the name of ‘getting someone saved,’ we have primarily focused on communicating a message of truth to the world. There’s nothing wrong with that, except that we’ve prioritized the verbals over the nonverbals, the message over the method, that is to say, the proclamation over the posture… The idea of posture helps us realize that truth is important, but according to scripture, truth is not the only thing or the most important thing. The most important thing is whether or not people are attracted to the truth, drawn into the truth, and able to understand and receive the truth.” – Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, The Tangible Kingdom, Jossey-Bass 2008, p. 41.

September 2008 Evangelism Quote

"The absence of evangelism in so many churches...means that the spiritual and intellectual muscles of church members do not get exercised and are never strong. Church life without evangelism breeds weak and feeble Christians." -- Michael Green, Evangelism Through the Local Church, Nashville: Oliver-Nelson, 1992, p. 412.

August 2008 Evangelism Quote

"Many of us equate evangelism with nervousness and artificial boldness. But when we look at how Jesus related to others, we see that he equated evangelism with love. He showed a natural interest in people by asking questions and paying attention, he wasn't frenzied or rushed, and he was approachable. As Christians, we can relate to others with the same sense of security and freedom. We can try something small, making ordinary attempts to show others the love of Jesus." --Jim Henderson, Evangelism Without Additives, Waterbrook Press, 2007, p. 143.

July 2008 Evangelism Quote

"How deep is the faith you convey to outsiders? What type of depth are we asking our friends and neighbors to have? A get-saved approach ignores the fact that most people in America have made an emotional connection to Jesus before; now they need much more than a one-dimensional understanding of him." -- Unchristian, David Kinnaman, Baker Books 2007, p.76.

June 2008 Evangelism Quote

"When you are on a mission to the missing, conversion and disciple making often get blurred, overlapping and combined like ingredients poured into a mixing bowl. That's why Jesus told us to make disciples, not converts. The linear, multistep sequence we think of as a normal path to conversion doesn't happen in reality, even when we have a willing disciplee. There are always twists and turns. Always surprises. If you are too scripted with your evangelistic expectations, you won't be agile enough to stay connected with the people Jesus misses most."
-- Jim Henderson, Evangelism Without Additives, Waterbook Press 2005, pp.176-177.

May 2008 Evangelism Quote

"The goal of our missional life is not to grow churches. The goal of church is to grow missionaries. The goal of the gospel is not to get people to church. The result of the gospel is that people will find each other and gather because of the deep meaning of a common experience."
— Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, The Tangible Kingdom, Jossey-Bass, 2008 p. 168.

April 2008 Evangelism Quote

“The early church teaches us three principles for evangelism in a secular/spiritual culture: we must be open to all; we are to preach, teach, enact, and live an exclusive Christian message; and we need to create a community that not only looks after its own but cares for the needs of the world.” – Robert E. Webber, Ancient-Future Evangelism, Baker, 2003 p. 57.

March 2008 Evangelism Quote

“’Evangelism’ is for many people, frankly, a nose-wrinkling word, a term they hold in approximately the same regard as the phrase ‘professional wrestling.’ Both are considered to be activities that draw large, uncritical crowds, involve a measure of sham, work on irrational emotions, and could end up hurting somebody. ..We must [try] to reclaim the word ‘evangelism.’ In the largest sense, evangelism means living the gospel in ways that can be seen, heard, and felt, and, as such, it embraces every aspect of the church’s life." --Thomas G. Long, Neely D. McCarter Preaching In and Out of Season, Westminster/John Knox Press: Louisville, KY 1990- p. 79.

Since we're in the Lenten season, here is a good one for Lent —
“Evangelism is incomplete unless it addresses the problem of violence and points to Jesus’ sacrifice as the means of recovering harmonious relationships.” – J. Andrew Kirk, What Is Mission – Theological Explorations, Fortress Press, 2000, p. 145

February 2008 Evangelism Quote

“Evangelism is the proclamation of salvation in Christ to those who do not believe in him, calling them to repentance and conversion, announcing forgiveness of sin, and inviting them to become living members of Christ’s earthly community and to begin a life of service to others in the power of the Holy Spirit.” -David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission, Orbis, 1991, p. 11.

January 2008 Evangelism Quote

“Evangelism is not a program of the church; rather, it is the essential work of the Church. It is not an option for Christians but an obligation, a fundamental commission of their Christ. Mission infuses all that the Church does. No person living richly and fully in his or her faith can ignore the call to make disciples of others."
Bishop Claude Payne and Hamilton Beazley, Reclaiming the Great Commission, Jossey-Bass, Inc.

December 2007 Evangelism Quote

"At its best, evangelism liberates in two ways. People are liberated from bondage, and people are liberated to self-fulfillment as God’s beloved children." -- Paul R. Dekar, Holy Boldness, Smyth and Helwys, 2004, p.5.

November 2007 Evangelism Quote

Evangelism at its core is God coming after us, even at our very worst, to invite us to come home.” – John P. Bowen, Evangelism for Normal People, Augsburg, 2002, p.28

October 2007 Evangelism Quote

"Evangelism is being, doing and telling the gospel of the kingdom of God, in order that by the power of the Holy Spirit, persons and structures may be converted to the lordship of Jesus Christ." — Delos Miles, Introduction to Evangelism, Broadman, 1983, p. 47.

September 2007 Evangelism Quote

“The purpose of evangelism is not just to save people from dying without Christ, but to save them from living without him.”   -- George E. Sweazy, The Church As Evangelist, Harper & Row, 1978, p. 26.

August 2007 Evangelism Quote

"The model for the missional church differs from mass evangelism and from seeker evangelism because missional evangelism locates the focal point of evangelism in a community of people who embody in their lives the message and reality of the Christian faith... The missional church evangelizes primarily by immersing the unchurched in the experience of Christianity."
— Robert E. Webber, Ancient-Future Evangelism, Baker 2003, p.62