Evangelism Vision: a Lifetime Change
Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
Evangelism Vision: A Lifetime Change
A Paper
Submitted to Dr. Harold D. Bryant
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Course
Contemporary Evangelism EVAN 565
By
Michael McKelvey
19 August 2011
What is the first thing that pops into your head when you think of evangelism? That’s scary! Am I going to be rejected? It’s not my spiritual gift! This paper explains the Great Commission and its relationship to evangelism on the vision and challenge of what God is doing in my life in the area of evangelism. It also looks at how I think of evangelism, gives explanation of evangelism and challenges my rethinking on how evangelism could be done in a way to help me begin to share my faith in new and natural way. The Christian interpretation of the Great Commission to share God's Word through evangelism is defined outside the walls of the church and best understood by first discussing the nature of evangelism in Christianity. The writing of Dr. David Earley and Dr. David Wheeler, Dr. Jerry Pipes and Victor Lee, Richard Leach, William Fay, and the videos from Dr. David Wheeler have helped my fears of evangelism.
This semester I have learned and developed new perceptions and challenges about evangelism which has challenged my way of thinking. The way I think centers around three aspects of Christian witness: Physical Service, Spiritual Conversation, and Intellectual Conversation.
The first aspect of evangelism can be characterized as physical includes things like: Social Justice, Acts of Service; feeding the hungry and clothing the poor—anything that embodies benevolence and/ or philanthropy. It is the physical service that we provide for people who have needs anywhere at any time. For example Dr. Wheeler says that “Ministry evangelism and servant evangelism . . . intentionally seek to meet people’s needs in order to open the doors for the gospel message.” This act of caring service will lead to a Spiritual conversation
Evangelism Vision: A Lifetime Change
A Paper
Submitted to Dr. Harold D. Bryant
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Course
Contemporary Evangelism EVAN 565
By
Michael McKelvey
19 August 2011
What is the first thing that pops into your head when you think of evangelism? That’s scary! Am I going to be rejected? It’s not my spiritual gift! This paper explains the Great Commission and its relationship to evangelism on the vision and challenge of what God is doing in my life in the area of evangelism. It also looks at how I think of evangelism, gives explanation of evangelism and challenges my rethinking on how evangelism could be done in a way to help me begin to share my faith in new and natural way. The Christian interpretation of the Great Commission to share God's Word through evangelism is defined outside the walls of the church and best understood by first discussing the nature of evangelism in Christianity. The writing of Dr. David Earley and Dr. David Wheeler, Dr. Jerry Pipes and Victor Lee, Richard Leach, William Fay, and the videos from Dr. David Wheeler have helped my fears of evangelism.
This semester I have learned and developed new perceptions and challenges about evangelism which has challenged my way of thinking. The way I think centers around three aspects of Christian witness: Physical Service, Spiritual Conversation, and Intellectual Conversation.
The first aspect of evangelism can be characterized as physical includes things like: Social Justice, Acts of Service; feeding the hungry and clothing the poor—anything that embodies benevolence and/ or philanthropy. It is the physical service that we provide for people who have needs anywhere at any time. For example Dr. Wheeler says that “Ministry evangelism and servant evangelism . . . intentionally seek to meet people’s needs in order to open the doors for the gospel message.” This act of caring service will lead to a Spiritual conversation
Bibliography: Earley, Dave and David Wheeler. Evangelism Is… How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence. Nashville: B & H Academic, 2010. Fay, William. Share Jesus Without Fear. Nashville, TN: B&H, 1999. McRaney, William. The Art of Personal Evangelism. Nashville: B & H Academic, 2003. Pipes, Jerry and Victor Lee. Family to Family, Families Making a Difference. Lawrenceville, GA: Jerry Pipes, 1999. Thompson, W. Oscar, and Carolyn Thompson Ritzmann. Concentric Circles of Concern: Seven Stages for Making Disciples. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1999. Wheeler, David and Richard Leach. Growing Disciples Series: Minister to Others. Nashville, TN: Lifeway, 2009. Wheeler, Dr. David. Incarnational Apologetics. Liberty University, (Accessed May 10, 2011). [ 2 ]. Will McRaney Jr., The Art of Personal Evangelism (Nashville, TN: B&H Group, 2003), 215. [ 4 ]. Oscar Thompson, “Concentric Circles of Concern” (Nashville, TN: B & H 1999), 20. [ 5 ]. Richard Leach and David A. Wheeler, Growing Disciples Series: Minister to Others (Nashville, TN: Lifeway, 2009), 57. [ 9 ]. Dr. David Wheeler, “Incarnational Apologetics” Liberty University (Accessed July 26, 2011), 1. [ 11 ]. William Fay, Share Jesus Without Fear (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 1999), 8. [ 12 ]. Jerry Pipes and Victor Lee. Family to Family, Families Making a Difference. (Lawrenceville, GA: 1999), 1. [ 16 ]. Edward Kenyon, The Bible in Light of Our Redemption-Basic Bible Course (Lynnwood, Washington: 1999), 265.